Prior to any anesthesia, we highly recommend bloodwork for your pet. There are several different options, depending on your pet's age, health, etc. Bloodwork panels are very convenient and cost-effective - to get many of the tests done separately would cost upwards of $100 - $350. Here is a breakdown of the three panels we recommend most:

Pre-Anesthetic Profile - $46.00
Includes 6 chemistries:
ALT (alanine aminotransfertase): A liver enzyme that can increase due to liver disease or injury.
ALKP (alkaline phosphatase): An enzyme; elevated levels can occur with liver disease, Cushing's syndrome, or steroid therapy.
TP (total protein): Can detect dehydration, and diseases of the liver, intestine, and kidney.
BG (blood glucose): High levels can mean diabetes; low levels can indicate liver disease, infection, or cancer.
CREA (creatinine): High levels can mean kidney disease, urinary tract obstruction, or dehydration.
BUN (blood urea nitrogen): High levels can mean kidney disease; low levels can mean liver disease.

Junior Wellness Profile - $59.00 canine, $63.00 feline
Includes all chemistries above, plus:
Albumin: Decreased levels can indicate chronic liver, kidney, or intestinal disease.
Globulin: same as albumin
Potassium: Increased levels can indicate kidney disease.
CBC (complete blood count): This panel can indicate a large number of problems, including but not limited to: leukemia, stress, inflammation, infection, bleeding problems, and anemia. If any of these conditions exist, serious complications can occur during anesthesia and surgery.
Heartworm Antigen Test: Detects potentially fatal heartworm disease that is spread by mosquitoes - this disease IS prevalent in Colorado.

Senior Wellness Profile - $110.00 canine, $115.00 feline
Includes all of the chemistries & CBC above, plus:
Amylase & Lipase: Two pancreatic enzymes that can help diagnose pancreatitis and other intestinal issues.
AST (SGOT): A mitochondrial enzyme, who's increase can reflect serious cell damage to the liver or other muscles. (Inflammation, infection, trauma, neoplasia)
Calcium: Abnormal levels can point to neoplasia, endocrine diseases, renal (kidney) disease, poor nutrition.
Chloride, Potassium, Sodium: These are three important electrolytes.
Cholesterol: Abnormal levels can indicate kidney disease, thyroid problems, liver disease, poor diet, or certain neoplasias.
CPK: This enzyme is increased when damage occurs in muscles, including the heart.
GGT: Helps to point out liver disease.
Glucose: Helpful in diagnosing diabetes, liver failure, sepsis, and Addison's disease.
Magnesium: Low levels can occur with prolonged anorexia, vomiting, diarrhea, kidney failure, diabetic ketoacidosis, or sepsis.
Osmolality, Calculated: Evaluates polyuria/polydipsia.
Phosphorus: Kidney issues can increases levels.
Total Bilirubin: Evaluates liver problems.
Triglyceride: Evaluates high levels of fat in the blood.

The Senior Wellness Profile does NOT include a heartworm test, but it also includes:
Urinalysis: This includes a variety of different tests on the urine that can point to kidney / liver / diabetic problems, as well as bladder / urinary tract infections.

T4: Thyroid testing: Diagnoses a fairly common problem in both dogs and cats; hypothyroidism in dogs leads to excessive weight gain, poor hair / skin, heart problems, and metabolic issues. Hyperthyroidism in cats leads to excessive appetite (with weight LOSS), poor hair / skin, heart problems, and other metabolic issues. This is a serious problem with an easy treatment. If your dog is having trouble with his / her weight, or if your cat is eating and drinking but is skinny as a rail, this test is essential.