The acute abdomen presents some of the most challenging and time-critical cases in small animal practice. This session will provide a practical approach to the diagnosis, surgical exploration and perioperative management of dogs and cats presenting with acute abdominal disease. Using septic peritonitis and gastrointestinal leakage as the primary clinical examples, delegates will explore systematic methods for abdominal exploration, optimising surgical exposure, assessing tissue viability and making intraoperative decisions under pressure. The lecture will also review evidence-based approaches to gastrointestinal surgery, abdominal lavage and drainage, antimicrobial stewardship, analgesia and nutritional support. While septic abdomen cases will form the core of the discussion, many of the diagnostic and surgical principles are directly applicable to a wide range of acute abdominal presentations, including gastrointestinal obstruction, biliary disease, uroabdomen, abdominal masses and traumatic injuries. Attendees will leave with practical strategies to improve confidence, decision-making and outcomes when managing acute abdominal emergencies in first-opinion practice.

Key Learning Objectives:

1. Recognise the clinical features and diagnostic findings associated with common causes of the acute abdomen in dogs and cats.
2. Interpret laboratory, imaging and abdominal fluid analysis results to support diagnosis and prioritisation of acute abdominal surgical cases.
3. Apply a systematic approach to abdominal exploration that facilitates identification of pathology and improves surgical efficiency in emergency patients.
4. Evaluate techniques to improve surgical exposure and access to abdominal structures during exploratory laparotomy.
5. Compare different surgical techniques and adjunctive procedures used to manage gastrointestinal leakage and intra-abdominal contamination, including their indications and limitations.
6. Formulate perioperative management plans for patients with acute abdominal disease, incorporating antimicrobial stewardship, analgesia, nutritional support and post-operative monitoring.