Anesthesia and your pet.  Why is testing necessary.

Help your pet stay healthy by testing first before undergoing any anesthetic procedure.  It is our job to ensure that your pet can properly process and then eliminate the anesthetic he or she is given.  Before we perform any procedure requiring anesthesia, we recommend running tests to confirm that your pet's organs are functioning properly and to reveal any hidden health conditions that could put your pet at risk.

The top four reasons to test your pet before anesthesia:

1. Your deserve peace of mind.  Testing can significantly reduce medical risk and ensure your pet's health and safety.
2. Pets can't tell us when they don't feel well.   A healthy-appearing pet may be hiding symptoms of a disease or aliment.  For example, a pet can lose up to 75% of kidney function before showing any visible signs of illness.  Testing helps us evaluate your pet's health up front, so we can avoid problems related to anesthesia.
3. Testing can reduce risk and consequences.  If preanesthetic results are within normal ranges, we can proceed with confidence, knowing that anesthetic risk is minimized.  On the other hand, if results are not within the normal ranges, we can alter the anesthetic procedure, or take other precautions to safeguard your pet's health and reduce the risk of potential complications.
4. Testing can help protect your pet's future health.  These tests provide baseline levels for your pet and become part of his or her medical record for future reference.

Reduced risk, early detection, peace of mind.
We may screen for some of the following conditions in determining your pet's health status and ability to tolerate anesthesia.

• Liver - Biochemistry tests can indicate:
  • Liver disease
  • Cushing's syndrome
  • Abnormalities resulting from long-term medications
• Heart - Immunoassay test can indicate heartworm disease.
• Thyroid - Biochemistry and T4 tests can indicate hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism.
• Blood - CBC/Hematocrit are used to screen for:
  • Infection
  • Anemia (low red blood cells)
• Kidney - Biochemistry test can indicate:
  • Kidney disease
  • Renal failure
  • Abnormalities resulting from long-term medications
  • Urinalysis and urine protein:creatinine ratio are used to better evaluate:
    • Kidney function
    • Kidney infection
• Pancreas - Biochemistry tests can indicate:
  • Pancreatitis
  • Diabetes mellitus
  • Abnormalities resulting from long-term medications
• Teeth - Dental exams uncover mouth infections, which can cause problems with vital organs.

Info provided by IDEXX Laboratories.