Question: Why do blood work prior to anesthesia

Answer: As part of a protocol to protect your pet, we recommend a blood panel to be done prior to undergoing anesthesia. While it is critical to perform such a panel in a geriatric dog, it can be just as important for young animals to be evaluated before receiving anesthesia as well. It is important to ensure that your pet’s internal organs are functioning properly before we administer any medications that might further compromise the function of an already struggling organ. There are a number of protocols that can be used which are very safe on both geriatric and very young animals and will allow your pet to recover quickly from their anesthesia.