PRE-ANAESTHETIC BLOOD TESTS

We appreciate that some animals which require surgery may be getting on in years or may have exhibited signs of organ dysfunction (such as kidney or liver problems) in the past.
If we are concerned about any of these factors we may advise that your pet has a "Pre-anaesthetic Blood Test" [indeed, if you are worried, you can request that your pet has such a test before surgery].

We can run the tests in the practice and will have results within half an hour of obtaining a blood sample; you may find that if your animal has had such a blood test, he or she may have an extra patch of hair clipped from the neck or from the opposite leg to which the anaesthetic was given.

We may suggest such blood tests for dogs over the age of eight to ten years and cats over ten to twelve years.

The blood tests give the vet an idea of any potential problems with the anaesthetic, if there are some drugs which would be more appropriate than others, given the animal's condition or whether an anaesthetic is best avoided at that particular time. There is an additional charge for any blood tests performed.

In addition to liver and kidney dysfunction the vet will also give your pets cardiac (heart) and respiratory (lungs) systems a thorough check over - this would be routine for any animal under-going a surgical procedure. At Blackness we do have alternative and safer anaesthetic drugs for animals which have heart problems or which, for other reasons, may need a speedier recovery.