# Older dogs and general anesthetic



## Nicki85 (18 January 2011)

My Springer has to goto the vets tomorrow to have her teeth sorted out.  She is 13 (14 in July this year) but in no way shows her age (apart from lack of hearing lol).  She seems fit and healthy and is a good weight (14.5kg).

Her teeth have always been bad and the vet has looked at them every year and not decided to do anything.  However at her last checkup and jabs they said that her gums were starting to receed and that they need to do some cleaning up work and probably remove a few.  They are also going to clip her claws as i've let them get to long and she is a mission at the vets (think coiled spring...). 

I don't think we will have a problem with her eating afterwards... She is a typical Spaniel and loves her food!  We have some tinned stuff so she can just have that if she is sore.  

I know that general anesthetic can be dangerous especially for older dogs and it's really starting to worry me   Any experiences/ knowledge of putting an older dog under would be appreciated.  Will she be more groggy than when she was put under to be spayed as a youngster for longer?  Also any experience of aftercare for dogs that have had teeth removed would be good.  Thank you!


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## littlemisslauren (18 January 2011)

My Border Terrier was put under to have his teeth sorted out last year, he was about 13 and a half then. I made a similar sounding worried post 

He was absolutely fine, was very funny to watch once he came round  and it did seem to take him a bit longer to snap out of it but other than falling over and walking into things he was fine.

He ate like a pig after aswell. Tried to keep him on a soft diet for afew days after but the little old sod caught a rabbit in the garden and brought it in half eaten!


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## paulineh (18 January 2011)

The vet will be sure things are fine.

Did she have a pre op check , if so they will have checked out everything.

I have had several elderly dog go under a GA for several reasons and they have all been fine.

You should be given an aftercare sheet with all the instructions of what you can do nand not do.


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## gunnergundog (18 January 2011)

Get bloods taken before the op so they can check function of major organs. Helps minimise risk and costs about £40.


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## MurphysMinder (18 January 2011)

Ditto this re bloods, it is well worth the extra imo.  I had this done when my 12 year old GSD was going to have a GA, the blood test showed that her liver wasn't functioning quite as it should, so she didn't have the op.  After a short course of treatment her liver function was back to normal and she came through the surgery with no problems at all.


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## splashgirl45 (18 January 2011)

try not to worry..my old dog was put out to have her teeth done (and had some out)at age 15, and she recovered as normal from the anesthetic.  we kept her on chicken and rice for a couple of days and she was fine..


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## ofcourseyoucan (18 January 2011)

there is always a risk with a GA. but pre op bloods on an old/older dog are always a good guide.


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## welshcobnewbie (18 January 2011)

Try not to let it worry you to much.

 My old girl is 14 and has a heart condition that she has to be pretty heavily medicated for, yet she has been in a couple of times for procedures under GA and as so far come out the other side as happy yappy and snappy as she went in.


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