Preanaesthetic screening in dogs and cats

Abstract

Background: Preparation before performing general anaesthesia is essential. In order to comprehensively plan and execute safe anaesthesia, it is vital to quantify anaesthetic risk. However, currently there is limited veterinary literature that collates anaesthetic-related, patient-related and procedural-related risks. Aim of the article: This article highlights previously reported perioperative factors contributing to morbidity and mortality in small animals, as well as important considerations to factor in based on the patient history and findings on clinical examination. It also discusses the current opinions on blood screening and diagnostic imaging.