Surgical Complications Every General Practitioner Will See

Surgical complications are an unavoidable aspect of veterinary medicine, and general practitioners are often the first to recognize, triage, and manage these challenges in clinical practice. Presented from the perspective of a board-certified small animal surgeon, this session will provide a practical review of the most common surgical complications encountered following routine and advanced procedures commonly performed or monitored in general practice. Topics will include complications associated with ovariohysterectomy and castration, gastrointestinal surgery, general orthopedic procedures, bandages and coaptation, wound healing, infections, seromas, dehiscence, post-operative swelling, pain, and delayed recovery. Emphasis will be placed on differentiating expected post-operative changes from true complications, early recognition, initial treatment strategies, prevention, and determining when referral or surgical re-evaluation is warranted. Attendees will leave with practical, immediately applicable knowledge to improve patient outcomes, client communication, and confidence when managing post-surgical complications.

• Recognize the most common surgical complications encountered following routine soft tissue, gastrointestinal, orthopedic, and reproductive procedures in general practice.
• Differentiate expected post-operative healing and recovery from true surgical complications requiring medical or surgical intervention.
• Develop practical approaches for the initial diagnosis, triage, and management of common post-surgical complications, including wound complications, bandage issues, infections, swelling, pain, and delayed healing.
• Improve clinical decision-making and client communication regarding complication management, prognosis, and appropriate timing for referral or surgical re-evaluation.