SERVICES - PRE SURGICAL EVALUATION

General anesthesia and pre-operative testing

All patients receive a complete pre-anesthetic exam prior to administering anesthesia. We use the safest forms of anesthesia available at AAH and monitor your pet carefully, during and after surgery.

Anesthesia does carry some risk. For that reason, we recommend pre-operative diagnostic testing before administering anesthesia. We recommend this for animals five years of age or older, but we may think it is necessary for animals of any age in special circumstances. Testing is, of course, optional, but it allows us to better determine your pet's health and identify any hidden problems that could cause anesthetic complications.

Why do pre-operative testing?

If the test results fall within normal ranges, we can administer anesthesia routinely and with confidence.

If the test results are abnormal you will be contacted prior to the procedure to discuss what the best course of action is. Many times the abnormal results are minor and can be followed up at a later time. In some cases a different anesthetic may be chosen and in rare case the procedure may be rescheduled until the problem is resolved.

Although testing can't guarantee zero complications, it can assure the best medical care possible by reducing the risk to your pet.

What is the pre-operative test?

The basic pre-operative test includes a complete blood count (CBC) and a chemistry profile. After we establish a baseline from this information, we'll know whether further blood tests may be necessary.

Complete Blood Count: The CBC gives us information on your pet's red and white blood cells as well as platelets. The red blood cells carry oxygen to the body's tissues. The white blood cells defend your pet against infection. Platelets are involved in blood clotting.

Chemistry profile: A blood chemistry profile tells us how your pet's vital organs – kidneys, liver, pancreas, intestinal tract – are doing. Evaluating these body systems before anesthesia is crucial because these organs do the work of eliminating the anesthesia after surgery.

For pets five years old or younger we recommend a “mini” chemistry profile. For pets over five years of age, we recommend both the CBC and a full chemistry profile.