Essential Soft Tissue
Surgery for the
Dog and Cat
Essential Soft Tissue Surgery
for the Dog and Cat
Registration provides immediate, lifetime access to this online course.
RACE Accredited · 20 CE Hours
Who This Is For
Sound Familiar?
- Tired of reviewing surgical procedures from a dense textbook?
- Unsure of the current recommendations on key procedures?
- Feeling anxious or underprepared before a surgical case?
Eliminate the worry and indecision. Dr. Berg’s detailed video segments are designed to help you conquer veterinary surgical procedures with total confidence from your first review through your next challenging case.
Course Preview
Watch a 70-Second Segment from This Course
About the Instructor
Dr. John Berg, DVM, DACVS
Dr. John Berg was a 1981 graduate of Colorado State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. He completed a rotating internship at Cornell University in 1982 before returning to Colorado State for his surgery residency. Following his residency, he spent a year in referral practice at South Shore Veterinary Associates, south of Boston, and joined the faculty of Tufts University’s Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine in 1987 — where he would go on to dedicate 35 years to teaching and practicing small animal soft tissue surgery.
Dr. Berg had a special interest in surgical oncology and was recognized as an ACVS Founding Fellow in Surgical Oncology and an honorary member of the Veterinary Society of Surgical Oncology. He served as Chair of the Department of Clinical Sciences at Tufts from 1998 to 2011, twice received the Pfizer Distinguished Teaching Award, and authored numerous original articles and book chapters on soft tissue surgery and surgical oncology. He also served as editor-in-chief of the Tufts newsletters Catnip and Your Dog.
Dr. Berg retired from Tufts as Professor Emeritus and passed away in 2024. His former residents and students consistently describe him as one of the finest educators and mentors in veterinary surgery — a patient teacher who never lost his cool in the OR, who communicated complicated concepts in a way that made students feel supported and eager to learn, and who believed that the best surgeons are not just technically skilled but passionate, supportive, and empathetic.
About These Courses
These courses represent Dr. Berg’s commitment to making expert-level surgical education accessible to veterinarians in general practice. Following his passing, the International Veterinary Dentistry Institute secured an exclusive licensing agreement with the Berg family to ensure this coursework remains available to the profession.
IVDI is the sole authorized provider of Dr. Berg’s online surgical CE programs, and we are committed to preserving his educational legacy for generations of veterinarians to come.
Full Curriculum
Course Modules & Topics
This bundle contains four complete surgical CE modules. Click any module below to explore its topics, then expand each topic to see what’s covered.
Gastrointestinal Surgery
4 RACE CE Hours
- Types of GI foreign bodies
- Pathophysiology of intestinal obstruction
- Diagnosis of foreign body obstruction
- Antibiotics, suture material and needles
- Indications for surgery for foreign bodies
- Assessing intestinal viability
- Postop feeding
- Intestinal incisional dehiscence
- E-tube indications
- Advantages of e-tubes
- Special equipment
- E-tube feeding protocol
- Special equipment
- Risk of dehiscence after intestinal biopsy
- Role of mesenteric lymph node biopsy
- Liver biopsy interpretation
- Risks of pancreatic biopsy
- Clinical signs of gastric foreign bodies
- Life-threatening foreign bodies (pennies, magnets, teriyaki sticks)
- Imaging of gastric foreign bodies
- Results of endoscopy for gastric foreign bodies
- Needles, suture material, antibiotics, suture patterns
- Postoperative feeding
- Indications
- Intestinal tumor types in dogs and cats
- The GIST concept
- Role of surgery in feline GI lymphoma
- Assessment of intestinal viability
- Long-term survival outcomes
- Background — idiopathic megacolon
- Rule outs
- Medical and dietary management
- Indications for subtotal colectomy
- Risks of colonic surgery
- Anatomy and prognosis
- Background on linear foreign bodies
- Radiographic and ultrasonographic appearance
- Disadvantages of multiple enterotomies
- Management of intestinal perforation
- Risk factors and lifetime risk in large breeds
- Signs and radiographic appearance
- Systemic sequelae of GDV
- Gastric decompression: orogastric tube vs. trocarization
- Determining volvulus direction and repositioning
- Assessing splenic and gastric viability
- Methods of gastric resection
- Incisional gastropexy and mortality rate
General Soft Tissue Surgery
8 RACE CE Hours
- Cause of cervical abscesses
- Rule outs and workup for dogs with cervical swelling
- Passive vs. active (closed suction) drains
- Chinese finger trap stitch for securing drains
- Aftercare and prognosis
- Causes, signs and diagnosis
- Management of urethral obstruction
- Anatomy for internal muscle transposition
- Management of bilateral hernias
- Complications and recurrent hernias
- Perineal hernias in cats
- Indications and contraindications
- Behavior of osteosarcoma
- Talking to owners about amputation
- Delayed bleeding in greyhounds
- Pain management and postoperative care
- Response of osteosarcoma to chemotherapy
- Indications and contraindications
- Behavior of osteosarcoma
- Talking to owners about amputation
- Delayed bleeding in greyhounds
- Pain management and postoperative care
- Response of osteosarcoma to chemotherapy
- Indications for tail amputation
- Prognosis in screw-tailed English Bulldogs
- Pathophysiology and clinical signs
- Radiography, ultrasound and other imaging
- Timing of surgery
- Chronic traumatic diaphragmatic hernias
- Anesthetic considerations, re-expansion pulmonary edema
- Aftercare and prognosis
- Advantages of wound soaker catheters
- Catheter options and placement principles
- Dosing of local anesthetics
- Aftercare
- Holding thumb forceps and needle holders
- Instrument square knot and surgeon’s knot
- Simple interrupted skin sutures
- Cruciate skin sutures
- Simple continuous pattern
- Two-hand square and surgeon’s knot
- Putting on a cap and mask
- Scrubbing in
- Putting on a gown and gloves
- Preparation of the patient
- Indications for toe amputation
- Subungual squamous cell carcinoma in dogs
- Melanoma of the digit in dogs
- Digital metastases of primary lung tumors in cats
- Radiographic appearance of digital malignancies
- Digital pad transfer for pad defects
- Partial foot amputation (2 toes)
- Principles of tumor excision
- Patient selection for CT/MRI
- Definition of wide margins and margin classification
- Orienting incisions with lines of tension
- Second intention healing
- Submitting tumors for histopathology
- Interpretation of margin analysis results
- Local recurrence rates and histologic grade outcomes
- Assessing blood loss during surgery
- Prevention of hypothermia
- Measurement and treatment of blood pressure
- Transfusing cats
- Tracheal tears from endotracheal intubation
- Brain damage from mouth gags
- Anatomic differences between dogs and cats
- Torsion vs. volvulus
- Mesenteric volvulus
- How much intestine can be safely resected?
- Colonic displacement
- Splenic torsion and liver lobe torsion
- Lung lobe torsion
- Causes and clinical signs
- Abdominal fluid analysis
- Selection of initial antibiotics
- Surgical treatment and drainage options
- Prognosis
- Causes and clinical presentation
- Rule outs, cytology and ultrasound
- Surgical anatomy
- Aftercare and prognosis
- Normal calcium regulation
- Overview of hyperparathyroidism
- Rule outs for hypercalcemia
- Signs and interpretation of PTH/PTHrP
- Neck ultrasound and surgical anatomy
- Prevention/management of postop hypocalcemia
Urogenital Surgery
4 RACE CE Hours
- Normal gestation and parturition
- Causes and signs of dystocia
- Medical treatment of dystocia
- Indications for C-section
- Anesthesia and en bloc ovariohysterectomy
- Care of neonates
- Prognosis for mother and neonates
- Recessed vulva in dogs
- Preoperative patient preparation
- Prognosis following episioplasty
- Effect of spaying on mammary cancer
- Effect of neutering on other cancers and diseases
- Behavioral effects and dog-on-human bites
- Ovariectomy vs. ovariohysterectomy
- Ovary-sparing spay and vasectomy
- Indications for episiotomy
- Overview of vaginal tumors in dogs
- Surgical technique and prognosis
- Types/causes of uroliths in dogs and cats
- Choice of suture pattern and material
- Aftercare
- Types/causes of uroliths in dogs
- Urohydropulsion of uroliths
- Urethrostomy vs. urethrotomy
- Scrotal vs. prescrotal urethrotomy
- Prevention of hemorrhage and aftercare
- Causes of feline urethral obstruction
- Indications and timing of PU
- Technical errors that cause strictured PUs
- Aftercare and management of strictured PUs
- Indications for nephrectomy
- Renal scintigraphy indications and interpretation
- Preoperative care and anatomy
- Prognosis for dogs with renal cancer
- Causes and clinical signs
- Abdominal fluid analysis
- Use of urea, creatinine and potassium in diagnosis
- Timing of surgery and initial stabilization
- Urethrocystograms and microbubble studies
- Aftercare and prognosis
Surgery of the Ear, Airway, Spleen & Liver
4 RACE CE Hours
- Laryngeal anatomy
- Current concept of the cause of laryngeal paralysis
- Laryngeal examination
- Emergency treatment of laryngeal paralysis
- Postoperative care and prognosis
- Components and clinical signs of brachycephalic airway syndrome
- GI signs in brachycephalic airway syndrome
- Emergency management
- Indications for surgery
- Techniques for soft palate resection
- Basics of surgical lasers and safety
- Correction of stenotic nares
- Indications for tracheostomy tubes
- Emergency vs. controlled tracheostomy
- Tube types and selection
- Ventilating through a tracheostomy tube
- Tubes for flabby-necked dogs
- Making the tracheal incision
- Tube maintenance and removal
- Causes and diagnosis of end-stage otitis externa
- Antibiotic selection
- Prognosis and complications following TECA
- TECA in cats
- Indications for ventral bulla osteotomy
- Otitis media with minimal otitis externa
- Inflammatory polyps in cats (nasopharyngeal and ear canal)
- Removal by traction vs. ventral bulla osteotomy
- Outcome for cats treated for inflammatory polyps
- Relevant anatomy of the pinna
- Cause of aural hematoma
- Treatment options: aspiration, passive drain, teat cannula, CO2 laser
- Surgical repair and aftercare
- Behavior of hemangiosarcoma (HSA)
- Rule outs for canine splenic masses
- Overview of splenic hematoma
- Vascular anatomy and preoperative care
- Surgical staplers and vessel sealing devices
- Histopathology interpretation and adjuvant therapy
- Feline splenic mast cell tumor
- Possible causes and clinical presentation
- Ultrasonographic appearance
- Deciding whether surgery is indicated
- Anatomy and technique for cholecystectomy
- Biliary lavage technique and prognosis
- Types and behavior of canine liver tumors
- Signs and clinical pathology
- Vacuolar hepatopathy and HCC in Scotties
- Imaging and roles of cytology and biopsy
- Client communication for liver lobectomies
- Lobectomy techniques with staplers and vessel sealing
- HCC prognosis and feline liver masses
Essential Soft Tissue Surgery
for the Dog and Cat
Registration provides immediate, lifetime access to this online course.
RACE Accredited · 20 CE Hours
Although we have never needed to do this, if for any reason this course does not provide the value you expect within 30 days, let us know and we will refund your entire registration fee. No questions asked.
What Veterinarians Are Saying
See How These Veterinarians Transformed Their Practice
Dr. Berg does a terrific job presenting the material. His method of teaching is logical and easy to follow. The information is very practical, and detailed as well. A “must see” for anyone interested in ST surgery.
Dr. Richard Freedman
VCA Albemarle Veterinary Health Care Center
Charlottesville, VA
This online course has definitely helped in improving and discussing in detail the surgical techniques for better outcomes. Dr. Berg has shown a step-by-step approach and made further inputs to help us understand the whys and hows. Great resource for general surgery!
Dr. Liella Fara
BSF Animal Clinic
Taguig, Metro Manila
This was a very helpful online course with lots of good instructions on common procedures! Very applicable to everyday practice!
Susan Nelson
Bartlett Animal Hospital
Bartlett, IL
Excellent choice of surgical topics. It is great to see what has changed and what the current recommendations are. Love the practical tips and attention to detail on how to prevent and avoid the most common mistakes. Thank you Dr. Berg!
Irena Gaber
Abell Animal Hospital
Chicago, IL