Triage involves quickly sorting and prioritizing patients based on urgency of needs. The goal of triage is to maximize survival by first treating those with life-threatening injuries or illnesses. A veterinary triage involves assessing major body systems like heart, lungs, and brain to determine if the patient is stable or unstable. For unstable patients, triage guides initial treatment like giving oxygen, starting IV fluids, or performing diagnostics before moving to further care. The minimum database of tests helps identify problems and guide targeted therapy to enhance survival.