Laparoscopy can be used in veterinary clinics to perform neutering, prophylactic gastropexy, abdominal organ biopsies and much more. Laparoscopy has proven benefits over conventional open surgery including: decreased pain, reduced physiological stress, faster return to normal activities, smaller surgical wounds and improved surgical outcomes. However laparoscopy requires equipment and a skill set that is very distinct from open surgery including video eye-hand coordination, instrument manipulation about a single entry point into the abdomen and adaptation to a 2-D monitor display. The transition from open surgery to laparoscopy can therefore be very daunting. This lecture will seek to demystify the equipment and skills required for laparoscopy, by considering what can go wrong, how to avoid common mishaps and ultimately when conversion to open surgery is the best and safest option along the learning curve towards laparoscopic expertise.