12 Panel Chemistry/CBC
Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT): Liver enzyme that becomes elevated with liver disease or injury
- Alkaline Phosphatase (Alk Phos): Mainly a liver enzyme which can be elevated due to liver disease, Cushing’s disease, steroid therapy, cholestasis, etc.
- Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN): High levels indicate kidney disease or dehydration. Low levels can be associated with liver disease.
- Creatinine: High levels can indicate kidney disease, dehydration, or urinary tract obstruction.
- Blood Glucose: High levels can indicate diabetes mellitus. Low levels can indicate infection, hypoglycemia, liver disease, and certain tumors.
- Total Protein: An abnormal level can indicate several problems such as dehydration or disease of the liver, kidney, or intestinal disorders.
- Albumin: this is a protein produced by the liver. Low levels can indicate chronic liver, kidney, or intestinal disorders.
- Amylase: Elevated values can indicate pancreatitis. Low levels can indicate lack of production of this pancreas enzyme.
- Calcium: Increased levels can indicate disease of the parathyroid gland, kidneys, or certain tumors.
- Phosphorus: Elevated value can indicate kidney disease.
- Total Bilirubin: This level can indicate liver disease or help characterize anemia.
- Cholesterol: This value can be elevated with a variety of disorders including hypothyroidism, liver disease, and kidney disease.
- Packed Cell Volume (PCV): This indicates the amount of red blood cells in whole blood. A low value indicates anemia.
- Complete Blood Count (CBC): this provides information about your pet’s white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets. Abnormalities on this panel may indicate an anemia, bleeding disorder, infection, leukemia, inflammation, etc. If an anemic or low platelet count is present, your pet could experience serious surgical complications.
- Electrolytes: This includes sodium, potassium, and chloride; the balance of these is vital to your pet’s health. Abnormal values can be life-threatening to your pet. We use this test to evaluate vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, and cardiac symptoms.
When these tests are complete, our Doctors will analyze the data, and ensure the proper anesthesia protocols are used. Small adjustments to medications or types of anesthesia may be made based on your pet’s results.
To be clear, a recent study showed that complications from anesthesia occurred less than 1% of the time in both dogs and cats. But when that 1% happens to be your pet, the ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Intravenous Catheter
We administer IV sedation medications to allow us to put your pet under gas anesthesia.
As with any surgery, there can be unforeseen risks. Despite the examinations, tests and other precautions, sometimes a pet just doesn’t respond well while under anesthesia. In the event that something goes wrong, we place an Intravenous Catheter so we have access to a vein to administer drugs immediately. We rarely, if ever need to use it. Despite the combined decades of experience between all of our Doctors and all of the expertise, we feel more comfortable with this extra safety feature for your pet’s well-being.
Anesthesia Monitoring
All of our pet nurses (we call them technicians in the veterinary industry) have years of experience both in and out of surgery. They have the in-depth training needed to monitor your pet’s vital signs while they are under anesthesia. They constantly are checking oxygen levels, blood pressure, temperature, heart rate, and ECG to ensure your pet is stable. This is their only job while the doctor is concentrating on your pet’s surgery. If necessary, other technicians are assisting the doctor with instruments or other needs.