This core course in the veterinary curriculum was designed to use a team-teaching approach to tie together the basic science courses in the first 4 terms to surgical principles and prepare the students for their clinical year. The introductory portion of the course reviews principles of surgery, including asepsis, instrumentation and surgical techniques, plus approaches to the different body cavities. The remainder of the course covers the management and treatment of surgical conditions for small companion animals, including soft tissue, orthopedic, dentistry, neurologic, and ophthalmic conditions. Students will be exposed to the most common surgical procedures by organ systems. Use of state-of-the-art technology will be included among the different surgical procedures.