Why Do Pre-anesthetic Blood Tests?

It is always recommended that blood tests be performed before your pet undergoes any anesthetic procedure.  Pets that appear healthy on the outside are not always healthy on the inside.  Kidney, liver, and blood clotting disorders are often hereditary and can exist even in puppies and kittens.

Pre-anesthetic screening includes a CBC (complete blood count) and chemistry panels.  The CBC determines the quantities and types of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.  Platelets are a key component in the formation of blood clots and a deficiency could lead to significant blood loss during surgery.  Blood chemistry panels measure the quantities of various electrolytes, enzymes, or chemical compounds in the liquid portion of the sample.  An increase or decrease of a certain enzyme may signal impairment in the function of a particular organ. 

Somers Point Veterinary Hospital has on-site blood machines and the capability of running pre-anesthetic screenings the morning of a procedure.  More extensive profiles for senior pets can be sent to an outside lab for analysis.  If a potential problem is discovered in the tests, the veterinarian may elect to wait until the problem is solved before performing the procedure.  In some cases, a different type of anesthesia or patient monitoring may be chosen.  Even if all the results are normal, they can serve as a baseline for comparison with future tests.  Pre-anesthetic blood screenings help to make anesthesia as safe as possible for your pet.