Survey of "Standards of Surgery" in Veterinary Practice

Abstract

Standards of surgical practice are not well defined in veterinary medicine as a profession. These issues are largely addressed in the course of litigation and often hinge upon the personal opinion of board certified experts working in controlled settings. We expect that the standards of surgical practice in an idealized setting bear little resemblance to that utilized in field settings in bovine practice. The purpose of this study was to gain insight into current "standards of surgery" among veterinarians in private practice.