Many people have wondered, "why do vets always want to do blood work, examinations, or [fill-in-the-blank procedure] prior to getting to the 'real reason' my pet is being seen?" I know this for a fact because I get these type of questions frequently -- usually friends and family who didn't think to ask or didn't want to ask their attending veterinarian the how's and why's of their pet's veterinary care. The purpose of this veterinary Q & A is to hopefully answer some of the more common "why does my vet do that?" questions that pet owners ask.
Why does
my vet require preoperative bloodwork for a 'simple' neuter operation?
My pet is young and healthy -- why is bloodwork needed?
The short answer is to make sure your pet is completely healthy "inside and out" prior to subjecting your pet to anesthesia and surgery.
While spays and neuters are performed often, this doesn't mean that they
are simple. These surgical procedures require as much knowledge about
the patient's health prior to surgery as possible.
A full history and physical examination should be part of the preoperative visit. This rules out any health concerns you may have and allows the vet to assess your pet's weight, heart condition, and any health problems that should be addressed prior to surgery (or immediately after).
Many veterinary clinics have the capability to do "in-house" lab work -- meaning that they can run a simple blood test right in the office to check basic liver and kidney blood values. In a young healthy animal with no history of problems, we would expect that these values would be within the normal ranges. But what if they aren't? The possibility exists that there could be an undetected congenital problem or subclinical problem that hasn't manifested clinical signs yet. This type of early detection would warrant investigation, and in the case of an elective surgery, postponement until the pet is deemed ready. For animals that have a normal preoperative blood panel, congratulations! your pet is healthy, and this blood work will provide a good foundation for your pet's health record. This baseline panel will serve as a reference point as your pet matures.
For clinics that offer preoperative bloodwork, many times there are various "packages" that are offered, from basic testing to more complete testing. Discuss with your veterinarian the tests available, what level of testing is appropriate for your pet, and to address any concerns that you have.
Sometimes a 'routine health examination' can have surprising findings. Read more about this in the Veterinary Medicine Forum.
My pet
had surgery last week. My veterinarian wants to schedule a visit for removal
of the stitches. I can do this myself. Why do vets require this repeat
visit for something so 'easy'?
The short answer is that the vet wants to examine the surgical site and
make sure that healing is progressing well.
Many veterinarians do not charge for "suture removal" appointments, so the only requirement on the part of the pet owner is the time scheduled for the visit. For busy people, the appointment might seem like a waste of time, however this is a great opportunity to visit with your vet about how your pet did post-operatively (excessive grogginess? Any vomiting?) and perhaps make notes about any future anesthetic or surgical procedures and what would be best for your pet. This is also a good time to discuss any concerns you had about the surgery, what to expect during the healing process, and any behavioral aspects or problems in the future to watch for.
If you do elect to remove the sutures yourself, call your veterinary office and let them know so that they can make appropriate notes in your pet's health record and answer any questions that you may have.
Go to the next page to learn more answers to your questions.
