Cut It Out
This abdominal surgery removes the uterus and ovaries in female dogs and cats.
What is an ovariohysterectomy (spay)?
This blood component is primarily responsible for oxygen delivery.
What are red blood cells?
This suture pattern places individual stitches that can be removed separately if one section fails.
What are interrupted sutures?
This opioid is commonly used for intraoperative analgesia because it is potent and short acting.
What is fentanyl?
A patient’s incision opens after surgery. This complication is called:
What is dehiscence?
A dog with GDV requires this emergency surgery to untwist the stomach and prevent recurrence.
What is gastropexy?
This condition, often caused by rodenticide toxicity, results in uncontrollable bleeding. It means the blood's ability to clot is compromised.
What is Coagulopathy?
This suture material is commonly used for skin closure because it is strong and minimally reactive.
What is nylon or polypropylene?
This is the abbreviation for the scale used by anesthetists to assess the physical status of a patient prior to a procedure.
What is ASA? (American Society of Anesthesiologists)?
A patient becomes hypothermic during surgery. This is important because it can delay:
What is recovery from anesthesia?
During a spay, this structure is the most critical to double-ligate to prevent life-threatening intra-abdominal hemorrhage.
What is the ovarian pedicle?
A patient with prolonged clotting times and active bleeding may require this blood product containing clotting factors.
What is fresh frozen plasma (FFP)?
This synthetic, absorbable monofilament offers the longest duration of wound support, retaining strength for up to 6 months.
What is polydioxanone (PDS)?
Flumazenil is used to reverse this class of drugs.
What are Benzodiazepines?
This common complication is the cessation of normal GI motility following abdominal surgery and is often worsened by the use of opiates.
What is postoperative ileus?
This orthopedic surgical technique involves making a cut in the proximal tibia and rotating it to neutralize the tibial plateau angle (TPA) in dogs with a torn ACL.
What is a Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy (TPLO)?
The name of the process by which the body stops bleeding, involving vascular spasm, platelet plug formation, and blood clotting.
What is Hemostasis?
Made from the submucosa of sheep or serosa of cattle, this absorbable natural suture is broken down via phagocytosis.
What is surgical gut (catgut)?
This critical breathing system component must be partially opened if you are delivering a manual "sigh" or using a ventilator, otherwise you will cause barotrauma.
What is the pop-off valve (exhaust valve)?
A failure to maintain a sterile field can result in this life-threatening, widespread infection of the peritoneal cavity post-exploratory laparotomy.
What is peritonitis?
The surgical creation of an opening between two tubular or hollow structures to allow fluid to pass.
A life-threatening bleeding disorder often triggered by severe systemic disease (like sepsis or snake envenomation) that causes simultaneous clotting and bleeding.
What is Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC)? [1]
Excessive tension in a laceration can cause this complication, where the suture cuts completely through the tissue edges.
What is cheese-wiring?
You notice dilated pupils in your anesthetized patient. This can indicate Stage III Plane 3 deep anesthesia, extreme excitement upon induction, or this dangerous clinical state.
What is hypoxia?
Post-fracture repair, this syndrome occurs when swelling or bleeding within an enclosed facial compartment compromises circulation, leading to tissue ischemia.
What is compartment syndrome?