Surgery·4 February 2026·4 min read
Pre-Anaesthetic Bloodwork: Why We Insist
It is a test, not a sales pitch. Here is what it actually catches and why we never skip it.
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What we run\n\nCBC (red/white cells, platelets), basic biochemistry (kidney, liver, glucose, protein), and electrolytes. Older pets get an extended panel.\n\n## What it catches\n\n- Hidden kidney disease (changes anaesthetic protocol)\n- Liver insufficiency (alters drug metabolism)\n- Anaemia (impacts oxygen carrying capacity)\n- Clotting abnormalities (bleeding risk)\n- Diabetes / electrolyte imbalances\n\n## Real numbers\n\n~10% of apparently-healthy senior pets show abnormalities that change our anaesthetic plan. ~2% reveal a problem serious enough to postpone surgery entirely.\n\n## Why we cannot skip\n\nAnaesthesia is generally safe. But "generally" is not "always" — pre-anaesthetic bloodwork lowers the rare-but-real risk of a bad outcome. It is the standard of care.\n\n## Cost vs. peace of mind\n\nA few thousand rupees for screening that may detect a kidney problem before it becomes a crisis. Always worth it.
Frequently asked
Best practice yes — congenital issues are silent and bloodwork is the only screening that catches them.
Same-day results in most cases. Significant abnormalities may postpone for further workup — that delay is the point.
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