Evaluation of Triage Protocols for Veterinary Surgical Emergencies at University of Uyo Teaching Hospital

Effective triage of veterinary surgical emergencies is essential for prioritizing care, minimizing patient deterioration, and optimizing clinical resource allocation in busy teaching hospital settings. This study evaluates the structure, implementation, and clinical impact of triage protocols for surgical emergencies at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, Akwa Ibom State, South South Nigeria. A mixed-methods study combining retrospective case record review for 2021 to 2023 and prospective observational monitoring during 2023 was employed. Three hundred and twelve surgical emergency cases were included. Emergency triage categories, time-to-initial assessment, time-to-surgical intervention, and clinical outcomes were recorded and analyzed. Formal written triage protocols for veterinary surgical emergencies were absent at the beginning of the study period. A structured triage protocol developed collaboratively with clinical staff was introduced in January 2023. Comparison of pre- and post-protocol introduction data revealed a significant reduction in time-to-initial assessment from a median of 41 minutes to 18 minutes. Surgical mortality for emergency cases decreased by 22% in the post-protocol period. Gastric dilatation-volvulus and trauma cases showed the greatest benefit from structured triage. Staff satisfaction with the triage protocol was high at 84% agreement in post-implementation surveys. The study demonstrates that formal triage protocol implementation significantly improves emergency surgical outcomes at veterinary teaching hospitals and recommends broader adoption across South South Nigerian tertiary veterinary institutions. Keywords: veterinary triage, surgical emergency, teaching hospital, Akwa Ibom, emergency protocols.