What is a pre-anesthetic profile?
The staff at The Family Pet Clinic works hard to ensure the best care for your pet. When
one of our Veterinarians recommends a surgical procedure, they have carefully
considered your pet's individual needs and the best medical plan.
Before any surgery is performed, your doctor needs additional information to complete
the picture of your pet's health that cannot be obtained from the physical exam.
Pre-anesthetic lab work is recommended for all animals before surgery to check the
function of the organs involved in processing anesthesia medications. We consider this a
critical step in reducing the risks of anesthesia in surgery, and allows us to plan for the
best possible outcome.
The following is a list and explanation of each test included in our pre-anesthetic lab
profile:
Complete Blood Count (CBC): This is a group of parameters that reveal the number,
percentage and overall health of the white, red, and platelet blood cells.
Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN): This test checks kidney and liver function two of the
organs involved in processing anesthesia medication.
Creatinine: This is another test of kidney function that measures a waste product from
muscle, cleared by the kidney.
Alanine Amino Transferase (ALT): This test can provide important information about
your pet's liver and pancreatic function.
Blood Glucose: This test will highlight the nutritional status of your pet and can reveal
potential problems with recovery from anesthesia.
Total Protein: Protein is necessary for many things including blood clotting, controlling
inflammation and incision healing after surgery.
Clotting Time: This test will ensure that your pet's blood will clot in the appropriate
amount of time
Electrocardiogram (EKG): This can reveal individuals who may experience heart
problems under the stress of anesthesia, and can call attention to those needing closer
monitoring during surgery.
The tests described above are designed to give a baseline understanding of your pet's
health. If any concerns arise based on these tests or findings on exam, your doctor may
recommend further testing such as a Thyroid Screen, Serum Chemistry Profile, Feline
Leukemia/Feline AIDS test, Urinalysis or X-Rays.
Your doctor will discuss with you the need for further tests prior to performing them.
Your pet's good health and your peace of mind are our total concern.
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |