Anesthesia & Abdominal Surgery Program

6-Day Hands-On Training Program | Costa Rica

The Anesthesia & Abdominal Surgery Program is a 6-day practical training experience designed for veterinarians and advanced veterinary students who want to understand and practice the complete perioperative process in small animal patients.

This program combines applied anesthesia, pain management, surgical planning, cadaver lab practice, and supervised live spay/neuter cases. The goal is to help participants connect anesthesia and surgery as part of one complete clinical workflow — from patient evaluation and anesthetic planning to abdominal procedures, monitoring, recovery, and post-operative care.

• Duration: 6 training days
• Format: Applied theory + anesthesia practice + cadaver lab + supervised live surgery
• Language: English and Spanish available

Program Highlights

• 6 days of integrated anesthesia and surgery training.
• Small group format with close instructor supervision.
• Applied anesthesia and pain management focused on surgical patients.
• Cadaver lab practice for selected abdominal procedures.
• Supervised participation in live spay/neuter cases.
• Designed for veterinarians and advanced veterinary students.
• Certificate of completion included.
• Daily coffee breaks/snacks included.

What You’ll Learn

By the end of the program, participants should have a stronger understanding of:

• Pre-anesthetic evaluation and patient risk assessment.
• Anesthetic planning for surgical patients.
• Pain management and multimodal analgesia.
• Patient preparation and surgical planning.
• Abdominal approach and systematic exploration.
• Tissue handling, hemostasis, and closure techniques.
• Selected abdominal surgical procedures.
• Patient monitoring during surgery.
• Recovery monitoring and post-operative care.
• Communication between the anesthesia and surgery team.
• Common perioperative complications and how to respond.

Topics & Procedures Covered

This program integrates key topics from anesthesia and abdominal surgery, including:

• Pre-anesthetic assessment.
• ASA classification.
• Anesthetic protocols and drug calculations.
• Analgesia and pain management.
• Monitoring and anesthetic record keeping.
• Abdominal surgical approach and closure.
• Systematic abdominal exploration.
• Gastrointestinal procedures such as gastrotomy, gastropexy, and enterotomy.
• Selected urinary and abdominal organ procedures, such as cystotomy and splenectomy.
• Supervised live spay/neuter cases, depending patient suitability, and instructor criteria.

What’s Included

• 6 training days.
• Applied anesthesia and surgical theory.
• Practical anesthesia training.
• Cadaver lab practice.
• Supervised live spay/neuter participation.
• Small group instruction.
• Certificate of completion.
• Daily coffee breaks/snacks.
• Instructor feedback during the program.

Not Included

• Flights.
• Lodging.
• Airport transportation.
• Local transportation.
• Main meals.
• Visa processing or travel documents.
• Personal expenses.

Travel guidance may be provided upon request.

Requirements

Participants should:

• Be a veterinarian or advanced veterinary student.
• Have basic knowledge of small animal medicine.
• Have basic understanding of surgical instruments, aseptic technique, suturing, pharmacology, and patient monitoring.
• Be able to communicate in English or Spanish.
• Complete the registration form.
• Provide proof of veterinary degree or current veterinary student status.

Important Notes

Patient safety and animal welfare are always the top priority.

All live case activities are performed under direct instructor supervision. Instructors may guide, pause, intervene, or take over any task or procedure if needed to ensure patient safety.

Hands-on participation may vary depending on patient suitability, participant experience, and instructor criteria.

This program is designed as an integrated anesthesia and surgery experience. Participants looking for deeper specialization in one area may consider the individual Anesthesia & Pain Management Program or the Small Animal Abdominal Surgery Program.

Ready to Join?

This program is designed for participants who want to connect anesthesia and surgery in a complete, practical, supervised perioperative training experience.

Limited spots available.