Postoperative management of the emergency surgery small animal patient

Hypovolemia, hypothermia, and hypotension are common postoperative findings that predispose the critically ill patient to secondary complications. Thi s patient population is especially vulnerable to sepsis, hypoxia, and immun e dysfunction. Careful monitoring is essential for early recognition of pot entially life-threatening physiologic derangements. Early and aggressive in tervention may help minimize systemic insult before it progresses to acute respiratory distress syndrome, acute renal failure, disseminated intravascu lar coagulation, or multiple organ failure.