ANIMAL OWNERS
Questions for Your Veterinarian
Do you have a question that is not answered here?
Email ACVS at acvs@acvs.org.
ACVS Diplomates and Board Certification
An ACVS Diplomate is a veterinarian who has completed additional training after veterinary school and has been certified as a specialist in veterinary surgery by the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS). Diplomates of the ACVS are often referred to as board-certified surgeons. Learn more about training to become a board-certified veterinary surgeon.
Routine procedures like spays and neuters (small animals) and castrations (large animals) can generally be performed by your primary care veterinarian. Referral to a board-certified surgeon may be recommended by your primary care veterinarian for:
- advanced procedures or those not performed commonly
- procedures requiring specialized equipment
- procedures requiring intensive monitoring
- procedures carrying more risk to the life of your pet
The ACVS Find a Veterinary Surgeon directory has a partial list of ACVS board-certified surgeons. See next questions for why your veterinary surgeon may not be on the directory.
There are several possible reasons.
- Some board-certified surgeons request that their information not be posted online. If your surgeon says they are board-certified but does not appear on the Find a Veterinary Surgeon directory, you may email acvs@acvs.org to verify their certification.
- It is possible that they are board-certified but in a specialty other than veterinary surgery. View a list of veterinary specialty organizations that are recognized by the American Veterinary Medical Association.
- If they are in a surgery residency program but have not completed the ACVS residency requirements or have not passed the ACVS Certification Examination, they are not considered ACVS Diplomates and are not listed in the directory.
If you are unsure if your veterinarian is board-certified or by which specialty organization they are certified, contact their practice to find out.
Changing your search query may provide better results. Try the following changes:
- Try a broader search; searching by state and species will give the best results.
- If searching by ZIP Code, select a wider distance range.
- Try entering only the last name.
- Make sure to scroll down to see all of the results.
Large Animal Surgery Questions
Large animal surgery has two major components: equine/horse surgery and farm animal surgery. Important questions may differ between these two groups. Your animals depend on you to find a veterinarian with the experience and training necessary to perform their surgery; some important questions to ask your veterinarian are listed below for horses and farm animals.
Many surgeries that horses and farm animals undergo would benefit from the attention of a veterinary surgery specialist. These specialists are the veterinary surgeons board-certified by the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS). Read Large Animal Health Topics and Surgical Procedures for more information.
Questions to Ask Your Veterinarian Before Your Horse Has Surgery
- How often have you performed this surgery?
- Does the surgery require special equipment? Is the equipment available at your clinic?
- Will my horse require anesthesia? Is your staff trained specifically to administer anesthesia to horses? How often do you anesthetize horses at your clinic?
- What are the risks and possible complications of anesthesia and surgery? How would you handle these complications if they occur?
- Are there alternative procedures available?
- What type of care will my horse require after surgery? Is this something I can do, or do they need to stay in the hospital?
- Will my horse need to be on stall rest after surgery? If so for how long?
- Can I expect my horse to return to its previous level of performance?
- How long before my horse can return to regular work and turnout?
- What sort of rehabilitation program will my horse need before returning to regular work?
- Would it be better for my horse if a board-certified veterinary surgeon performed this procedure?
Small Animal Surgery Questions
Questions to Ask Your Veterinarian Before Your Pet Has Surgery
Your pet depends on you to find a veterinarian with the experience and training required if surgery is necessary. If a surgery is not “routine,” some important questions to ask your veterinarian include:
- How often have you performed this surgery?
- Does the surgery require special equipment? Is the equipment available at your clinic?
- Would advanced imaging, such as a CT scan or MRI, help surgical planning?
- Will my pet require anesthesia?
- Do you determine how much medication to administer based on the animal’s weight or do you tailor an anesthetic protocol (e.g. breed-related anesthetic differences) to each animal?
- Will my pet have an IV catheter for hydration and, if there is an emergency, for quick access to the cardiovascular system?
- How often do you sterilize surgical instruments? What if my pet gets an infection?
- What should I expect the outcome of the surgery to be?
- Are there alternative procedures available?
- What are the risks and possible complications of anesthesia and surgery?
- What follow-up care is necessary?
- Should my pet stay in the hospital after surgery? Will there be a doctor or a nurse on the premises?
- Can you be reached by phone during the evening and night of the procedure if I have any questions or concerns about my pet?
- Are you available for questions regarding post-operative care?
- Would it be better if a board-certified veterinary surgeon performed this procedure?
Many surgeries that pets undergo would benefit from the attention of a veterinary surgery specialist. To help you and your pet, there is a network of veterinary surgeons ready to provide the special surgical care your pet needs. They are board-certified by the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS).
Read Small Animal Health Topics for more information on your pet’s condition.
Complaints
Contact your state’s veterinary licensing board for information relating to complaints.
ACVS Foundation, Supporting Animal Health
The ACVS Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization which is funded through donations and provides financial support for:
- research in the field of veterinary surgery
- education of veterinary surgery residents
- continuing education for ACVS Diplomates
The ACVS Foundation welcomes your tax-deductible donations!
Financial Aid
ACVS does not provide financial aid for surgery. Financial aid is available from other organizations in select cases, but it is very hard to come by. The demand is much greater than the available funding. For suggestions and ideas, visit the Humane Society.
Surgeries done for research still require funding, and this funding is limited. As a result, research projects tend to focus on very specific conditions or types of surgery as opposed to more general surgeries. Typically, universities have little trouble finding the animals needed for their studies; therefore, the likelihood of their needing additional animals is small.
