Reassurance needed please (worried about sedation)

[ForestWomble]

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My 10 year old boy, Bungo, is having a sedation next week, and I'm getting worried about it.

Bungo doesn't cope very well with sedation, getting him to settle and eat after can be a struggle.

Last time it was 3 or 4 days before he was back to normal.

Due to this, plus his age, I can't get that niggle of worry to go away.

 

[Jobeth]

You can ask for extra tests before sedation. My oldest had a dreadful time after his first one when he was a puppy but it didn’t happen again.

 

[Rafa]

It's absolutely normal to worry when our dogs are having sedation or anaesthetic. I'm sure we all do.

Bungo, although not very young, is certainly not an old dog and sedation should be very safe for him.

When he comes home, try to treat him exactly as you would usually. If you know that it's normal for him to be a little 'off' for a few days, then, just keep telling yourself that it will pass.

 

[JoanneF]

Just to be clear, is it definitely sedation and not anaesthetic? I believe sedation is a bit gentler. Can we ask what he's having done?

 

[ForestWomble]

You can ask for extra tests before sedation. My oldest had a dreadful time after his first one when he was a puppy but it didn’t happen again.

What sort of extra tests?
Pleased to hear your oldest was fine after his first one.
Thank you

It's absolutely normal to worry when our dogs are having sedation or anaesthetic. I'm sure we all do.

Bungo, although not very young, is certainly not an old dog and sedation should be very safe for him.

When he comes home, try to treat him exactly as you would usually. If you know that it's normal for him to be a little 'off' for a few days, then, just keep telling yourself that it will pass.

Thank you Rafa.

Just to be clear, is it definitely sedation and not anaesthetic? I believe sedation is a bit gentler. Can we ask what he's having done?

Yes, sedation, funnily enough I'd feel better if it was anaesthetic, he recovers better/more easily from that.

The vet said 'the full works' whatever that means.

I know they are clipping his nails, checking paws etc to try to find out why he's been randomly yelping.
They'll also do a blood test too.

then whatever else they have planned.

I need to ask them to check his mouth as he's lost a couple of teeth recently, hoping they can do that too.

 

[Jobeth]

Ring them up and ask them beforehand which they think would be better for him. It was a while ago, but I opted for the extra checks when they were offered.

 

[JudyN]

Mine was like that after sedation too - he would cry all night the first night, and still be wobby, drooly, shaky with wild staring eyes (though maybe not a strong urge to fly...) the next day. I don't know about anaesthesia alone - there was no way he'd hold still to inject into a vein so he hed to be sedated before an anaesthetic.

I would ask if anaesthesia would be a better option. It may be less safe, but being in such a state can't be good for him either.

 

[Laco]

I too would be concerned and think its absolutely normal for you to be concerned. My advice is, if you trust your Vet, go with his or her recommendations. If you have misgivings regarding the level of trust you have in your Vet, its IMO time for a different Vet.

 

[ForestWomble]

Thank you all.
I'll contact them before the day.

 

[reds]

Thank you all.
I'll contact them before the day.

Hi, I think anyone would worry when their pet goes in for sedation or a general anaesthetic, when Parker went in for his castration I was a nervous reck, but luckily my friend is a vet nurse for many years that monitors the pets when under sedation and general anaesthetic, and said that both are very safe now days GA drugs are the same as they use on humans and they come around very quickly and most vets would recommend bloods to check liver and kidney function first before giving a GA especially in an older dog and also support the kidney’s with iv fluids during the procedure to help flush the drugs out of the system. But she did say that sedation is also very safe but some dogs have different reactions to these drugs, and it depends on whether it is light or deep sedation that is required, but I think she said that they reverse the drugs once the procedure has finished to wake them up quicker but some dogs can take up to 24 hours for the drugs to be out of the system and can be quite sleepy after. And of course the stress factor comes into it too no dog likes being left at the vets . I only know this as I asked my friend a lot of questions before Parker had his GA, in fact I think I drove her crazy asking so many questions but I trusted what she said completely.
I am sure all will go well for Bungo and he will be fine, and hopefully they will find out what the problem is with is paw and give him a full MOT.
When I picked Parker up after his castration he came bouncing out the door as though nothing had happened, but he did sleep well that night