Our hospital STRONGLY recommends blood work prior to anesthesia in every patient. This is even more important the older a Pet gets because there is increased potential of underlying disease issues occurring. Blood work can identify changes within the body that cannot always be identified on physical exam alone. These changes can affect the way drugs are metabolized in the body during surgery which can increase anesthetic risk. Identifying these problems prior to anesthesia can allow us to change anesthetic protocols for better safety and pain control as needed or postpone surgery all together until your Pet is better suited for anesthesia. By identifying these issues in advance we can greatly reduce anesthetic complications. If the blood work is all normal, THIS IS GREAT and also serves as a base-line for detecting subtle changes in the future. The CBC is used to detect anemia, bleeding issues, and white blood cells changes which can affect the body’s ability to respond to infections. The blood chemistry is used to determine internal organ function to make sure the organs are functioning normally to allow for proper function and metabolism of medications. For more information about the CBC or Blood Chemistry click on the tab below.
Examples of Patients Benefiting
1. Susie was a 6 month old Yorkshire Terrier that has been perfectly healthy and presented for a spay. Her blood work revealed a mild elevation in her ALT. Surgery was postponed and further work up revealed a Portosystemic shunt. This is where there is an extra blood vessels that allows blood to bypass the liver. This could have severely affected Susie's potential anesthetic outcome.
2. Blake was a 9 month old recently found Pit Bull puppy that was doing great at home and present for a routine neuter. Owner reported that he did cough one time last night but was not concerned. Heart and lungs sounded normal. The CBC showed an elevation in his White Blood Cell count. Surgery was postponed and Blake developed further signs of Kennel Cough the next couple of days. He was treated and an uneventful neuter was performed a month later.
These are just a couple of examples of blood work preventing a potentially troublesome anesthetic event and allowed us to address these issues for a positive outcome.
2. Blake was a 9 month old recently found Pit Bull puppy that was doing great at home and present for a routine neuter. Owner reported that he did cough one time last night but was not concerned. Heart and lungs sounded normal. The CBC showed an elevation in his White Blood Cell count. Surgery was postponed and Blake developed further signs of Kennel Cough the next couple of days. He was treated and an uneventful neuter was performed a month later.
These are just a couple of examples of blood work preventing a potentially troublesome anesthetic event and allowed us to address these issues for a positive outcome.