Veterinary Surgery

The official journal of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons and the European College of Veterinary Surgeons

Edited by:
John R. Pascoe

Print ISSN: 0161-3499
Online ISSN: 1532-950X
Frequency: Eight times a year
Current Volume: 39 / 2010
ISI Journal Citation Reports® Ranking: 2008: 19/134 Veterinary Sciences
Impact Factor: 1.664

TopAuthor Guidelines

Veterinary Surgery

Instructions for Authors

Manuscript Submission

Veterinary Surgery accepts manuscripts only through our submission web site. To submit a manuscript, please follow the instructions below.

Getting Started

1. Launch your web browser (Internet Explorer 5 or higher or Netscape 7 or higher) and go to the Veterinary Surgery Manuscript Central homepage (http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/vsu).
2. Log-in or click the "Create Account" option if you are a first-time user of Manuscript Central.
3. If you are creating a new account.
   -After clicking on 'Create Account,' enter you name and e-mail information and click 'Next.' Your e-mail information is very important
   -Enter your institution and address information as appropriate, and then click 'Next.'
   -Enter a user ID and password of your choice (we recommend using your e-mail address as your user ID), and then select your area of expertise. Click 'Finish.'
4. Log-in and select 'Author Center.'

Submitting your Manuscript

1. After you have logged in, click the "Submit a Manuscript" link in the menu bar.
2. Enter data and answer questions as appropriate.
3. Click the "Next" button on each screen to save your work and advance to the next screen.
4. You are required to upload your files. Note: Please load files in the following order: manuscript, then tables if not included in the manuscript Word document, then figures - in sequential order.
   -Click on the 'Browse' button and locate the file on your computer.
   -Select the designation of each file in the drop down next to the Browse button.
   -When you have selected all files you wish to upload (in groups of 5), click the 'Upload Files' button.
   
   a. NOTE: Please do not exceed 1 MB for each individual image file
   b. Uploaded image files must include the figure name (exactly as included in the manuscript document) in the 'caption' field in the File Details screen that appears after the files are uploaded.
5. Review your submission (in both PDF and HTML formats) before sending to the Journal. Click the "Submit" button when you are finished reviewing.

You may suspend a submission at any phase before clicking the "Submit" button and save it to submit later. After submission, you will receive a confirmation e-mail. You can also access Manuscript Central any time to check the status of your manuscript. The Journal will inform you by e-mail once a decision has been made.

CONDITIONS OF PUBLICATION
Veterinary Surgery, the official publication of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons, invites publication of clinical and research reports that contribute knowledge within the broad field of veterinary surgery. Reports of interest include, but are not limited to, surgical techniques, patient management, pain management, diagnostic aids, wound healing and infection, and metabolism as it affects the surgical patient, veterinary surgical education and history. Case reports describing observations in a single or several animals will only be considered if the report makes a substantial contribution to veterinary surgical knowledge. Clinical reports must have a minimum of 6-months follow-up to be considered; longer follow-up may be required for some surgical techniques or diseases. Authors are required to certify that the study submitted was conducted in a manner consistent with the U.S. National Institutes of Health ''Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals'' and the Animal Welfare Acts (US PL 89-544;91-579;94-279). Inappropriate experimental use of animals or inadequate anesthesia and analgesia will preclude further consideration.

MANUSCRIPT PREPARATION
The required components are a cover letter, a title page, a line-numbered redacted (i.e., no identifying information) copy of the manuscript (all in Microsoft Word format) and electronic copies of any illustrations. If the study has been previously published as an abstract or in any other format, a copy must be uploaded. Manuscripts are accepted for consideration on the understanding that they are for publication solely in Veterinary Surgery and that they neither have been published nor are under consideration for publication elsewhere. A signed copyright clearance form is required before publication.

Title Page - must include the article title and the names, including full first names, of the authors with their highest degrees. Author affiliations are to be listed but not identified to specific authors. Separate paragraphs should specify where the work was done; any grant or other financial support; the meeting, if any, at which the paper was presented including location and dates; and the name and address of the person to whom correspondence requests should be addressed. Any financial or conflict of interest of any author related to a product used in the report must be declared.

Manuscript Format - Manuscripts are to be prepared in Microsoft Word, double-spaced, and organized sequentially. Each manuscript component should begin on a new page, in this sequence: Abstract, Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion, Acknowledgments, References, Figure Legends, and Tables. Illustrations are not to be embedded in the Word document. Text lines must be sequentially numbered throughout the text (do not restart numbering on each page). Type the page number in the upper right-hand corner of each page. Delete any identifying information from the file properties dialog box. Do not include any identifying information (e.g., clinic or clinic affiliation) in the manuscript text.

Abstract - the abstract should be organized under the headings: Objective, Study Design, Animals or Sample Population, Methods, Results, Conclusions, Clinical Relevance. The abstract is limited to 250 words. Please include a minimum of 5 keywords for abstracting at the end of the abstract.

Manuscript

Introduction - should succinctly state the pertinent background information, and clearly state the hypothesis and study objectives. Avoid use of material that is common knowledge and not germane to the primary objective of the report.

Materials and Methods - should report without ambiguity the study design, the methods used, and methods used for data reduction and statistical analysis (for guidelines see http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/vsu) Do not include identifying information e.g., clinic or hospital Any drugs, products, or equipment not commonly known need to have the brand or trade name, source, city, state abbreviation (USA) of country included in parenthesis in the text after the item is first mentioned in the report.

Results - should succinctly outline the pertinent outcomes of the study. Avoid unnecessary repetition of information in Tables.

Discussion - Ideally, the opening paragraph should state clearly and concisely the key observations and conclusions of the study. Avoid repetition of material reported in the Introduction. The remainder of the Discussion should succinctly, in logical order and in order of importance discuss the pertinent findings of the study, noting where these agree or disagree with other published reports. A concluding statement or paragraph is recommended.

Style Considerations

1. When referring to a drug, use the generic name approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or recognized as the U.S. adopted name. Trade names along with the manufacturer's name and location should be included in parentheses if the drug is not commonly used in veterinary medicine.
2. All measurements should be in the International System of Units, Systéme International (SI units). If confusion could result, include other measurement systems in parentheses.
3. Where an instrument or specific equipment is referred to that is not widely available or commonly known, cite the source (model number, manufacturer, city, state or country if not the USA) in parentheses in the text.
4. Veterinary Surgery adheres to the principles specified in Nomina Anatomica, Nomina Histologica, Nomina Embryologica, Nomina Anatomica Veterinaria, and Nomina Anatomica Avium for nomenclature.
5. Footnotes must be incorporated in parentheses in the text

Acknowledgment - If appropriate, acknowledgments are included on a separate page. For initial submission, avoid including any identifying information.

References - Number references sequentially as they are used in the text (or tables and legends), using superscripted Arabic numerals. Do not use endnotes as references or automatic list numbering because these features are lost in conversion. References must be verified by the author(s) against the original documents. Reference listings should be double-spaced and use the form adopted by the U.S. National Library of Medicine (see http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/pdf/VSU Reference Style.doc for specific style examples).

Figure Legends - Type legends double-spaced, with Arabic numerals that correspond to the sequential use of the figures in the text. Explain clearly any symbols, arrows, numbers, or letters used. For photomicrographs, identify method of staining, include a scale bar and indicate magnification.

Tables - Tables should be inserted at the end of the Word document. Large tables are discouraged; data should be summarized and included in the Results section where possible. Each table should be on a separate page, double-spaced. Number tables consecutively, as cited in text, and supply a brief title for each. Give each column a short or abbreviated heading. Put explanatory matter in footnotes below the Table, not in the heading.

PERMISSIONS
Permissions of author and publisher must be obtained for the use of previously published material (text, photographs, drawings) and must accompany the manuscript when it is submitted for publication. Authors are responsible for applying for permission for both print and electronic rights for all borrowed materials and are responsible for paying any fees related to the application of these permissions.

REPRINTS
Reprints (offprints) may be ordered on the offprint order form sent to the authors with page proofs. Free access to the final PDF offprint or your article will be available via Wiley-Blackwell's Author Services. Please register to access your article PDF offprint and enjoy the many other benefits the service offers. Visit http://authorservices.wiley.com/bauthor/ to register.

ABSTRACT AND INDEX SERVICES
Articles in this journal are indexed in PubMed (MEDLINE, National Library of Medicine), AGRICOLA, a database service of the National Agricultural Library, Biol Abs., BIOSIS, CAB, and Science Citation Index (Current Contents).

Artwork

Note: Image files submitted for the peer reviewprocess must be in digital format. Images should be of sufficient resolution for on-screen viewing. If your manuscript is accepted, you may be requested to submit higher quality images to the journal.

Figures (photographs, radiographs, graphs, microscopic images) must be submitted in electronic format. Images should be in JPEG, TIFF, or EPS format. Graphics software (Photoshop, Illustrator) not presentation software (PowerPoint, CorelDraw, Harvard Graphics) should be used to create the art. Minimum image sizes are: gray scale - 300 pixels/inch; combinations of grayscale and line art - 1200 pixels/inch; and color images must be CMYK, at least 300 pixels/inch. Black-and-white illustrations will be reproduced free of charge, but color illustrations will be published only at the author's expense. Line and wash drawings should be professionally executed and photographed, with lettering large enough to be easily read after necessary reduction.

Acceptance Criteria
Members of the Editorial Review Board and other veterinarians or scientists with disciplinary expertise will review all manuscripts considered for publication. Selection of manuscripts for publication will be based on originality, methodology, timeliness, appropriateness of conclusions, and quality of presentation. Authors are expected to acknowledge sources of extra-institutional funding or support, as well as any financial interests in companies that manufacture products that are the subject of their research.

Copyright
The required copyright form must be signed and sent to the ACVS office (address below). The article will not be published until the signed copyright form is received by the Editorial Office. A faxed copy signed by the corresponding author can be sent to ACVS at 301-916-2287, but the signed copy must be mailed within 7 days.

Associated Costs for Authors
A charge of $45.00 will be assessed for each printed page. Authors will be billed for page charges by the ACVS after their manuscript has been published. Blackwell Publishing will invoice the corresponding author for any color page charges.

Letters to the Editor/Other Manuscript Types
Letters should reference the article being discussed and be concise. Review articles should contain a structured abstract and follow a format similar to recently published review articles.

Ordering Reprints
Correspondence regarding permission to reprint all or part of any article published in this journal should be addressed to Laura Wilson at laura.wilson@wiley.com

Note to NIH Grantees

Pursuant to NIH mandate, Wiley-Blackwell will post the accepted version of contributions authored by NIH grant-holders to PubMed Central upon acceptance. This accepted version will be made publicly available 12 months after publication. For further information, see www.wiley.com/go/nihmandate.

Journal Contact Information

Kimberly E. Soehnlein
Managing Editor

American College of Veterinary Surgeons
19785 Crystal Rock Drive, Suite 305
Germantown, MD 20874
Phone: 301-916-0200
Fax: 301-916-2287
E-mail: vetsurg@acvs.org