Fundamentals of Surgery & Perioperative Antibiotic Use

Good surgical outcomes start with getting the fundamentals right. In this webinar, we revisit the core principles of surgery that underpin safe and effective procedures, with a strong focus on how everyday surgical decisions influence wound healing, complications and the risk of surgical site infection.

We will translate essential surgical principles into practical clinical practice, including gentle tissue handling, meticulous haemostasis, preservation of blood supply, appropriate tissue apposition, management of dead space and tension, and maintaining aseptic technique throughout a procedure. We will also look at factors that increase the risk of surgical site infection and how these can be minimized in practice.

The second part of the webinar focuses on the rational perioperative use of antibiotics. When is antimicrobial prophylaxis actually indicated—and when is it not? We will discuss wound classification, patient and procedure-related risk factors, appropriate timing of prophylactic antibiotics, and the rationale for redosing during prolonged procedures.

By combining sound surgical technique with responsible antimicrobial use, this webinar provides veterinarians with a practical framework for reducing complications while avoiding unnecessary antibiotic use. The emphasis throughout is on principles and decisions that can be directly applied in everyday small animal surgical practice.