This is article is on Animal Welfare Act regulations. Which states that all continued existing surgery will be performed by means of the proper aseptic technique, the use among others: surgical gloves, masks and sterile veterinary surgical instruments.

This article covers, pre surgical planning, personnel training, aseptic and surgical technique, animal well being, and physiological status all through the procedure of the surgery. That is prior to the surgical procedure a pre surgical planning is held. Surgical team consists of the surgeon, anesthetist, veterinarian, surgical technicians. Animal care staff and investigator conduct a meeting discussing and building a surgical plan. The number of members involved in the surgical team depends on how complicated the surgical procedure. In a very complicated case there should be more than one surgeon and a non sterile assistant available.

Because of the nature of surgery a proper identification of surgical plan is needed. Staff concerned and their roles and training, kind of operative procedure, equipment and supplies needed, assessment, monitoring, operative technique, post operative care, antibiotics and pertinent records should be included in the plan. The staff involved in the surgical team should not only limit their preparation in asepsis. The staff should have sufficient training in other main surgical procedure like tissue handling and dissection, proper use of instruments and suturing materials.

The article also discusses the importance of a surgical facility which is necessary. The surgical facility should have the following components: preparation room, instrument preparation room, surgeon preparation room, recovery room and operating room. The operating room should have enough lighting to have good visual during the procedure but not so much that it makes the operating site hot. The room should be clean, sanitized and non-contaminated. Only the person who is in charge during the procedure is allowed. After each procedure the operating site should always be clean and a new set up should be prepared.

Instruments preparation is also discussed. In instrument preparation it is important that the remaining debris in the instruments should be removed and cleaned before sterilizing. Immersing the instrument in the water with detergent or liquid soap for a few minute then rinse and let it dry.

Physical and Chemical sterilization of the surgical instruments before the procedure is very important to avoid contamination and infection. This is discussed with Autoclave and dry heat sterilization as example of Physical sterilization. Noting that not all surgical instruments can be sterilized using either autoclave or dry heat. This is because some surgical instruments, make, composition and material does not allow exposure to heat or high temperature which causes the instruments to become dull and corroded. Validation of sterilization is also included in this article.

In animal preparation, it includes Pre operative preparation and skin preparation. Physical examinations and laboratory test is under the Pre operative preparation. Skin preparations consist of draping, heat loss and fluid loss.

Intra operative procedures and post operative management are also included in this article which observes the health of the animal during and after the operation.Continue research on this page