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General Anesthesia in Dogs
What is General Anesthesia?
General anesthesia is a reversible, medically induced form of unconsciousness. During a general anesthetic the patient is temporarily immobile in a relaxed state, and unaware of pain or what is going on around them.
General anesthesia is widely used in veterinary practice (both first opinion and specialist centers). It is used to facilitate any number of procedures from routine desexing to complex life-saving surgery or even to keep the patient still enough for an MRI scan.
In first opinion practice, a state of anesthesia is induced by or under the direction of, a veterinary surgeon. During the procedure, a vet technician monitors and adjusts the depth of anesthesia. In referral centers, a specialist veterinary anesthetist is involved for complex or high-risk anesthetics.
General Anesthesia Procedure in Dogs
The method of general anesthesia is determined by the health of the animal, the procedure, and the experience of the surgeon/anesthetists. Within each method is a whole sweep of different options depending on which anesthetic drugs are chosen. The basic protocols are:
- Induction and maintenance with injectable agents
- Induction with injectables, maintenance with anesthetic gas
- Induction and maintenance with anesthetic gas
Of these, option #2 is the most widely used.
In preparation for a general anesthetic, the patient (over 4 months of age) must not eat for at least 10 to 12 hours before hand so their stomach is empty. This is to prevent vomiting under anesthesia and the risk of inhaling food down into the lungs.
Every dog undergoing anesthesia is carefully assessed with a physical exam and possibly blood work. This is to identify factors which need correction ahead of the anesthesia for maximum safety.
Once the patient is stable, a premedication injection is given. This provides pain relief, minimizes the amount of inducing agent required, and makes for smoother maintenance.
A catheter is placed in the foreleg and once the premed has taken effect, an induction agent is slowly injected into the bloodstream via the catheter, until the dog is asleep. A tube is then passed into the trachea (windpipe) and connected to a anesthetic machine. The dog is maintained under anesthesia by adjusting the gas flow and levels of anesthetic agent.
Once the procedure is completed, the anesthetic gas is turned off, the system flushed with oxygen, and the patient monitored while they regain consciousness.
Efficacy of General Anesthesia in Dogs
Modern anesthetic agents and protocols are sophisticated and safe. The anesthetic agents are often short-acting and anesthesia is maintained by a steady low dose supply of them. This means there is less buildup ('hangover') in the body and less suppression of blood pressure of blood flow to major organs. All of this contributes to the safety and efficacy both during and after the anesthetic.
Efficacy in terms of safety can be improved by careful pre-op assessment, including a detailed physical exam and blood tests. Careful selection of anesthetic drugs and the circuit used to maintain the anesthetic are also crucial. This allows the anesthetist to compensate for potential problems which could destabilize or endanger the patient.
Alternatives to general anesthesia include heavy sedation and local anesthetic. This may be appropriate for minor surgical procedures on the skin, but does not give sufficient pain relief or immobility for abdominal or chest surgery.
General Anesthesia Recovery in Dogs
It is vital the patient is closely monitored during and after anesthetic. The period when the anesthetic is turned off and the dog regains consciousness is the recovery period. This is a time when the patient is at increased risk of vomiting and inhaling the vomitus, or extreme excitement, breathing difficulties, or injury to the incision.
The full recovery time after an anesthetic (say for imaging) is relatively quick, with most dogs being back to normal the following day. For those patients undergoing surgery, the full recovery time depends on the operation they underwent. Typically, for neutering this is 10 to 14 days.
Cost of General Anesthesia in Dogs
The complexity of the anesthetic, the monitoring equipment involved, and the experience of the anesthetist all influence the cost of an anesthetic. In first opinion practice, the cost of the anesthetic for routine neutering is often discounted, because of the ethical importance of neutering, and performed at cost price.
Thus the fee for an anesthetic can range widely from a basic $90 up to $1,000 for a high-risk patient with the most sophisticated monitoring and a fully qualified veterinary anesthetist in attendance.
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Dog General Anesthesia Considerations
General anesthesia should never be undertaken lightly, and even for routine surgery the patient must be carefully assessed and monitored.
Practice staff should be fully qualified and keep up to date with continuing education in the drugs and techniques available, along with handling unstable anesthetics. Your veterinary team should be happy to discuss to your satisfaction all aspects of your dog's care whilst under anesthesia and the risks involved, before proceeding.
General Anesthesia Prevention in Dogs
Anesthesia is usually induced in a pre-planned manner for either elective or essential surgical procedures. With this in mind, prevention is not really appropriate.
The use of emergency anesthetics can be minimized by keeping your pet fit and healthy, and avoiding exercising deep-chested dogs immediately after eating (a predisposing factor for GDV). In addition, keeping a dog on leash near roads reduces the risk of traffic accidents, and careful consideration should be given to mating and breeding from female dogs.
General Anesthesia Questions and Advice from Veterinary Professionals
Pit Bull
Ten Years
1 found this helpful
1 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Noisy Breathing, Not Eating
Hello, I have a sort of unique situation. My dog had a mass behind his right elbow, and a couple teeth that needed removal. In my initial visit to the pet hospital We had blood work, urinalysis, and general check up. Everything was normal, so we set and appointment for the surgery. I was told to put my dog on a diet leading up to surgery. After about 10 days on a diet he started not eating much on his own. He lost about 16 pounds in the 20 days leading up to surgery. That was a concern to me. They decided to go through with the surgery. He now has complications with his blood work. How?
Aug. 5, 2020
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
1 Recommendations
Thank you for your question. Without knowing what complications are occurring, it is difficult for me to comment on what might be going on It is possible that he did have an underlying problem that was not picked up on the first set of labwork. It was likely expected that he would lose weight since he was on a diet, and they may not have seen the signs of illness. If would be best to discuss any questions with your veterinarian, as they know more the details of what is going on with your dog. I hope that he recovers normally and is back to being healthy again soon.
Aug. 5, 2020
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Mini poo
Teddy
2 Years
2 found this helpful
2 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Tumor
My dogs vet diagnosed him with a “possible injury” gave me antibiotics and a anti inflammatory. It didn’t sit well with me and my dog didn’t like the doctor . Then I️ had to fight with them to recheck it. It’s a red boil looking thing on the top of his penis. The vet told me when I️ finally got him to let me bring him back he took him for one second and said oh yea he’ll need surgery to remove it we’re talking Anastesia to remove it. It’s not under the skin so why does he need Anastasia ? Can’t he just lance it off ? Also my dog didn’t like him either and I’m not sure if he was being truthful or just saying that to get me out of his office
Dec. 5, 2017
2 Recommendations
Without examining Teddy, I cannot say whether or not surgery is indicated; plus in some cases lancing isn’t curative and recurrence rates can be high so surgical removal is indicated. If you are not comfortable with your current Veterinarian, you should speak with another Veterinarian in your area to see what they think of it; until then continue with the original treatment given to you from your first Veterinarian. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
Dec. 5, 2017
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