SMALL ANIMAL FRACTURE REPAIR COURSE

SMALL ANIMAL FRACTURE REPAIR COURSE

Jul 10, 2025

Target Audience: General Practitioners
Focus: Internal Fixation with Plates
Duration: 2 Days
Supported by: Arthrex Vet Systems

🎯 Aims & Goals

This two-day course is designed to provide general practitioners with the foundational skills and confidence needed to manage common fractures in small animals using internal fixation methods. Participants will:

  • Understand the principles of fracture biomechanics and healing
  • Learn proper implant selection and fixation strategies using DCP, LC-DCP, and locking plates
  • Gain hands-on experience in screw placement, plate contouring, and fracture repair
  • Improve decision-making for fracture stabilization based on fracture type and location
  • Explore techniques to prevent and manage complications such as implant failure or infection
  • Strengthen clinical confidence through case discussions and instructor-guided labs

Whether you’re looking to build surgical competency or refine your plating techniques, this course emphasizes practical application in everyday practice—with equipment, cases, and complications tailored to general practice realities.

Georg Haimel DVM DipECVS

Georg Haimel DVM DipECVS

EBVS European Specialist in Small Animal Surgery

Dr. Georg Haimel graduated from the Veterinary University of Vienna, where he also completed a rotating internship in small animal medicine and a residency training for small animal surgery. Dr. Haimel is an ECVS boarded diplomate for Small Animal Surgery and worked as a specialist in international renowned referral centers across Europe (Animal Health Trust, Dick White Referrals). Since 2018 Dr Haimel is managing director and head of the surgical department at the “Tierarztpraxis am Stadtpark”, a referral center in Vienna. Dr. Haimel has lectured and been invited as a speaker at numerous conferences and CPD courses at national and international level. His main interest is orthopaedic surgery including management of complex limb deformities and joint replacement.

Viktoria Brandstetter DVM Resident ECVS

Viktoria Brandstetter DVM Resident ECVS

Dr. Viktoria Brandstetter graduated from the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna in 2020. She then completed a rotating internship in small animal medicine at the Veterinary Hospital Hofheim, followed by a surgical internship at Tierarztpraxis am Stadtpark. She is currently enrolled in a residency program in Small Animal Surgery at Tierarztpraxis am Stadtpark, working towards board certification as a diplomate in this specialty.

Her main clinical interest is orthopaedic surgery, and her current research focuses on total hip replacement and patellar luxation. She has presented her work at both national and international conferences.

Particular interest: 3D printing, correction of angular limb deformities, total joint replacements.

DAY 1 – Foundations of Fracture Plating

Time Topic
08:30 – 09:00 Registration & Welcome Coffee
09:00 – 09:30 Fracture Biomechanics & Bone Healing
09:30 – 10:15 Imaging & Planning: Choosing the Right Plate for the Right Fracture
10:15 – 10:30 Coffee Break
10:30 – 11:15 Techniques Overview: Pinning, Cerclage and Tension Band Wiring
11:15 – 12:00 Plate Fixation Systems: DCP, LC-DCP, and Locking Plates
12:00 – 13:00 Management of diaphyseal long bone fractures
13:00 – 14:00 Lunch
14:00 – 15:30 Hands-On Lab: Pinning and Tension Band Wiring
15:30 – 17:30 Hands-On Lab: Simple Diaphyseal Fracture Repair with Compression Plating
DAY 2 – Clinical Cases & Advanced Plating Techniques

Time Topic
08:30 – 09:00 Morning Recap & Troubleshooting Common Plating Mistakes
09:00 – 10:15 Techniques for Comminuted & Metaphyseal Fractures
10:15 – 10:30 Coffee Break
10:30 – 11:15 Joint fractures
11:15 – 12:00 Managing Complications: Nonunion, Implant Failure & Infection
12:00 – 13:00 Lunch
13:00 – 15:00 Hands-On Lab: Comminuted Bone Fractures
15:00 – 16:30 Hands-On Lab: Joint fractures
16:30 – 17:00 Wrap-Up
Head and Neck – Practical Surgery

Head and Neck – Practical Surgery

Jun 22, 2025

This course combines practical and theoretical parts of head and neck soft tissue surgery. Most of the time will be spent in the wet lab performing surgeries but enough theory will be given so the candidate is able to make good decisions on when and how to do the surgeries but also how to manage complications. The course is suitable for all levels from beginners to advanced as there will be something to be gained by everyone. It is also designed to be flexible so people can practice at their own pace and concentrate on techniques that they would like to perfect. The tutors will be available to observe, and have direct involvement in teaching the procedures.

Learning objectives

  1. To have an understanding of anatomy of the head and neck and related surgeries
  2. To understand the application and when to select different surgical procedures of the head and neck
  3. To learn enough of the theory to enable decision making when deciding which surgeries to perform
  4. To have knowledge of the risks and complications of each procedure and how to reduce these.

Jackie Demetriou will be one of the course tutors. She is a European Boarded Specialist in Small Animal Surgery, who has practiced specialist level soft tissue surgery for the past 20 years. She has worked in both academia (University of Edinburgh, University of Cambridge and University of Nottingham) and private referral practice. She has extensive experience teaching general practitioners the theory and practice of surgery and really enjoys seeing how surgeons gain confidence in managing cases and performing surgeries after these CPD events.

Day 1

  • Ear surgery
    • Pinnectomy, biopsy
    • Total ear canal ablation / bulla osteotomy
    • Ventral bulla osteotomy (cat)
  • Mandibulectomy – rostral and central
  • Maxillectomy – rostral and central
  • Soft and hard palate surgery
  • BOAS surgery

Day 2

  • Nasal surgery
    • Planectomy
    • Dorsal rhinotomy
  • Neck exploration
    • Thyroidectomy
    • Sialoadenectomy (mandibular)
    • Laryngeal tie back
    • Tracheostomy
Neurosurgery – Spinal Surgery

Neurosurgery – Spinal Surgery

Jun 17, 2025

Ventral Slot and hemilaminectomy are the most frequently performed spinal surgeries to treat cervical and throacolumbar intervertebral disc disease in dogs. The course will teach how to perform those two surgeries step by step, both as theoretical lectures as well as wetlabs using cadavers. However, spinal surgeries are only the last step in the work up of clinical patients. Therefore, clinical reasoning and spinal neurolocalisaton will be discussed as well.

Thomas Flegel (Germany)
Diplomate ACVIM (Neurology), Diplomate ECVN
(Neurology)

Veterinary Training
1986-1992 – Humboldt-University Berlin, Germany

Working Experience
1992-1998 – Working experience in large and small animal medicine in university (Freie University Berlin) as well as in private practice in Berlin
1998-1999 – Department of Companion Animals and Special Species College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, USA, Internship in Veterinary Neurology
1999-2001 – Department of Veterinary Clinical Scienes, The Ohio State University, USA, Residency in neurology and neurosurgery
Since November 2002 – Department of Small Animal Medicine, University of Leipzig, Germany, Head of the section of neurology and neurosurgery

Veterinary and Academic Qualifications
1994 – Doctor medicinae veterinariae (summa cum laude)
2001 – Master of Veterinary Sciences (The Ohio State University, USA)
2003 – Diplomate American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Neurology)
2005 – Diplomate European College of Veterinary Neurology
2008 – European Specialist in Veterinary Neurology
2010 – Dr. med. vet. habilitatus (small animal surgery and small animal neurology)
since 2012 – President of the European College of Veterinary Neurology

DAY 1

Time Title
09:00 – 09:15 Welcome and Introduction
09:15 – 09:45 Neurolocalisation spinal cord
09:45 – 10:45 Talk: Thoracolumbar hemilaminectomy
10:45 – 11:15 Coffee break
11:15 – 11:45 Wetlab Demonstration: Thoracolumbar hemilaminectomy (done by Flegel)
11:45 – 13:00 Wetlab: Thoracolumbar hemilaminectomy Part I (done by particpants)
13:00 – 14:00 Lunch break
14:00 – 15:45 Wetlab: Thoracolumbar hemilaminectomy Part II (done by participants)
15:45 – 16:15 Coffee break
16:15 – 17:00 Talk: Thoracolumbar partial lateral corpectomy

DAY 2

Time Title
09:00 – 10:30 Neurolocalisation spinal cord based on videos
10:30 – 11:00 Coffee break
11:00 – 11:45 Talk: Cervical ventral slot
11:45 – 12:15 Wetlab: Demonstration: Cervical ventral slot (Flegel)
12:15 – 13:15 Lunch break
13:15 – 15:30 Wetlab: Cervical ventral Slot Part I (done by participants)
15:30 – 16:00 Coffee break
16:00 – 17:00 Wetlab: Cervical ventral Slot Part II (done by participants)
Orthopedic surgery for practitioner

Orthopedic surgery for practitioner

Nov 28, 2024

The course is aimed to everyone from newly qualified veterinarians to assistants and practitioners who are about to set up to explore most common joint surgeries in dogs. Even if you have already performed some surgeries, many colleagues are happy to have their technique confirmed or refined and to exchange practical experience with each another.
Is your current technique correct? Can you perhaps make your life as a surgeon a little more elegant and easier while performing joint surgeries?

Expansion of the surgical repertoire and learning practical surgical skills for everyday life in small animal joint surgery. We will review your existing skills and supplement them with practical tips, more safety and thus more enjoyment of the most common joint surgeries.

After studying Veterinary Medicine at the Vet School Hannover and a short period in a private practice Dr. Neumann has started working at the Institute of Veterinary Medicine, University of Goettingen in 1992.
In 1996. he received the diploma as a national specialist for small animals and in 1998. for clinical pathology. In 2004. he received the certificate of the ECVCP. 2007. he finished his habilitation and since 2010. he is Professor at the University of Goettingen.
His scientific fields of interest are; orthopedic diseases, especially osteoarthritis; cytokine research of different disease mechanisms and development of biomarkers, gastroenterology, especially liver diseases.
Dr. Neumann is author of about 70 publications in international journals and he is lecturing at four faculties in the fields of small animal surgery, CT, general subjects and clinical pathology.
Dr. Neumann is active in continuing education and specialization in Lower Saxony and nationwide.

DAY 1

Time Title
09:00 – 10:30 Common causes of front and hind limb lameness Shoulder surgery (OCD, Biceps tenotomy, M. infraspinatus myotomy)
10:30 – 11:00 Coffee break
11:00 – 13:00 PRACTICAL WORK: Shoulder surgery (OCD, Biceps tenotomy, M. infraspinatus myotomy)
13:00 – 14:00 Lunch break
14:00 – 15:30 Elbow surgery (IPC resection, IPA resection, Ulna osteotomy)
15:30 – 16:00 Coffee break
16:00 – 17:30 PRACTICAL WORK: Elbow surgery (IPC resection, IPA resection, Ulna osteotomy)

DAY 2

Time Title
09:00 – 10:30 Hip surgery (Symphysiodesis, Joint capsule suturing, Denervation, Femoral head and neck resection)
10:30 – 11:00 Coffee break
11:00 – 13:00 PRACTICAL WORK: Hip surgery (Symphysiodesis, Joint capsule suturing, Denervation, Femoral head and neck resection)
13:00 – 14:00 Lunch break
14:00 – 15:30 Stifle surgery (Ruptured cranial cruciate ligament, patella luxation)
15:30 – 16:00 Coffee break
16:00 – 17:30 PRACTICAL WORK: Stifle surgery (Ruptured cranial cruciate ligament, patella luxation)
Head and Neck – Practical Surgery

Soft tissue surgery 2

Nov 22, 2024

ADVANCED SOFT TISSUE SURGICAL PROCEDURES

14 SURGERIES HANDS ON IN 2 DAYS

This is a two-day practical course in small animal surgery. The course will cover some advanced surgical procedures of the head and neck and abdomen that are commonly found in practice and it is also designed to be flexible so people can practice at their own pace and concentrate on techniques that they would like to perfect. The tutors will be available to observe, and have direct involvement in teaching the procedures.

The learning objectives of the course will help delegate to understand when to perform certain techniques and the potential complications one could encounter. Practical lab and lectures will assure a review of the associated anatomy of each technique and surgical approaches.

The procedures we will cover include:

  1. Ear surgery – Total ear canal ablation (dogs)
  2. Ear surgery – Ventral bulla osteotomy (cats)
  3. Tracheostomy
  4. Salivary mucocele
  5. BOAS surgery
  6. Cholecystectomy
  7. Gastropexy, gastrectomy and GDV surgery
  8. Colectomy for megacolon / tumours
  9. Scrotal urethrostomy, perineal urethrostomy (cats)
  10. Perineal hernia (dogs)

Jackie Demetriou will be one of the course tutors. She is a European Boarded Specialist in Small Animal Surgery, who has practiced specialist level soft tissue surgery for the past 20 years. She has worked in both academia (University of Edinburgh, University of Cambridge and University of Nottingham) and private referral practice. She has extensive experience teaching general practitioners the theory and practice of surgery and really enjoys seeing how surgeons gain confidence in managing cases and performing surgeries after these CPD events.

Jackie Demetriou will be one of the course tutors. She is a European Boarded Specialist in Small Animal Surgery, who has practiced specialist level soft tissue surgery for the past 20 years. She has worked in both academia (University of Edinburgh, University of Cambridge and University of Nottingham) and private referral practice. She has extensive experience teaching general practitioners the theory and practice of surgery and really enjoys seeing how surgeons gain confidence in managing cases and performing surgeries after these CPD events.