Senior dog anesthesia can be a stressful subject. Is your dog is too old for anesthesia? Is living with the status quo better than risking anesthesia? Integrative veterinarian Dr. Julie Buzby guides you through how to make this decision in the best interest of your dear old dog.
When is a dog too old for anesthesia?
As much as I wish I could give a definite age beyond which anesthesia is unsafe for dogs, there is no universal number. While certain conditions make the risk of anesthesia for older dogs far greater than the reward, age alone is not the only factor that counts. Senior dog anesthesia is a calculated risk. For dogs of any age, we always want to make sure the benefits of the procedure outweigh the inherent risks of anesthesia.
As a veterinarian, I have a healthy respect for anesthesia and understand my clients’ fears. Anesthesia is essentially the process of taking a living being to the brink of death—obliterating many life-preserving reflexes—and then bringing that being back to life again. It is never, ever without risk. I calculate that risk for any dog undergoing anesthesia—weighing risk versus reward.
Senior dog anesthesia is a calculated risk
More often than not, when I tell people I’m a veterinarian, their first reaction is to tell me that they love animals, but could never have worked in veterinary medicine because dog euthanasia is too sad. While I obviously wish all dogs lived forever, euthanasia is not where the biggest gut-punch lies for me. Losing a patient under anesthesia is what I lose sleep over.
A decade ago, I lost a patient named Teddy under anesthesia. Teddy the Pug would probably have been considered over 100 in “human years,” which, of course, was a concern as we considered anesthesia for an elective procedure.
By this point, he had more rotten teeth than healthy ones. So it was my professional opinion that the benefits of managing dental disease in dogs outweighed the risks. I can say with confidence it’s what I would have done for my own dog.
Anesthesia for oral surgery in senior dogs
Teddy’s mom agreed that her senior dog was in a lot of pain and that the anesthesia for oral surgery was a risk worth taking. He might have been in his golden years—when many would argue anesthesia is just not worth it—but the hope of eliminating his pain made the decision an obvious one.
The dental procedure took over two hours and Teddy’s vital signs were perfect the entire time. I worked as swiftly as I could to extract the abscessed teeth and suture the flaps of gum left behind. Meanwhile, my conscientious technician monitored my patient’s anesthetic depth, heart rate, respiratory rate, body temperature, blood pressure, and oxygen levels. We made adjustments in anesthesia accordingly.
When the unexpected happens…
Despite everything looking great during surgery, after we turned off the anesthetic gas, Teddy veered off the normal path of recovery. Instead of slowly waking up…Teddy died.
Alarm bells sounded on our anesthetic monitoring machines. He had no heart rate. No pulse. No respiratory rate. We immediately began CPR. We had all hands on deck as we attempted to restart his heart.
Loss and love…grief and grace
As the scene unfolded, my mind jumped to Teddy’s family. Here he was, dying in my care, and his family was elsewhere, going about their day, unaware of the crisis. While we worked on Teddy, we got a family member on the line so I could briefly alert them that Teddy had taken a turn for the worse.
By the time they arrived, Teddy was officially gone. The grief in our office was palpable. I will never forget the reaction of Teddy’s parents, which I was dreading. They wept with us—and they extended an incredible amount of grace. They knew we did our best and they told us so.
Once we were able to see past our grief, we took another look at Teddy’s anesthetic protocol to see if there was anything we could have done differently. We discovered that Teddy had most likely suffered a pulmonary embolism—a clot which blocked blood supply between the heart and lungs. We couldn’t have foreseen this.
There was nothing that we could have done differently. But that didn’t change that fact that Teddy was gone, and I had been responsible for his life that afternoon.
While this situation was incredibly tragic, what happened to Teddy is not common. Studies show that approximately 99.8% of healthy dogs that are anesthetized live to tell about it.
While it’s true that age and infirmity are risk factors that make the odds less rosy, through custom-tailored anesthetic protocols and diligent monitoring of patients under anesthesia and in recovery, I believe the rewards often outweigh the risks.
Next, let’s learn some protocols that you can discuss with your veterinarian to help reduce those risks.
Older dog sedation protocol: 5 ways to reduce the risks of anesthesia for older dogs
1. A thorough pre-anesthetic work-up
Any dog undergoing anesthesia should have a diagnostic evaluation directed by his or her veterinarian. Generally anesthetic work-ups include a physical exam and blood work (complete blood count, blood chemistry). In individual cases, more advanced diagnostics such as X-rays or ultrasound may be indicated. These recommendations can vary based on your dog’s age, breed, overall health, and what procedure he or she is undergoing anesthesia for.
Typically, geriatric patients will have a more advanced work-up than young, healthy dogs.
Have a discussion with your vet about what tests may be recommended for your dog prior to anesthesia. Veterinarians can tailor anesthetic drugs and procedures based on the results of these tests to minimize the risks associated with anesthesia.
2. Anesthetic monitoring
All dogs should be monitored under anesthesia, but this is especially crucial for older dogs who may have sudden issues with their vitals. Anesthetic monitoring can be anything from a dedicated technician monitoring heart and respiration rate, to a pulse oximeter measuring oxygen saturation, to an EKG, a capnograph measuring carbon dioxide output, blood pressure monitoring, and more.
Some of these tests require special equipment, and not all veterinary practices have advanced monitoring. Before your dog has an anesthetic procedure, have a conversation with your veterinarian about how your dear old dog will be monitored during the procedure.
For some dogs, it may be prudent to have the procedure done at a specialty referral hospital, where they have more advanced equipment and even board-certified veterinary anesthesiologists to monitor patients.
3. Stabilize underlying health conditions
Anesthetic risk increases with age, but underlying medical conditions can exacerbate this risk. Some of these conditions include:
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- Cushing’s disease in dogs
- Thyroid disease
- Kidney disease
- Liver damage
- Seizure disorders
Veterinarians can manage most of these conditions with medications, and try to make sure things are stable before proceeding with anesthesia whenever possible. Geriatric dogs with chronic medical conditions may also require more specialized blood tests as part of their pre-anesthetic work ups.
If your dog has any manageable chronic conditions, it is always a good idea to get them to a stable point in their disease management before undergoing anesthesia, unless the procedure is an emergency.
4. Post-op monitoring: senior dog anesthesia recovery
You may be surprised to hear that the most dangerous time for anesthesia is actually the first three hours after the procedure is completed. Statistically, this is when most animals have adverse anesthetic events. Just like what happened with senior patient, animals can do great during surgery and then have life-threatening complications during recovery from anesthesia.
Post-operative monitoring is critical for any patient, and this is even more important in older dogs who may have more trouble with breathing and circulation. Your vet will have a plan for pre-operative testing, intra-operative monitoring, and a post-op plan as well. For more intensive procedures, he or she may recommend your dog stay overnight, or be transferred to a 24-hour facility if needed.
5. Avoid it: Skip elective or cosmetic procedures
Every anesthetic procedure involves a risk/benefit analysis. In older dogs, the risk is higher, so we need to make sure the benefit of what we’re trying to do is greater as well. Cosmetic or elective procedures may not be worth it.
Of course, for lifesaving procedures, or procedures where the quality of life improvement warrants the risk (like with my patient’s dental), anesthesia may not be avoidable and can be under the guidance of your veterinarian.
Caring for a senior dog often means making difficult choices
Although the risks associated with anesthesia can be scary, please don’t miss my take-home message:
Age is not an excuse to do nothing.
Living with pain in dogs doesn’t have to be the case. Even though Teddy’s case ended tragically, I do not think we made the wrong decision to move forward with his dental surgery. We had the opportunity—and good odds—to dramatically change Teddy’s quality of life for his remaining days, months, and years. If I could do it over, I would make the same choice.
Anesthesia for dogs is not determined by age alone
I love my senior dog patients, and I want what’s best for them. I find myself frequently having conversations with pet parents convincing them that their dogs don’t need to live in discomfort because they are “too old to do anything about it.”
While certain variables make the risk of anesthesia for dogs far greater than the reward, age alone is not the only factor that shuts the door on the possibility of anesthesia.
Frequently asked questions about anesthesia for senior dogs
While each patient and anesthetic procedure have their own considerations, there are some common questions that should be addressed if your older dog is undergoing anesthesia.
What are the side effects of anesthesia in older dogs?
Anesthesia does carry some expected side effects. Some of those are more pronounced or more dangerous in older dogs, especially if they have other underlying conditions. These effects may include:
- Low heart rate (bradycardia)
- Low blood pressure (hypotension)
- Low blood oxygen (hypoxemia)
- Low body temperature (hypothermia)
- Prolonged recovery
These are expected effects of anesthesia, but if left unchecked can become life-threatening. This is why careful anesthetic monitoring is so important.
How long does it take an older dog to recover from anesthesia?
It is common for older dogs to take longer to recover from anesthesia than their younger counterparts. Their metabolisms are slower, and that includes more than just processing food. Many organ systems slow down a bit as dogs age. With kidneys and livers that may not be 100%—even if we don’t see bloodwork changes—older dogs generally take longer to metabolize and clear anesthetic drugs.
Recovery time varies. It not only depends on the patient’s age and condition, but also on the types of medications used and the length of the anesthetic procedure. The longer a dog is under, the longer it will take them to wake up.
Some of the anesthetic medications we use are reversible, so if a dog is experiencing a prolonged recovery, we may be able to give them a reversal medication to counteract the effects of the anesthesia. This is one of the considerations veterinarians take into account when developing an individual anesthetic plan.
How does anesthesia affect older dogs?
Older dogs are more likely to have organ dysfunction that may decrease their ability to handle anesthetic agents. Unfortunately, bloodwork is not sensitive enough to detect very mild organ damage. So even a patient with perfect bloodwork may have some troubles with metabolizing anesthetic drugs.
Generally older dogs don’t have a lot of unique anesthetic risks based on their age, they just have an increased chance of having side effects. Higher risks of effects like hypotension and hypoxemia can be dangerous in our older patients.
Sometimes older dogs can experience more confusion as they wake up from anesthesia. This confusion usually resolves within a few hours of waking up, but sometimes can last for a day or two.
What should I expect as my senior dog recovers from anesthesia?
Each dog handles anesthesia differently. Some dogs pop right up like nothing happened, and some take hours to fully recover.
Senior dogs often take a bit to recover from anesthesia. Sometimes they are even still groggy for a day or two after surgery. Your dog may be extra tired, sleep longer and/or heavier, and may seem confused. These effects are temporary, and your pup should be back to his or herself in no time.
Some of the anesthetic drugs can cause nausea and vomiting. Your dog may throw up after surgery (even several hours later), and may have a decreased appetite for a day or so.
I sometimes get asked about dogs’ bathroom habits after surgery. A gross detail I’ll share with you is that dogs’ bodies relax during anesthesia—their whole bodies, including the colon. Most dogs poop under anesthesia. Additionally, opiate medications, which are often used for surgery in dogs, tend to slow down the GI tract a bit. Combining the effects from the medications with a pretty cleaned out colon means it is perfectly normal for dogs not to poop for a few days after surgery.
Can anesthesia have long-term effects on dogs?
In healthy dogs who have uncomplicated anesthetic procedures, there should be no long-term effects from anesthesia itself.
Because blood pressure is lowered under anesthesia, it is possible that some organs, such as the kidneys, don’t get enough oxygen delivered to them. If this happens, those organs could sustain long-term damage. This is one of the reasons pre-operative bloodwork is so important. We want to make sure all organ systems are in tip-top shape to be able to handle anesthesia.
One of the organs that can sustain long-term damage from hypoxemia is the brain. If a dog’s blood pressure or heart rate get too slow under anesthesia, the brain may be deprived of oxygen for a period of time. If that happens, long-term effects can include seizures, blindness, cognitive impairment, and even death.
Keep in mind, though, that those complications happen very rarely—and good monitoring of vitals during surgery can catch issues before they cause any permanent damage.
Speak with your vet about anesthesia for your old dog
If you’ve been nervous about anesthetizing your senior dog for a recommended procedure, I have some homework for you. Talk to your vet. Have a frank discussion with him or her about your concerns and learn about the risk-reward ratio. You may be surprised at the possibilities!
Are you considering anesthesia for your senior dog?
Please comment below.
Hi Dr. Buzby,
We have a 16, almost 17 year old Jack Russell Terrier (Madison). We had her teeth cleaned about five years ago, at which time they removed eight teeth. Since that time she’s continued to have bad breath and has developed an infection in her teeth which she’s been prescribed Clintabs (25 mg) twice daily. She’s been on this medication off and on for about one year and has been on it full-time for the last couple of months. She’s due for you annual check up next month and I want to discuss having more teeth pulled, but am concerned about her age. We had bloodwork done about eight months ago when she was struggling with Chronic bronchitis. That is pretty much cleared up at this time. We had some blood work done on her at that time and it came back really good for a dog her age they said. She struggles to drink water on her own from a bowl, she ends up just licking the dish and not getting enough water, so we give it to her by hand. She eats just fine. Not sure if this is due to her blindness or what (Blind in one eye and has little sight in the other, but gets around real well still). She has swelling under her eyes, and is having more issues with her ears. Not sure if the infection is going to her ears, or not. She’s been a real trooper and always has a smile on her face. This girl is the love of our life and we don’t want to subject her to any unnecessary pain or suffering, but certainly would feel awful if we moved forward with surgery and something happened to her and we couldn’t bring her home. I just don’t feel comfortable giving her medication that only masks the issue for a few hours. The vet doesn’t seem too concerned with that option but it’s not working for me. I’m sure the benefits would be great, but not knowing if the outcome would be successful makes it a really hard decision to make.
Dear Judy,
I understand what a difficult decision this must be for you. I wish I could tell you what was best or know for certain how things would turn out. Please know you are not alone and so many other are facing a similar situation with their beloved pup too. I hope you will find the advice you need to make the best choice for you and Madison. Wishing you both nothing but the best and praying for a clear path forward.
We live in Ukraine. Our dog, Tina, is 13.5 y.o. Her last teeth cleaning was 3 years ago, and her teeth are really bad (two are infected, one is moving freely, the rest are covered with tartar). She has some heart and liver issues, which she’s able to actively live with. We’re currently living in a small city (because of the war), where there are no decent vets. So in order to do the procedure I need to drive Tina 200 kilometers to the capital, Kiev. There, we’ll meet two vets in 2 days: a cardiologist on the first day, and a dentist/surgeon on the second day. I suppose the cardiologist will check her heart with ultrasound and also collects her blood (the result of the bloodwork should be available the same day). The next day we’ll meet the dentist/surgeon (whom I have never met before) and I’ll have to make a decision of whether to do the surgery or not, based on what the cardiologist tells me the day before.
Is this a sound plan? Or should I perhaps plan for 2 trips, not one, to meet the dentist and the cardiologist first, think about all the information I get, and then make the decision? We have recently lost our another senior dog to cancer in a traumatic way, I want to make sure I make the best decision for Tina…
Hi Denys,
My heart goes out to you with all the obstacles you are having to overcome to get the care Tina needs. Please know I am praying for you and the people in Ukraine. ♥ I don’t think you can go wrong with either plan. The deciding factor is what your comfort level will be with making a quick decision. The specialists will give you their expert opinion and you can lean on them to help make your choice. Be open with them about your concerns and ask any questions that come to mind. It may be good to take notes or record the conversation with your phone if possible. That way you can listen to the information again if needed. It is easy to get overwhelmed and miss details that could be important. Also, if you have a friend that could go with you to be another set of ears that could be helpful as well. I am hopeful you will get the answers you need to make the best choice for Tina. Wishing you both the best. Feel free to leave an update if you have a chance.
Hi,
Thank you for sharing this. Stumbled upon this article as I am currently due to make a decision regarding my 13 year old pug. She has been bleeding heavily from her lower jaw. The vets said she had severe periodontal disease. The risks (her jaw possibly collapsing due to her age and bone health – although her X-rays don’t show anything out of the norm, passing away during surgery, possibility of a cancerous lump) were explained to us, given her age and limited vet medical care available in our country (Sri Lanka).
They suspect a lump under her tongue which is causing her lower jaw to misalign. They tried Tranex and Antibiotics but it hasn’t helped. Due to the excessive bleeding, I can see her getting weaker by the day. Her gums and tongue is getting paler by the day. Short breaths and she keeps sleeping on her side. Her lungs + kidneys + bloodwork came back normal. She has so much of life left in her. Apart from the dental care and bleeding she looks like a dog half her age.
Its breaking my heart to make this decision for her, I have been worried for Puggy and not having her back 🙁 Our vets do not have any after care monitoring and mentioned that she will be returned to us once she regains consciousness. Naturally, this has robbed any peace out of what would be a high risk procedure.
Hi Krishani,
I am so sorry you are in this difficult position. I understand your concerns and your worries are valid. How is Puggy doing today? Were you able to have the surgery performed? Praying your sweet girl is still with you and doing well. Feel free to leave an update if you have a chance.
Hello Dr. Buzby,
I was very intrigued by your article on anesthetic for senior dogs. We have a 15 year old chihuahua/min pin cross (11 pounds), Rosie, who needs some dental work. She’s not in any pain that we can observe as her behaviors are very normal and she sleeps very soundly (a lot!). Her medical conditions are that she has a history of pancreatitis which is now well managed through diet, but does flair up on rare occasions, she has a sensitive digestive system (perhaps related to the pancreatitis) which needs occasional vet treatment, and the latest development is that she has been diagnosed with a degenerative disc disease, the pain from which is managed through two daily doses of Gabapentin. Her legs are beginning to weaken as a result of this condition has led to fewer and shorter walks, meaning less exercise. She also struggles with separation anxiety. We’ve observed that her teeth need cleaning and it appears that she has some inflammation in some of the gum area towards the back of her teeth along the side of her mouth. As mentioned this does not appear to be causing pain as she eats very heartily, is excited about food, and generally has a happy disposition (when not sleeping!). We know her behaviors when she is in pain from her other medical conditions and as long as those are under control, her behaviors are normal. Some time ago our vet did recommend dental cleaning but we are very nervous about putting her under because of her age. As she does not appear to be in pain, would you recommend the dental work now or should we just keep monitoring the situation? Thank-you in advance your your response.
Hi Gord,
I understand your concern about Rosie and the possibility of anesthesia. Since I have not personally examined her myself, I can’t make specific recommendations. I will say that I generally advocate for preventive care rather than waiting for a problem to occur. I would rather do a dental cleaning before extractions are needed than wait for pain or infection to develop. As long as the necessary testing has been done to make sure there are no obvious risks to anesthesia, I would go with your veterinarian’s recommendations. I will attach links to other articles with more information. I am hopeful you will find the answers you need to make the best decision for you and Rosie. Wishing you both the best!
1. Dental Disease in Dogs: Why Prevention Is the Best Medicine
2. Senior Dog Tooth Extraction: What to Expect
3. How to Recognize a Dog Tooth Abscess and What to Do About It
4. Older Dog Losing Teeth? What You Can Do Now to Prevent Tooth Loss Later
I really need your advise – my almost 16 year old mini daxie has bladder stones for the 3rd time (2 previous surgeries) – she has had blood works with good results except her liver enzymes which are a little high but apparently not unusual in a dog her age – her diet has been changed and she has been on meds to try and disolve the stones but on a second scan it shows the stones have not reduced in size – the scan also showed a small growth in the lining of her bladder and one on her kidney – the vet has said she can operate on her to remove the stones and take a look at the growth on her bladder but will not look at the growth on her kidney – or we can continue with palliative care and do nothing. Her urine flow is much better than it was and she can do a good stream where as a few weeks ago she was struggling to go for a wee. We are torn as to whether we should go ahead with the surgery of just give palliative care. We have been made aware that the anaesthetic is always a risk and that there is also a risk of the bladder rupturing if the stones get bigger or she devolops more with no surgery. She is taking Pottasium Citrate twice a day and Loxicon once a day.
Hi Susan,
I understand your worry with this difficult decision you are facing for your senior girl. Situations like this are hard because there truly is no straight forward right or wrong choice. It really is all about how far you want to go with treatment and what your goals are for your sweet girl. Are you trying to reduce pain? Prevent future complications? Focusing on her quality of life and comfort? Once you identify the goal behind the treatment, it will make the decisions a bit easier to navigate. Palliative care is always a great option, and you shouldn’t feel like you are letting your pup down by choosing that route. I hope you can find the answers you need to make the best decision for everyone involved. Praying for comfort and clarity and wishing you the best.
My almost 13 year old Chipoo is currently slowly recovering from major dental work. Her regular vet advice it was not worth the risk because of her medical conditions and age: Epilepsy, Heart Valve Disease with a grade 4 murmur, possible Cushing’s, past mammary malignant tumors, among other little stuff. However, her cardiologist noted her periodontal disease was just getting worse and advice it was now the time to do anything with her teeth. I took the big step and decided to go forward with the procedure. I was a nervous wreck that day imagining the worst. Around the time I was hoping to receive the call that she was in recovery and all had gone well I got a call and was told that they needed more time and and my persmission or an extra hour of anesthetic to complete the procedure. In total, I think she was under about 6 hrs +, I was told everything went well but they found a mass they needed to remove for biopsy, in addition to her teeth. Thank God she is now home. Unfortunately, her right eye was noted to swell and a lot of sclera bleeding. She’s been very lethargic and just miserable (only gets a little happy at feeding time and her potty breaks) and I am just hoping she bounces to her normal self soon and has no negative impact! She was prescribed antibiotic, an eye drop, in addition to taking her normal medications.
Hi Claudia,
Wow! I am so glad your senior girl did well with the anesthesia and her dental procedure was successful! How is she feeling today? I am hoping the eye issues have resolved and her energy level has returned to normal. Thank you for sharing your experience with our readers. There are so many facing a similar situation, and this will offer some encouragement. Best wishes and bless you both.
Hey! My sure I’m in the right place considering some of the comments I’ve read have all been regarding dogs with far more serious needs that mine but maybe you can advise. I have a female rescue Staffordshire bull terrier that turned 10 a few months ago, she is desperately needing her nails trimmed and I make no exaggeration when I say I have tried absolutely everything. She has always had this done under anaesthetic before due to just completely freaking out at any attempt to do it without, but due to her age and the fact the vets is also an extremely stressful place for her I was hopeful to avoid this. She was prescribed gabapentin in the hopes it would calm her enough to cut her nails at home but it had 0 effect on her at all, I’m at a complete dead end here and the vets just keep reeling off more pill to try which is not only costing a fortune but also putting her through extra stress every time I have to try another medication and then have a go at home again. As she is only just considered in the senior category is it worth just booking her in to be out under anaesthetic in the surgery and get it out the way rather than put her through all of this? She is extremely anxious in the vets and needs to be muzzled and held to be seen but she is in desperate need of having her nails trimmed now. Any advice would be appreciated.
Hi Tamara,
I am sorry your Staffordshire girl has so much anxiety around nail trims. If this was a one time and done event, I would recommend the sedation at your vet’s office. Unfortunately, nail trims will have to be repeated frequently so I am not sure anesthesia is a great solution. I feel like your best bet is to start reconditioning your girl to have positive experiences with nail trims with you at home. This may require some assistance from a veterinary behaviorist. I don’t think it is a bad idea to try different anxiety medications in hopes to find one that will work for your dog. This may be something that is needed on a daily basis, not just for particularly stressful events. Also, we do offer a nail trimming course for dog owners here on the ToeGrips website. Here is the link in case you are interested: Master the Secrets to DIY Dog Nail Trims
I will also leave links to other articles that may offer additional information and support. I am hopeful you will find the best way to tackle this tricky situation with your senior pup. Wishing you all the best!
1. 7 Tips for Successful Dog Nail Trims
2. Dog Toenail Anatomy 101
3. Recipe for Dog Nail Trimming
4. Clipped Your Dog’s Toenail Too Short? Here Are Sure-Fire Tips on How to Stop a Dog’s Nail From Bleeding
Have you heard of scratchboards? I use them for my Staffy girl. She does her front ones but you can train them to do the back as well by placing the front paws on a bucket. There are also harnesses that you can get to hold them up but obviously cooperative and gently training the dog is best.
Hi Dr. Bubzy,
I have an 8 pound chihuahua who is 10-years-old. She’s been with me since she was a puppy. The only time she has been to the vet is to get a foxtail out of her eye and to have a tumor under her tongue tested, which turned out to be benign and not harmful. She has been healthy besides this, and two months ago I got her blood work. The vet said that her kidney seems to be fine, and everything he saw seems to be a normal kidney for a puppy girl of 10. I began brushing her teeth a few months ago as well. While some of her teeth seem fine, others seem to have severe tartar build up and some teeth look to have inflamed gums beneath them. She also has a hole in her right upper canine. I am worried that these things will eventually cause her pain, as I hope to have many more years with her. I am terrified of losing her to anesthesia, and while there are always risk factors, I would really like a vets opinion to eliminate some of my anxiety. Do you think she is an alright candidate for dental work/anesthesia?
Thank you!
Hi Anna,
I understand your concern about anesthesia. Unfortunately, without examining your dog myself, I can’t make specific conclusions or recommendations. These would be great questions for your vet. As long as the necessary preoperative testing and lab work have been performed and no abnormalities are noted, I am not sure what other risk factors would play a part in your dog’s ability to undergo this dental procedure. When it comes to dental disease, I do think prevention is best. I would prefer to do a cleaning now rather than extensive extractions with the risk of infection later. Please make sure to reach out to your vet and discuss your questions and concerns. I am hopeful you will find the answers you need to make the best choice for your little pup.
my 11 year maltipoo, has to have an x-ray on his knee. he was recently diagnosed with cognitive decline. my concern is his cognitive decline becoming worse because of the anesthesia. can you help me with this? thank you.
Debbie Snyder
Hi Deborah,
There is some risk of making dementia worse with anesthesia, but this is not always the case. And the sedation used for obtaining x-rays should be very mild and very short lasting. I recommend you talk to your vet about your concerns as they may be able to give you more information that could help put your mind at ease. Best wishes to you and your senior pup.
Hi, I’m hoping you can help or at least share your knowledge with me. You won’t remember but my little old lady had her spleen out in June last year due to finding a mass (benign thankfully) she recovered well from the surgery but has now been diagnosed with Cushing’s. We have her booked in for some dental work in a few days as her gum around her canine is protruding and the vet wants to have a proper look with the view of taking a biopsy and/or take the tooth. She’s not on any medication for the Cushing’s just yet as her levels are still very low, she has adrenal origin (tumour found a couple of years ago as an incidental finding). My question is, she’s 12 with Cushing’s, is the anaesthetic safe? I know you have said that Cushing’s can cause complications with the anaesthesia and I’ve been thinking the same and worried. Any light you could shed, why does it make it more risky and is there anything we can do to limit the risks? It definitely looks sore so certainly isn’t for cosmetic reasons, otherwise I wouldn’t of agreed to it. She’s having what they’re calling “a mini dental” where they won’t look at her other teeth etc and just focus on this canine/gum. Any help would be greatly appreciated, as I’m a worried wreck about my little old lady.
Hi Mrs,
Yes! I remember your story! You lost your male dog to a ruptured splenic tumor a couple years ago and then were faced with a similar situation with your Staffy girl. I am glad she made a full recovery from her splenectomy and the histopathology results gave you some great news. You are correct that Cushing’s disease does make anesthesia a bit riskier. The high levels of cortisol in the blood stream can cause changes in blood pressure and hydration status/blood volume. These changes can then lead to other problems like heart arrhythmias. With that being said, all these parameters are closely monitored during anesthesia and can be managed with medications and fluids. So, while it does increase the anesthetic risk, it does not prevent your girl from proceeding with the dental cleaning and assessment. The best way to minimize the risks is to have all the necessary preoperative testing done. If your vet has checked recent lab work and everything else looks ok, then I would proceed with their recommendation to have the dental preformed. I hope this helps a bit. Praying all goes smoothly and your sweet girl will be feeling great again in no time. Feel free to leave an update if you have a chance!
I’m so sorry, I’ve only just seen your reply! An update on my little old lady, the dental didn’t go as planned as her horner’s syndrome came back the day before the planned procedure, the vet thinks she could have had some sort of stroke, so she was sedated and the lump removed and sent off to the lab, that unfortunately came back as malignant but touchwood so far so good and it doesn’t seem to be returning. Unfortunately though she suffered a slipped disc a couple of weeks later and she has been diagnosed with TCC of the bladder a few weeks ago, the mass isn’t in the trigone area so is favourable but she’s too risky for surgery, so she’s now taking Piroxicam daily in the hope to at least slow the growth down. She’s currently on antibiotics for a recurrent UTI, She’s still herself, recovering well from the slipped disc as she’s still ambulatory thankfully, has a great quality of life still, so for now we’re just enjoying each and every moment we have left with her, no matter how short that time may be.
I’d just like to say thankyou so so much for all your informative blogs on a range of different subject matters, you’ve been a wealth of information for me with regards to my little old lady and for that I am so appreciative .
Hi Mrs,
Thank you for the update. I am sorry your senior girl is dealing with so many issues at once, but glad that despite all these setbacks she is feeling better and acting like herself. Keep making the most of each day you are gifted. Hoping you have many happy days ahead. Bless you both!
Hi Dr Buzby. My 12 year old boxer, soon to be 13 in February, has IMHA Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia. The vets I have taken him to don’t think it would be good for him to be under anesthesia for dental clean ( severe dental issues) due to this condition. Just two days ago he was diagnosed with moth eaten distal femur and proximal tibia with fracture of distal femur and the assessment based on x-ray shows neoplasia (cancer vs infection or other. He was given 3 weeks. My dog can’t walk on his right hind leg. I feel so sad for him. Is it really dangerous for him to have surgery at this stage? I don’t know how to help him as he limps around and sleeps all day. He was eating well up to the point I took him to the emergency vet. After that visit he doesn’t want to eat ( only one day so far). Can you offer any suggestions? Thank you.
Hi Darlene,
I am so sorry your Boxer has received such a devastating diagnosis. I understand you want to do anything you can to improve his quality of life and prolong his life. Since I haven’t examined your dog myself, I can’t make specific recommendations or conclusions. Unfortunately, bone cancer usually does not have a good outcome even with surgery. You may be facing a situation where saying goodbye is the only option left to give your sweet boy peace and freedom from his struggles. My best advice is to schedule a consult with a specialist. They can let you know if there are still treatment options available for your dog’s specific situation. I will attach links to other articles with more information. I hope you can find the answers you need to make the best decision for you and your sweet boy. Bless you both.
1. Osteosarcoma in Dogs: Symptoms, Treatment, Prognosis
2. Using a Quality of Life Scale for Dogs
3. IMHA in Dogs: A Comprehensive Guide
4. Preparing for Your Dog’s Euthanasia: 10 Thoughts for Peace
I have an almost 14-year-old Schnauzer mix. Over the years, at each checkup, my vet would casually mention that I might want to consider scheduling a dental – but no rush. It never seemed urgent, and he never gave me an estimate or explained the process. My dog has never had one, ever (none of my family dogs growing up ever had dental issues, so I was unfamiliar with it). Well, now her teeth are in seriously bad shape but her overall health has always been fine. Unrelated: About a year ago, she underwent anesthesia (for the first and only time) to remove a benign tumor from her neck. In the months that followed, she developed canine cognitive dysfunction, according to my vet, and she is taking Anipryl and fish oil, which has helped with her sundowning (panting and pacing at night, sometimes full-on panic attacks). I had no idea there could be a connection between CCD and anesthesia until I read one of your responses on here! Is there anything more you can tell me about that? My dilemma now is deciding whether to put her under again for a dental (she was only under for about 30 minutes the first time). Will it worsen her cognitive condition? I know that her teeth will only get worse and cause physical pain and disease. I want her final years to be as happy and pain-free as possible, but also free of confusion and the severe anxiety I have seen her endure. What do you think?
Hi Emily,
I understand your concern with anesthesia and your senior pup. Since I haven’t examined your dog myself, I can’t give you specific recommendations. There is some evidence that anesthesia can worsen dementia symptoms and in most cases it is temporary. With that being said, as long as the pre-anesthetic lab work and testing is all normal, you have done everything you can to minimize risks. I know there is no way to know for sure how things will turn out, but we do know that the dental disease will continue to progress if not managed at this point. I have actually made this exact choice for my own senior pups with CCD and had them undergo anesthesia for dental procedures with good results. Ultimately, you will have to make the choice with which you are most comfortable. Don’t hesitate to reach out to a dentistry specialist or veterinary anesthesiologist for a second opinion. You can never have too much information when making these kinds of tough decisions. Wishing you the best. Feel free to leave an update and let me know which path you choose!
I have a 16 year old Pekingese mix that has a grade 3/4 heart murmur. His bloodwork came back and they said everything looked great. His teeth are in bad shape and I’m assuming he’ll need some teeth extracted along with his dental cleaning. I am so worried about putting him under anesthesia. Do you think this is a safe procedure for him considering his age and his heart condition?
Hi Izzy,
I understand your concern with anesthesia and your senior guy. Unfortunately, there are no guarantees with any anesthetic procedure. I am glad your pup’s bloodwork looked good and this definitely decreases the potential risk. You may want to talk to your vet about additional testing to evaluate your dog’s heart such as ultrasound, x-rays, or a cardiac specific blood test called the Cardiopet ProBNP. Ultimately, you will have to decide what you are comfortable with based on the information you have gathered and the advice and recommendations from your vet. Praying for clarity and strength during this decision-making process. Best wishes!
I’ve just had my 14 year old chorkie under anaesthetic for major dental work she had quite a few extractions and is now left with only 8 teeth. She’s got diabetes and Cushing disease and a heart murmur.
We’re in the recovery stages now but just like Teddy her quality of life outweighed the risks of surgery and it was our only option. It was a nerve wracking day but she’s hopefully going to feel so much better in a few days when she’s all healed and hopefully be a much happier old lady.
Hi Amy,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience with our readers. I see comments every day from others who are worried about anesthesia and dental procedures for senior dogs with underlying health concerns. I am positive your words will give hope to those in a similar situation. I am so glad to hear your girl made it through her procedure and is recovering at home. Best wishes for many happy days ahead. Bless you both!
Hi Dr Buzby,
Thank you for writing this article and taking time to respond to questions. I have an 8,5 year old mini dachshund. He had perennial surgery in January of this year and was diagnosed with advanced heart murmur (stage 5-6) and MVD (Stage 2.) surgery was risky, but he made it. He was prescribed pimobedan. His teeth are in bad shape and I only managed to get him one non-anesthesia cleaning two year ago. A year later he didn’t cooperate at all and the clinic refused to do a cleaning for him. Now his teeth are in really bad shape and I noticed a week ago that he was in discomfort for a couple of days. I took him to a vet who said he’s not a candidate for anesthesia due to his heart condition and he would not be taking that risk under any condition. He prescribed furosemide and enalapril, gave him an antibiotic shot and 2 weeks of liquid antibiotics. I asked what can be done for teeth and he kept saying nothing. I braced and asked what’s the life expectancy with his heart diagnosis and he said 3-4 years. I clarified whether my dog is in heart failure already and he said no, but he is accumulating some liquid in his lungs. I left without clear understanding or direction for what can be done. The doctor didn’t offer any options besides temporary antibiotics to treat infection. Could you please share your thoughts or any ideas? Right now he’s eating and drinking fine and is not showing any signs of discomfort although I understand he might be in pain. He definitely needs extractions (confirmed by another vet) but I don’t understand how I will be able to manage this for him with his heart condition. Thank you in advance!
Dear Alina,
I am sorry your little guy is struggling with severe dental disease. From what you are describing, I agree that your pup may not be an anesthesia candidate. With a grade 6 heart murmur and fluid accumulating in his lungs, it sounds like congestive heart failure is already a big issue. Since I haven’t examined your dog myself, it is hard to make specific recommendations. I am afraid there really may not be any good treatment options at this point. Your best bet is to schedule a consult with a specialist. They can let you know if there is a medical option to try or if palliative care would be the most loving choice. I am hopeful that you can find a solution to restore your sweet boy’s quality of life. Praying for a positive outcome.
Hello Dr. Buzby,
Thank you for your article. My almost 17 year old Bichon has had an open mass the size of a chickpea growing near his eye that has been continuously bleeding for several months. It hasn’t healed with topical or oral antibiotics and keeps changing in size and appearance. We’re not sure if the mass is benign or malignant, but the only way to know is to remove it. Other than his decline in vision/hearing, he is healthy with perfect blood work. I even recently took him to a cardiologist last month to make sure his heart is healthy enough for anesthesia. The cardiologist said everything looked good and cleared him for anesthesia. Even though he’s had anesthesia every year for dental cleanings/extractions, this time I’m very nervous about it since he’s nearly 17. The vet said the removal shouldn’t take more than 30 minutes. I’m still very nervous and I can’t decide whether the removal of this mass outweighs the risks of anesthesia considering his age. Any guidance is appreciated.
Hi Sandra,
I understand your concern with anesthesia and your senior pup. It sounds like you have been very thorough with having everything checked to make sure no surprises are found that would increase the risk of this anesthetic event. If all the testing has come back normal, then age alone is not a reason to forgo surgery. I would rather remove a mass while it is small, and the dog is healthy than wait till the mass has grown to an unmanageable size and or the dog has abnormalities show up on lab work. Ultimately, you have to make the decision with which you are most comfortable. I hope you can find the advice you need to be at peace with your choices. Bless you and your sweet boy.
Thank you for your reply! We had his surgery done and everything went smoothly 🙂 Just waiting on the biopsy results.
Hi Sandra,
That is great news! Thank you for the update. Praying for good results from the pathologist!
Thank you for writing such a great article! I have a 12 year old toy poodle with a swollen salivary gland that is located under her jaw and has grown to be very large. From what I have found online the only treatment is surgery. She also has a collapsed trachea so she coughs a lot and I am concerned about her breathing if putting her under for surgery. What are the risks of leaving the swollen gland as is vs. putting her under for surgery? Any advice would be much appreciated, Thanks again!
Hi Sharon,
I understand your concern for your Poodle and these worrisome health issues. Since I haven’t examined your pup myself, I can’t make specific recommendations about how to proceed with treatment. Is your vet suspicious this salivary gland swelling could be a cancerous process? If so, surgery or palliative care may be your only options. It might be a good idea to schedule a consult with a specialist. They can let you know if other treatments or therapies are available for your dog’s specific situation. I hope you can find the answers you need to make the best, informed decision possible. Praying for a positive outcome and many happy days ahead for your senior girl.
My 16 yo chihuahua has CHF and collapsed trachea. She shows signs of pain to one cheek. I took her in for senior labs and an exam and pointed out the face pain. The vet said she has severe gum disease with a least one loose tooth. The vet said all teeth will likely need to be pulled. She also had chest X-rays and I’m to schedule a bile exam. I’m probably going to proceed with the surgery but I’m afraid. I’m worried that intubation could further damage her trachea. I hate to say it but I’m worried about the staff too. The vet is good but post Covid it seems that most of the staff have gone and been replaced with new faces. My favorite tech is gone. The original vet sold the business to his younger partner. We are in a rural town and the nearest veterinary emergency hospital is 1 1/2 hours drive. There is a veterinary dentist 3 hours away but I can’t afford him. Your blog post helps. I don’t want her in pain. I will ask my vet questions about their anesthesia management and decide. Thank you ❤️
Hi Eva,
I understand your concern with anesthesia in your senior Chihuahua and her concurrent health issues. I am glad you are planning to have a conversation with your vet to discuss details. This would be a difficult decision for anyone, and I am not sure there is a right or wrong answer. I hope you can find the answers you need to be comfortable with whatever you choose. Praying for a positive outcome for your sweet girl. Bless you both.
Hello,
I have a 15 year old chihuahua who has dealt with what we assume is liver disease and gallbladder stones/sludge over the last 2 years. She is currently on denamarin and ursodiol and bloodwork has improved drastically and has not had any episodes for almost a year. She is also blind from cataracts. Recently she has been diagnosed with open Pyometra. Her signs have been discharge, enlarged vulva and Licking. She is currently being treated with two antibiotics and has shown some improvement but continues to lick even though discharge has significantly slowed. Her bloodwork done last week was mostly normal with exception of wbc due to infection. Our vets recommend against surgery due to age and other health issues and basically say if she doesn’t improve they would suggest considering euthanasia. They gave 50/50 chance of survival and success in having Pyometra surgery. Is it wrong to consider the surgery given her age? They mention quality of life but she is otherwise happy. We would hate to lose her through surgery or recovery but seems we most likely will to infection otherwise.
Hi Carrissa,
I am sorry your senior girl is facing so many critical health issues. I understand the concern of anesthesia with the liver disease and gallbladder problems with which your pup has already been diagnosed. If not treated promptly with surgery, pyometra is almost always fatal. Since your options are either a risky surgery or euthanasia, I feel like it would be worth trying the surgery. There is a chance that the surgery could be successful and curative! Here is an article with more information that might help with decision making: Pyometra in Dogs: Signs, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention
I hope you can find the answers you need to make the best choice for you and your sweet girl. Feel free to leave an update if you have a chance. Praying for a positive outcome.
Hello,
My dog is 10 years old and otherwise in good condition. I took her to dental check-up. The vet said that her teeth are actually in quite good condition for a 10 year old dog. Some dental plaque to be removed, but nothing too bad. So she said that on one hand we could leave it as it is for now, just keep doing the dental procedures at home or on the other hand we could clean them now as she is not so old yet and thouroughly check everything so we won´t have to do it when she is older and the anesthesia more dangerous.
Now I have to make my decision which is very difficult. What would you advice?
She had anesthesia a year ago for MRI due to prolapsed disc and then there were no complications with anesthesia.
Hi Merli,
I vote to do the dental cleaning now! I think it is much better to remove the tartar and plaque before it reaches the stage where extractions may be needed. If the dental issues are fairly mild, then the procedure should be quick and less risky. Best wishes and good luck!
Great to come across this article after I literally had this discussion with my vet this morning. I am extremely nervous for my 16 and a half year old rescue border collie who I brought home when she was approx 2. We have put off dental for a while but I believe we are at the point where the window may close if we don’t do it now. As an older lady she does have arthritis and she has had 2 vestibular episodes in her life 2018 and 2019 and has made phenomenal recoveries to both – my girl may be a little unsteady on her feet at times (we cant be sure whether its the arthritis or neurological due to the vestibular, possibly a bit of both) but her heart, organs and general health are all good so I am being advised that now is the time to do it. To ease my fears my vet is advising all the pre med checks and as short an op as possible, two teeth removed and the fastest of cleans to ensure she is under for the shortest possible time. I assume the likes of a blood clot is something that cannot be foreseen and potentially could be something that may happen even if the operation doesn’t.
I have a few weeks to think about it but I am the biggest fan of my vet given she was one of two vets who saved my boy (now ten year old springer) when he was hit with immune mediated polyarthritis 4 years ago.
yes you can imagine…my pet insurance company love me.
Hi Nicola,
I agree with your vet that now seems to be the best time to tackle those dental issues in your senior pup. It makes me so happy to hear what a wonderful partnership you have with your vet. They are doing everything that is recommended for a dog in this situation. You are correct that blood clots are always a risk, no matter the age of the dog, and cannot be predicted. I am hopeful that this procedure will have a positive outcome and greatly improve your sweet girl’s health and wellbeing. Feel free to leave an update and let us know how things turn out!
Thank you for all the helpful information! We have a 15 year old, medium sized, mixed breed with a mast cell tumor and are trying to decide if it’s worth having it removed. She’s a healthy, happy fifteen whose only medical history is acid reflux. The tumor grew fast and has already started changing colors. Is it worth the risk without knowing what stage tumor it is? It doesn’t bother her at all and is in a spot she can’t get to so she’s not messing with it at all. We know the sooner we make the decision the better but we just can’t tell what the right choice is. Thank you in advance for any advice you have!
Hi Carissa,
I am glad you are reaching out for answers to your questions about this possible mast cell tumor removal. I understand your concern with anesthesia and your senior girl. If her blood work and pre-operative testing comes back normal, then I vote yes to surgery. Age alone is not a risk factor for anesthesia, and I would hate to allow a mast cell tumor to progress in an otherwise healthy dog. I hope you can find the answers you need to be comfortable with whichever decision you make. Wishing you both the best!
Thank you so much! My vet, while very helpful and caring, I think is scared to give a definitive answer. We have decided to move forward with the surgery. She’s currently having reactions to the pre-op prednisolone. Hopefully we get that under control and she’ll be good to know. I’ve been reading a bunch of your articles on age, anesthesia, tumors… and it has been so helpful. You explain things in a human way and it makes me feel that even though you don’t know my girl, you care about her!
Hi Carissa,
Thank you for the kind words. They truly mean so much to me! I am glad you have decided to proceed with the mast cell tumor removal. While prednisone can have some negative side effects, they usually resolve quickly as soon as the medication is stopped. I hope your sweet girl has a successful surgery and smooth recovery. Feel free to leave an update once she is back home and resting comfortably. ♥
Hi Dr. Buzby,
Tilly had her surgery yesterday and did wonderfully! She’s home and walking, slowly, around the house and yard. The sedation made her very wobbly and she still hasn’t tackled the stairs but she’s alert and happy. Thank you again for your advice. It made our decision much easier and our girl much happier!
Hi Carissa,
I am so glad the surgery went well, and Tilly is back home with you. I hope she will be back to her normal self quickly and make a complete recovery. Thank you for the update! Praying this is all behind you now and there are many happy days ahead.
I would recommend you go with a board certified anesthesiologist if at all possible. There are some board certified vets that have them at their facility.
Our Hudson is only about 8 1/2 years old. But he has had a rough life. Rescued as a part of a litter that was found in an abandoned construction trailer all pups were found with distemper and parvo. Only half of the litter survived. We knew there could be medical complications throughout his life when we adopted him. He has had several bouts of aspergillosis and has had surgical intervention twice. We think the 2nd time he may have had a small stroke. Shortly after that he went in to an Addisonian crisis and has been managed with corresponding meds. Because of the distemper as a young pup his teeth have always been a concern. Recently he has developed symptoms of an abscessed tooth. He is clearly uncomfortable and this needs to be addressed but after his last experience under anesthesia combined with the subsequent Addison’s diagnosis we are beyond concerned about anesthesia to deal with the dental issue. Perhaps palliative antibiotic treatment would be the better route? So afraid that putting him under would be the final straw for him. We don’t live in a major city and while we love our vet we aren’t confident that state of the art care is available to him.
Hi Joan,
You are right to be concerned about your senior guy and this new tooth abscess. Since I haven’t examined Hudson myself, it is hard to say for sure what the best choice would be. I highly recommend you talk to a veterinary dentistry specialist. Even if you can’t make the trip to have your pup evaluated in person, your vet should be able to schedule a phone consult and discuss specifics to gather more information. The specialist can let you know if other therapies are available for Hudson’s situation and if he is a good candidate for anesthesia. All that being said, it is never a bad option to choose palliative care for a senior dog with issues such as what yours is dealing with. Just know that with time, the antibiotics will become less effective, and you will be faced with a decision of when to say goodbye to prevent suffering. As long as you have a good partnership with your vet and can stay in close contact about your pup’s condition, palliative care could be the best option. I hope you can find the answers you need to make a decision with which everyone can be happy. Wishing you the best and give your sweet boy a hug for me.
hi. I have a 13 year old Cane Corso. my vet wants to do surgery to determine why she has fattening of the bladder lining and remove two skin tumors. unfortunately all our tests have been inconclusive to why her bladder lining has changed. I can’t decide if i want to have the surgery first of all because of her age, second of all because last Easter she had 5 kilos of fluid in her stomach and was diagnosed with a heart problem . Third if it is cancer i will not put the dog through chemo. i really don’t know what to do. Is it worth putting her through all that and possibly losing her before her time?
Hi Phyllis,
This is a tough situation and I understand your concern for your big girl. I am not sure there is a right or wrong answer. You may want to think about scheduling a consult with an internal medicine specialist to see what their thoughts are about the thickened bladder walls. Should you decide to forgo surgery, palliative care is always a great option. There are veterinarians that can provide hospice/palliative care as a house call service. No matter which path you choose, I hope your sweet girl can stay comfortable and happy and enjoy each day she is blessed with. Best wishes to you both.
Hi Dr.Buzby.
My name is Anda. I have a 14 1/2 yo Golden Retriever boy, Cedric.He developed a tumor on his lower right lid,which started as a small whitish bump and grew within almost 10 days to about 1 cm in diameter.The growth has stopped,It is located more to the external angle of the lid. It looks like a hystiocytoma.. It does not really bother him.He does not scratch ,He has no pain. But when he frolics in the grass he accidentally rubs there and it starts oozing blood but not very much. I am expecting the results of the fine needle aspiration. He is scheduled for surgery on August 22nd (if I decide to go for it).
He had a major surgery last year-splenectomy (a 2.5 kg spleen hematoma, discovered accidentally, during a consult for skin problems.At the time all his bloodwork was normal aside from hemoglobin which was 9.2 g/l.
He recovered in about 1 day, I mean, one day after the surgery he wanted to go for a walk, he ate very good.He did not lose any blood during the surgery.The tumor was very well encapsulated in the omentum I presume.
He eats very well .Because of his age related arthrosis he gets a shot of Librela monthly and he responded very well to that. He does not have any other disease , he has been a very healthy dog during his entire life.
I am worried now about the anesthesia, and the possible interactions between the anesthetic and Librela (I understand this is a new treatment for arthrosis/arthritis in dogs, a sort of monoclonal antibody).
The procedure would be the removal of the tumor and the sowing of a skinflap taken from the upper lip to cover the skinless surface after the surgery. The doctor said that everything will last about 2.5 hours, that is, at 2 pm he enters the OR and at 4:30 pm he will be ready for pick-up.
Theoretically this would be a low risk surgery, but I worry, after I read your story about Teddy about the anesthesia.
So far he is a very healthy dog aside for his arthritis.He is supposed to receive another dose of Librela on August the 26th. I really do not know what to do. The only thing that bothers me about this tumor is that it kind of draws the lower lid downwards and exposes a tiny surface of the conjunctiva.
I was thinking if the tumor proves to be benign I would let him like that.But if it starts growing again , then he will have to have the surgery and then really, he would be too old to go through it without problems. He is the only one from his litter who still lives .
What would you do in my place?
Thank you in advance for your answer
Best Regards
Anda
Hi Anda,
I understand your concern with anesthesia and your senior Golden. What a blessing to have had Cedric in your life for over 14 years! Since the mass is pulling the lower eye lid down and is frequently becoming irritated and oozing, I do think it would be best to have it removed. Better to have it taken off now while it is relatively small rather than waiting till it starts causing serious issues. If Cedric’s bloodwork is normal, then I would opt for surgery if he were my dog. I am curious to know if the procedure is still on schedule to be performed today. What did you decide? Praying for a smooth surgery and recovery. Feel free to leave an update if you have a chance.
I have a 16 year old cross mateese dog , my vet has recomended that all teeth should be extracted, he is on heart medication and is nearly blind should I put him through all this as the last time he had general anathesia he fitted and did not do well I am very concerned and do not know what to do for the best .
Hi Pat,
I understand your concern for your senior dog and this recommended dental procedure. Since I have not personally examined him, it is hard to make specific conclusions about risks and the need for the procedure. Certain dental issues are more critical than others and if left untreated can cause serious harm or be fatal. I am not sure if your pup falls in this category. I highly recommend you talk to a veterinary dentistry specialist. They can give you a second opinion (never a bad idea if you are concerned) and may have additional information about testing or treatments that should be pursued. I hope you can find the answers you need to be comfortable with whatever you choose. Best wishes and praying for a positive outcome.
Thank you for the article and this is my concern as well. My Pom is a very healthy and spunky 15 yr old, but he has had bad teeth since he was young. His teeth were last done at 12 yrs old, and I know they really need it again, but I’m concerned at his age going under anesthesia. He doesn’t act like they hurt him, but some look pretty bad. Is it worth the risk or let it go? And can teeth be done with a sedative and not go under full anesthesia? We have horses and that is how theirs’ is done.
Thanks!
Hi Naomi,
I understand your concern for your senior guy and the risks associated with anesthesia. Dental disease definitely needs to be addressed and resolved if possible as it can cause many serious issues if left to worsen. Here is a link to another article with more information: Dental Disease in Dogs: Why Prevention Is the Best Medicine
As long as the necessary pre-operative testing and lab work has been performed, and results are normal, then the risks of anesthesia should be very low even in senior dogs. Dental procedures in dogs do require full anesthesia. I am not sure there is a strong enough sedative to keep a dog comfortable and still for what it takes to extract teeth. Also, dental procedures use quite a bit of water that gets sprayed into the mouth while the scaling is being performed. To prevent this water from being aspirated into the lungs, an endotracheal tube is placed to secure the airway. You cannot place a tube without anesthesia. Horses are a different story and don’t have the risk of regurgitation and aspiration like can happen with dogs (another reason we use endotracheal tubes). If you still have any lingering concerns or questions, don’t hesitate to discuss them with your vet. I hope you can find the answers you need to make the best choice for you and your little pup. Wishing you both the best.
Hi,
Please help. My 13yr 8mth old Staffie has got an abcess under a cracked back tooth and obviously needs to have it removed.
I asked my vet if it could be done under local anaesthetic as I am concerned about putting her under a general.
She has been on 5mg prednisone daily long term for around 4yrs for allergies and is on tramadol/paracetamol daily for chronic arthritis in both back legs and spine.
Is the risk higher for her under these long term meds? Could these meds have had an impact on her organs over time that need checking on?
What pre-op tests would she need?
I’m really torn, I don’t want her in pain but I don’t want to risk losing her.
Thank you
Hi Michelle,
I understand your concern about your senior Staffie girl and this possible anesthesia event. I will try my best to answer all of your questions. Dental extractions, especially the back teeth, definitely require general anesthesia. The molars have multiple roots and frequently require the tooth to be cut into sections to remove each root individually. There is no amount of local anesthetic that will keep a dog still and pain free for dental procedures. Any time medications are given on a long-term basis there is a potential for effects on internal organs. The recommended pre-op tests are different for each dog based on their specific needs and history. Most testing will include a complete blood cell count and a full chemistry panel that assess the liver, kidneys, protein levels, electrolytes, etc. Your vet will let you know what testing they recommend for your pup and may include additional testing if they think it is warranted. After the testing is done and everything has been evaluated, you can have an honest conversation with your vet about if the dental procedure is safe and still recommended. Be sure to speak up about any additional concerns or lingering questions you may have. You need to feel comfortable and confident about your choices. I hope you find the answers you need to make the best decision for your senior girl. Wishing you both the best of luck!
I have a 15 yr old Maltese that has been diagnosed with liver failure for about a year. She is taking Denamarin and her labs are improving. She gets reoccurring tonsillitis and requires antibiotics almost every other week. Her vet says it is likely coming from an infection in her teeth. They are recommending rechecking her lab work and performing a teeth cleaning/extractions. I am terrified as we lost her 13 yr old sister to liver failure after anesthesia. Thanks, Jennifer
Hi Jennifer,
You are right to be concerned about your Maltese and this upcoming dental procedure. Anesthesia is not an ideal choice for a dog with liver disease, but in some cases, it just can’t be avoided. Since your dog’s infection never completely clears, there will come a point when the antibiotics no longer work due to antibiotic resistance. So, while anesthesia is a risk, so is this recurring infection that can’t be resolved without the dental cleaning and extractions. I am sure your vet will take every precaution to minimize the potential risks and issues that could arise. I am praying all goes well and your sweet girl will be on her way to a full recovery very soon.
This has been a helpful read! My senior girl, 15 years young, goes for surgery tomorrow to remove a single extramedullary plasmacytoma from her paw. Whilst this procedure is technically elective, the tumor itself is not a happy growth! It’s ulcerated and is very painful. She gets so stressed when I clean it and change her bandage. Her QOL is not great whilst this tumor sticks around! My biggest concern is the anesthesia and recovery period. My girl is diabetic with laryngeal paralysis (the laryngeal paralysis is controlled through behaviour alone). On top of these she has very early stage kidney and liver disease. I know the procedure is very short, but I’m still worried.
Hi Alex,
I understand your concerns with anesthesia, but it definitely sounds like this mass needed to be removed. How did things go Friday? I hope the surgery was a success and the recovery from anesthesia was uneventful. Praying your sweet girl is home with you and resting comfortably now free from her foot pain. Feel free to share an update if you have a chance. Bless you both!
Hi. This is my dog’s bloodwork from 11 months from now.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Nu5k19PCmAhTRWDemlyqBcYsb23DBDJf/view?usp=sharing
He is 13 years old maltese mix. His eye have turned cloudy basically overnight! so i’m thinking surgery is on the table.
Is the risk of putting him under so great that he’s better off blind? I have an appt with the vet but it is 9 days away.
Hi Jay,
You are right to be concerned about the sudden change in your senior dog’s eyes. Unfortunately, just because his lab work looked good 11 months ago, doesn’t mean it would be normal if repeated today. There are several diseases that can cause eye issues to form rapidly. Once such disease is diabetes. The symptom you are describing could just be cataracts or normal aging changes seen in older dog’s eyes. If these are the case, surgery may not be necessary or even an option. I highly recommend you have your little pup examined by your vet as soon as possible. 9 days is a long time to wait but I understand it may be your only choice. I hope you receive good news and a positive prognosis for your dog. Feel free to leave an update after your vet visit!
I have 2 poodle mixes age 11, both with different stages/levels of pancreatitis but both are stable at the moment. Vet has recommended dental cleaning (20 minute procedure) specially for one of them who has some tartar, gum swelling and bad breath now that they are not that old, kind of do it know you’re still on time. I still hace to talk more to them but I would love to read from you what could be the interactions between their condition and anesthesia.
Hi Jenn,
I understand your concern with anesthesia in your senior pups, especially since they also have chronic pancreatitis. Unfortunately, since I have not examined your dogs myself, I can’t make specific conclusions. Anesthesia is different for each individual dog and there may be other factors that could increase the possible risk that are not related to the pancreatitis. I highly recommend you talk to your vet about your concerns. There may be additional testing that can be performed to minimize the possible risks associated with their dental procedures. Best wishes to you and your little dogs!
I have a 13 year old poodle mix who has mammary carcinoma (low-grade). She currently has 6 masses of concern that the oncologist wants removed, especially looking into additional masses that she has next to her vulva that are getting bigger and bigger. They want to go ahead and just remove her mammary chain, remove the masses in her vulva, and spay her. I am scared of both the anesthesia and the pancreatitis that she developed from her last mass removal surgery last year. They performed x-rays, ultrasounds, bloodwork, and all the testing came back ok. She is still full of life except her slowing down due to age and I am scared to lose her during anesthesia or post-op due to the pancreatitis. Is there benefit from
surgery that she is gaining here or too much risk associated with it? Should I just let her be and let the cancer take its toll overtime until she passes naturally? I want her to live a long and healthy life but fear the anesthesia and pancreatitis. A different oncologist that I spoke to last year after her last surgery said her cancer is low grade with a 30% percent chance of spread, he said to leave her be and just be on the lookout for new masses that may come out and then handle them as they come. She at this point has masses on all her remaining 8 breast. I don’t know what to do.
Dear Sandra,
I understand your concern and can only imagine how difficult this decision must be. I am not sure that there is a definite right or wrong choice in this situation. If the masses and cancer are removed, it may offer your pup an extended life, but this is not a guarantee. If you decide to forgo surgery, I highly recommend you form a partnership with a veterinarian that practices palliative care. Even if palliative care is not needed at this time, you will probably need it at some point in the future. A hospice/palliative care vet can make sure your sweet girl stays comfortable as things progress and can let you know when it is time to say goodbye. Please know that in most cases a “natural” death is not peaceful and can be very gut wrenching to watch. I highly recommend you ask your oncologist these same questions and see what is on their list of pros and cons related to surgery. I hope you can find the information you need to make the best decision for you and your senior girl. Praying for a positive outcome and many happy days ahead.
I have a 12 year Maltese, she had several teeth removed several years ago, the technician said they had trouble waking her up afterwards. Is it to risky now to have her teeth cleaned or removed if necessary, her breath is very foul smelling so I’m almost positive there is decaying teeth in the back.
Hi Connie,
I understand your concern for your senior pup, especially with her previous anesthetic issues. There will always be a risk with anesthesia, but the goal is to understand your dog’s specific risks and try to minimize them. Make sure your vet is aware of your dog’s previously prolonged recovery. They may try a different anesthetic protocol to prevent this from happening again. Also, they will probably want to do some testing and lab work to catch any possible abnormalities or organ dysfunction that could cause your girl to be a bad anesthesia candidate. I recommend you talk to your vet, discuss your concerns, and see what they think is best. Hoping you can find a safe way to help resolve your pup’s dental problems. Best wishes!
My 15 year old dog has 3 large bladder stones. I am conflicted about the anesthetic, but my vet asked me to consider if I wanted to put my senior dog through a cystotomy. She is healthy and her bloodwork was good. I certainly don’t want to cause any undo hardship and suffering, but I wonder if I should be giving her a chance to live longer.
Hi Kim,
That is a tough decision, and I can see why you are conflicted. The cystotomy should be fairly straight forward, especially if your pup’s pre-anesthetic blood work looks good. Since I haven’t examined your dog myself, I can’t make specific conclusions. If there are no other issues besides the bladder stones then after they are removed, your senior girl should make a full recovery. With that being said, we all know there are no guarantees that issues won’t arise during surgery or the recovery period. I hope you can find the answers you need to make the best decision for you and your sweet girl. Best wishes to you both.
I have an urgent question. My 14 yr old dachshund mix has been bloated for the last 6 days. He’s totally fine and not bloated at all when he’s relaxed laying down and sleeping but once we get up and he’s moving around he gets very bloated and is obviously uncomfortable. He’s been eating and drinking still and going both poop and pee. He’s not been whining or vomiting at all. He’s a fast eater and has been bloated before because of it but has always gone away in less than a day. Im very worried about him and are on hard times right now money wise so going to the vets right now would be very hard but if its life or death we would absolutely go. I’ve done alot of research and haven’t found anything similar. I dont understand that hes only bloated when he gets up and moving. And not much moving. If there is anything that you might think is happening it would mean the absolute world to me to know. He’s my everything and I cant loose him. Please help me.
Hi Sydney,
The symptoms you are describing are very peculiar. I am really not sure what to make of it, especially without performing an exam myself. Anytime a senior dog becomes uncomfortable in their abdomen it can be an emergency situation. The thing that comes to mind first would be a mass on the spleen that has ruptured or is leaking causing blood in the abdomen. Here is a link to an article with more information: Splenic Masses in Dogs: Types, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prognosis
Like I said before, I am not sure that this is what is causing your little guy’s problems, but it is a possibility. I do think he should be evaluated by your vet as soon as possible. I hope everything is ok and your pup is resting comfortably. Feel free to leave an update if you get the chance.
Hello,
My 14 year old boxer Ace has glaucoma and uclers in both eyes, she cannot see at all. I was told by our regular vet that the only treatment for Ace was to have both of her eyes removed, however, they recommended not doing so and if I were to ask them they would not be willing to do the procedure as she is very elderly and would likely not survive the procedure.. They advised me to take her home and let her live out her days and when her time comes to take her back in.
She does not appear to be in pain, but maybe she is good at hiding it.
I took her to the emergency vet today because she got in a fight with my 1 year old golden retriever and ended up with a wound and the vet told me she needs to have her eyes removed and I should find someone to do it.
I am unsure because of the mixed advice, what would you advise?
Hi Amanda,
I understand your confusion about how to proceed with your senior pup. In general, once glaucoma has reached an end stage it is very painful, and the only treatment is to have the eyes removed to resolve the pain. Now there may be other concurrent issues your regular vet has detected with lab work that would make your girl a poor anesthesia candidate. Since I haven’t examined Ace myself, it is difficult to make specific conclusions. I would not remove surgery as an option just based on a dog’s age. It might be a good idea to have your girl evaluated by a veterinary surgeon. They can perform the necessary pre-operative testing to see if anesthesia is an option and then let you know how to proceed. If surgery is not recommended, and your girl is still in pain (she probably is good at hiding it) then it might be necessary to think about her quality of life and if it is time to say goodbye. I will attach a link to another article that may offer additional information. I hope you can find the answers you need to make the best decision for you and Ace. Praying you can find a way to resolve her pain and restore her happiness. I wish you both the best.
Glaucoma in Dogs: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment
Thank you Doctor so much for this forum! This has been very helpful! The love of my life, my 15 year old small terrier Foxy, is scheduled for an oral nasal fistula repair on Monday. She has had all of the pre tests and blood work and heart check up (only has a grade 2 heart murmur) and has been deemed okay for the procedure / anesthesia. She is acting 100 percent healthy and spry, even seems a bit perkier than usual. She’s not exhibiting any of the symptoms of the fistula problem and doesn’t seem in any pain. This has me questioning if I should even do this procedure since she seems so healthy – Although I did get a second opinion and both vets recommended that this be addressed. I was going to ask, since she seems to be feeling so good,
should I even take this risk..
But as I write this, I think I’ve answered my own question. Now is the time to treat this while she is still so healthy – right???
Thank you so much Dr and thank you to the contributors. xo Jenna
Hi Jenna,
I am glad you found the article and comments to be so helpful. I understand your concern and realize that nothing is guaranteed, but I too would recommend you get this issue addressed now while Foxy seems to be in relatively good health. I will attach links to other articles that may offer additional information and reassurance. Praying the procedure goes smoothly and she makes a full recovery. Best wishes and bless you both!
1. Is My Dog Too Old for Surgery?
2. How to Recognize a Dog Tooth Abscess and What to Do About It
Hi!,
I am a parent of a 15year old dog who is suffering from bladder cancer. His pro-states are enalrged. Would it be safe to give him anesthesia and get him neutered at this age?
Thank you
Himanshu
Hi Himanshu,
I am sorry your senior pup is struggling with an enlarged prostate and bladder cancer. Since I haven’t examined him myself, I can’t make specific recommendations about anesthesia and surgery. There are several tests/lab work that would need to be done to determine if your dog is a good candidate for anesthesia. I recommend you talk to your vet and discuss your concerns. They can let you know what testing is required and if surgery is a good option for your guy. Best wishes and hoping for a good outcome.
Thank you for your article. My 12.5 year old small breed terrier mix has a lump on his neck (not cancerous) that is getting larger. Local anaesthetic is not enough, it would require sedation as well to be removed. He has a bullae in his lungs and lesions- so anesthetic is not an option. He has undergone tests (bloodwork, an echocardiogram) to check to see how healthy he is. The only option is sedation. In the past I wouldn’t have thought twice about it but we lost a 13.5 year old dog to sedation during an X-ray and it terrifies me. Not sure what to do.
Hi Erin,
I understand your concern for your senior boy and the difficult decision you are facing. Unfortunately, in these circumstances there really isn’t a clear answer. It might be worthwhile to schedule a consult with a veterinary surgeon. They can give you another opinion about possible sedation/anesthesia and provide additional information to help guide the decision-making process for this complicated case. I hope you find the answers you need to make the best choice for you and your little guy. Praying for a positive outcome and many happy days ahead.
My dog is 14 and has stage for kidney disease. Her last creatinine measured last night was 9.1 and her BUN was sky high. She’s in the hospital right now.
I’ve been researching stem cell therapy and she for the past few days (just found out it was a thing for dogs) and she actually has a consult for Wednesday.
I’m waiting for her labs to come back any time now. If her numbers drop (which they did before from an 8 to a 5.2) do you think I should try my best to get her through stem cell therapy? And if so, what numbers would still be too high in your opinion to disqualify her in terms of anesthesia?
Hi Deborah,
I hope your consult about the stem cell therapy went well today. Since I haven’t examined your dog myself, I can’t make specific conclusions or recommendations. The specialist should be able to let you know if your girl is a good candidate for stem cell therapy and what would disqualify her from pursuing treatment. Praying you received good news and found the answers you were looking for. Wishing you the best as you navigate this difficult path.
My 17 year old little fox terrier cross is undergoing anaesthetic for a dental extraction tomorrow due to an abscess. She has a grade 5 heart murmur and is pre-renal. I’m absolutely terrified of her not pulling through this although all other signs show she’s still very much so full of life. I was asked the dreaded question if I want them to resuscitate her if she crashes.
Hi Bec,
I understand your worry and concern for your senior girl. It sounds like you are trying to do what is best and taking the advice of your vet. Nothing is guaranteed, but we always try to weigh the pros and cons and make the best decision we can with the information we have at the time. I hope the dental procedure went smoothly and your girl has recovered uneventfully. Praying all is well with you and your pup.
My sweet boy just got 11 teeth pulled yesterday, and I believe they always ask that question. He has a heart murmur as well, mitral valve regurgitation, and was just started on heart meds the day of the surgery. He is new laying next to me snoozing, and I couldn’t be more relieved! They kept telling me how good he did, and I hope your sweet baby does as well. My best advice is to do the full workup needed. I know x-rays and echocardiograms are expensive….trust me, I know, but it’s worth it to keep them safe.
I’m so thankful to have found your article. I have a 13 year old collie mix. We’ve had quite the year with him. He had raging pneumonia in January and we for sure thought we were going to lose him. After weeks of antibiotics, he recovered only to have his pneumonia return (doctor thinks he needed longer antibiotic therapy). This time we did 7 weeks of antibiotics versus just 4. He recovered again. He literally just finished his last dose of antibiotics yesterday. He’s still coughing here and there, but X-rays look much better. Now I notice he just seems off. More lethargic and eating slowly and even took a while to open his mouth to drink water. I fear his teeth are now bothering him. Can I even toy with the idea of giving him a dental after everything he’s been through? In your experience, have you ever seen a dog recover from a pretty severe pneumonia and still be okay under anesthesia? My anxiety has been so sky high thinking about losing my dog after all the pain we went through. I just don’t want him to suffer.
Hi Carla,
You have definitely been through some trying times these past few months. I am glad to hear your boy is finally recovering from his lingering pneumonia. It would be a good idea to talk to your vet about the dental concerns. They can let you know if they think the dental disease is causing the lethargy and trouble eating/opening his mouth or if there are other possible concerns to investigate. If dental issues are the cause, you can discuss possible anesthesia risks and what pre-operative testing should be done to minimize these risks. I have performed dental procedures on many dogs with other underlying diseases and seen great results, but each situation is different and there are ultimately no guarantees. I hope you can find the information you need to make the best decision for you and your senior boy. Wishing you both the best.
I have a ten year old shih tzu that could really use a teeth cleaning. No signs of decay just plaque. I want to have them cleaned, but I’m terrified of her not waking up. My vet says the anesthesia they use now is much more like human anesthesia and has less risks. I feel like if I have it done, she’ll have less risk of dental issues later. But I’ll never forgive myself should she not wake up.
Hi Zoe,
I understand your worries and know what a difficult choice you have to make. I wish we could have some certainties about things like this as it would make my job much easier as well. You are correct that taking care of the tartar and plaque now will decrease the risk of more serious dental issues later. Don’t hesitate to discuss all your concerns with your vet. I hope you can get the answers you need to make the best decision for your girl.
My 11 year old dog died earlier this month just a few days after dental extractions with a veterinary dentist. He had chronic kidney disease stage III and had been stable for over a year, bloodwork checked the morning to confirm. He took the anesthesia hard, much harder than after a dental he has had one ear prior. He seemed to get a little bit better after a day or two, and started eating a bit, but by days four and five stopped eating and drinking. New bloodwork showed the kidney values had all crashed, likely acute kidney injury from anesthesia. I took him to the hospital for IV fluids, but it was too late. I wish I had known what to watch for after anesthesia or that acute kidney injuries could occur and show up in the days after, since we may have been able to save him if I had taken him to the hospital sooner.
Dear Tim,
I am sorry you lost your senior boy in such a tragic way. It sounds like your vet was thorough with pre-anesthetic testing and tried to eliminate as much risk as possible. Try not to carry around the burden of guilt over the “what ifs”. You were trying to do what was best for your pup and I have no doubt he knew how much he was loved. Wishing you comfort and peace.
Yes, the dental was needed, and maybe could have been prevented if I had done a better job brushing the dog’s teeth along the way. But he did make it to an old age for his breed. One think I’ve taken away is the importance of blood tests for dogs, getting them often, insisting that vets do them during annual exams and at other times (e.g., if in doubt after anesthesia). I’ve started insisting that my younger dog get them at his annual physicals, since the older dog didn’t get them until old age, and it ended up delaying identification of the chronic kidney problems. But bloodwork before his first (prior) dental did identify it and helped extend his life.
Great article, I appreciate you sharing such a painful event. I came across it while looking for information about oronasal fistulas. I have a 19 year old chihuahua who weighs 2.5 lbs. I’m certain she has a fistula. She is very frail and I’m not comfortable with even considering anesthesia. She is eating and drinking normally. Is there anything I can do for her at home to reduce complications from the fistula? Would it be a good idea to put her on prophylactic antibiotics? I’m sure she won’t be around too much longer so I want to do what I can.
Hi Gloria,
You are right to be concerned about your senior girl having a possible fistula. Since I haven’t examined her myself, it is hard to make specific recommendations. I do think it would be wise to talk to your vet and see if they wanted to try medical management. Also, if you think her time left is very limited, you may want to look for a veterinarian that specializes in hospice and palliative care. I hope you can find a solution that works for you and your sweet girl and allows her last days to be peaceful and happy. Best wishes to you both.
I’m glad I saw your comment. I’ve been struggling with what I think is a abscessed tooth in my dog, but I’m also wondering if what I’m seeing might be a fistula as you described. I’ve taken him to the vet for the tooth, and he said he doesn’t think there is an abscess, but I’m still seeing pus from his gums. Unfortunately, like the tooth, the only way to know for sure is to put them under anesthesia and do x-rays. I wish there was another way to know for sure, or a way to do the x-rays without anesthesia.
I have a senior rescue that’s estimated to be 15-16 yrs old. She has mitral valve disease, CHF, and a grade 6 heart murmur. She was given a year to live by MSU over 4 years ago. Her lower incisors are very painful and rotten. They seem to be bothering her more and more but am also very nervous about anesthesia. Her heart is really bad so I’m not sure what is the best thing. She would be so much happier if those teeth were out
Hi April,
I understand your concerns with your senior girl and her dental problems. It does sound like she’s not an ideal candidate for anesthesia. I recommend you talk to a veterinary dentistry specialist. They may have ideas about treatment options that might not be common in general practice. I hope you can find a solution that is safe and helps relieve the discomfort your sweet girl is enduring. Wishing you both the best for many more happy years together. ♥
I have a 16 year old JRT that has just recently gotten over bronchitis, and is still on antibiotics for it. He also has a heart murmur, 3/6, but has had several x-rays over the past few months and the heart size is normal. He also has collapsing trachea, but I feel like we just got his cough under control and he’s doing better in that regard. Problem is, I noticed today while checking his gums that I believe he might have an abscessed tooth. I know extraction is the only way to take care of it, but honestly, I’m scared to death. I have an appointment coming up, and I’m sure all the lab work will be done, but in the past when I have talked to the vet about putting him under for other things (tracheal washing and bronchial lavage) we both agreed it wasn’t a good idea for him. He’s gone through so much, we just started to get him better, and I can’t stand the thought of a simple tooth being what takes him from me. I’m also very worried that the ET tube will irritate his trachea and make his coughing worse again after we just got it under control.
Hi Abby,
I am sorry your little guy is dealing with so many issues. These worries and anesthesia concerns you have are valid. I would recommend you call your vet and discuss your concerns. It might be a good idea to consult with a veterinary dentistry specialist. They may have treatment options to try that can avoid anesthesia for now. I hope you can find a solution that is best for you and your sweet boy and allows him to keep his quality of life intact. Praying for you both and wishing you the best!
Thank you for the reply! My usual vet said he actually doesn’t think there is an abcessed tooth, but due to still seeing pus from his gums, I took my boy to the “special vet,” whom I have used in the past for his cardiac workup and teeth cleaning. That vet suggested just putting him on antibiotics for the tooth, but the problem now is the antibiotics are almost done and I am still seeing pus. He acts normally otherwise, and really, the only indication anything is wrong is the pus and some redness of the gums.. Will this ever go away? Does the pus still mean there’s an active infection? Is surgery truly the only way, or is it even possible that he doesn’t have an abscessed tooth like the first vet suggested, and I’m actually seeing something else? I’m sorry, I know that’s a lot of questions, but honestly I’m way better at writing things out than I am talking to someone in person. Thanks so much for your time!
Hi Abby,
If you are still seeing purulent drainage (pus) from the gums, then there is definitely still an infection somewhere. Since I haven’t examined your boy myself, it is hard to make specific conclusions or recommendations. You might not be able to get a definite diagnosis without dental x-rays or some other form of imaging. While a tooth abscess is a possibility, it could also just be a soft tissue infection or something like a fistula draining from the sinus cavity. There’s no way to know what treatment will resolve the issue without a diagnosis. I still think it would be a good idea to reach out to a veterinary dentist and at least have a consult. Praying for a good outcome for you and your sweet boy.
Update; after a very thorough workup of x-rays, echocardiogram, and labs, he underwent the dental, had 11 (yes, 11!) teeth extracted, and seems to be doing just fine. I’m so glad I got the problem solved, I just wonder, what’s the best way prevent any issues in the future? They tell me he only has his front teeth left, but I honestly don’t know if he’ll be able to go through another surgery again, nor do I want him to have to. Also, they just started him on Vetmedin and Enalapril. Honestly, the Enalapril scares me. If his blood pressure is already normal (according to them, it has been) won’t that medication put him at risk for dangerous hypotension? Do you happen to have any blog posts about those 2 medications, or dental care? I would love to read them if you do! Thanks so much for all your time and all you do!
Hi Abby,
Thank you for the update! I am so excited to hear that your boy did well under anesthesia and is on the road to recovery. I wouldn’t worry about the Enalapril causing hypotension. This medication is frequently used in dogs with normal blood pressure to help increase blood flow to the kidneys to help treat early stages of kidney dysfunction. The combination of Enalapril and Vetmedin is a great treatment and I think you will be happy with the results you see. Unfortunately, we don’t have any articles that specifically address these medications but, there are a couple that discuss heart murmurs and get more in depth about heart disease. I will add links to these and the articles we have about dental care and prevention. Wishing you both the best and give your sweet pup a hug for me!
1. Dental Disease in Dogs: Why Prevention Is the Best Medicine
2. Chews Wisely – Dental Health for Your Dog
3. Older Dog Losing Teeth? What You Can Do Now to Prevent Tooth Loss Later
4. Should I Brush My Dog’s Teeth? 7 Toothbrushing Tips and a Helpful How-To Video for Brushing Your Dog’s Pearly Whites
5. Heart Murmur in Dogs: The Facts About This Sometimes Scary Sound
6. Heart Disease in Dogs: 3 Conditions You Need to Understand
I was just at my vet discussing about anaesthetia regarding my 12+ yo female chihuahua whom I adopted only last Dec. ’21. She was still not spayed, you see. But apart from her age, initial exam indicated she had heart arrythmia too. In a couple of days, she will undergo the more extensive blood test to check on her other organs like the liver & kidneys.
I feel the same burden of choosing which over what …. on one side, to just possibly let her continue with her mens cycles while closely monitoring each time regarding infection which will warrant spaying surgery regardless of risks by undergoing surgery. Then on the other side, whether to proceed with spaying if the extensive blood test shows nothing of concern, so that her age and heart arrythmia will be sole issues of concern.
Appreciate your input on this, Dr. Buzby ….
Hi Ida,
I understand your concern with anesthesia since your girl already has some underlying issues. Unfortunately, there is no way to make this decision any easier. Once you get the lab results, if everything is normal, you still have a tough choice to make with no way of predicting the future. I recommend you talk to your vet about your concerns and get their recommendation. Different veterinarians have different experience and comfort levels with anesthesia risks. I do think I usually prefer to schedule anesthesia while I know a patient is mostly healthy and stable verses for an emergency like a uterine infection. I hope you can gather enough information to make the best decision for you and your sweet girl. Keep us updated on her progress!
I have a15 year old pug that has a abscessed tooth and sinus infection, vet suggested the only option is too GA and take out teeth, so scared don’t know what to do?
Hi Anthony,
I understand being concerned with anesthesia and your senior pup. Your vet is correct that the abscessed tooth needs to be extracted to try and resolve the infection. I will attach a link to another article that may offer additional information. There are tests and lab work that your vet can do to make sure anesthesia is as safe as possible for your dog. I recommend you talk to your vet and discuss your concerns. This way you can make a decision together as a team that everyone is comfortable with. I hope you find the answers you are looking for and can restore your dog’s quality of life. Wishing you the best.
How to Recognize a Dog Tooth Abscess and What to Do About It
Just read this as it was the latest post. Our story, which may help decision making. Two months shy of 11yrs, out Pyrenees Braxton was acting ‘strange’ last Sat night…walking, trying to retch, panting hard. It was almost 9pm- of course, but our vet offers emergency care to small animals until 11pm- we found out. So we went in. Turns out he had bloat- as you know a terrible disease. Of course surgery is usually the only thing to do- she didn’t know our dog, he had a huge stomach and part of a flap inward- not a complete torsion and said she would only say a 50/50 change of surviving the surgery. Mainly because of possible heart issues, etc. We opted for the lesser priced and safer- tubed him and drained as much fluid off as possible- lots of x-rays during process. A mortgage bill and 3 1/2 hrs later we took him home (because they have no one 24/7 with the animals and she felt he’d do better at home) with restrictive feeding instructions. I said I’d bring him in Mon for follow-up X-ray. I did and he was already worse. The same vet saw him and was frankly surprised he was still alive- she said- “I underestimated him’. So now we went into surgery- no choice, better odds given and price was lower being a weekday. He survived! Is home on his 5th day recovery- one more visit as blood pooled and bruising 2 days later was concerning, but fine. It was another huge bill but we wouldn’t have changed the choice- he has been our family member since 7 wks old. Sometimes we know our pets better than vets- especially under such conditions and as with humans there is always a risk. We are blessed to have had excellent vet care and lots of prayer warriors during his ordeal. Thank you!
Hi Bonnie,
I am so happy Braxton is on the road to a full recovery!!! What a scary ordeal you have been through in the past week. I am glad you had a great veterinary team fighting for him and he is lucky you acted so quickly. Thank you for sharing your story with us. I am praying Braxton continues to heal and you have many more years together for making memories. ♥
I really appreciate all your articles. They are super informative and super relevant for parents of senior pups. This is why, as our dogs get more frosted, I try to be vigilant about brushing their teeth, especially for our tiny dog with tiny teeth that get super bad super quick. This way, our preventive measures can help us avoid having to go under anesthesia for dentals. Thank you for the education you provide here!!!
Hi Vivian,
Thank you for the kind words about the articles! You are spot on with the preventive dental care. I wish you and your senior pups the best. ♥
Our dear Benson, turned 16 in Jan 2022. He is a maltese/yorkie mix and 9 pounds soaking wet. He has filled our hearts beyond words. Benson has had a long healthy life and in later years had extractions twice, has lost his hearing and recently had spine issues and back pain. Chiropractic and carprofen has kept him comfortable. He still remains happy and simply wants to be with us. Three weeks ago he began sneezing and our vet told us he was likely suffering from a fistula. Our options are to use anesthesia, locate the fistula and surgically repair or let it run it’s course. Further reading leads us to believe this may be the beginning of the end unless we opt for risky dental surgery. Might you provide us with additional guidance, thoughts or advice? Thank you kindly.
Hi Chris,
I am sorry you are in such a tough situation with your little guy. I understand your concern with anesthesia and a surgical procedure with Benson being 16 years old. Dental issues are typically very painful even if you aren’t seeing obvious signs of pain in your dog. If surgical repair is not an option, then you would definitely need to consider quality of life. Your vet could perform the necessary testing to see if there were any issues that would prevent anesthesia from being a possibility. Also, you might want to schedule a consult with a veterinary dentistry specialist. If surgery is not an option or not something you feel is best for your boy, I highly recommend finding a vet that offers hospice and palliative care. I hope you can find a solution that works for you and sweet Benson. Good luck and I wish you both the best.
Hello,
I am in a dilemma where my 19 year old chihuahua mix needs to get teeth extracted as one is broken. Other than being blind and partially deaf, she is healthy as a horse. Her blood work came back and doc said they were surprisingly good for her age and she would feels she can do the surgery. I’ve already loss 2 pets this year and I cannot think of losing another one. But at the same time, I do not want to be selfish if she’s in pain. Would you be comfortable doing a dental on a dog at that advanced age?
Hi John,
It can definitely be hard to decide what to do in these situations, and I completely understand your concerns over losing her. I’m so sorry to hear that you have already lost two pets this year. In many ways, I agree with the saying, “age is just a number.” It sounds like your vet has done a great job with the preanesthetic workup, which is one of the big tools that I like to use when making these decisions. Dental issues can definitely be painful. I can’t examine her or look at her bloodwork, so I can’t give you a definitive “yes” or “no” to the question of if I would be comfortable doing a dental on her.
If it would help you feel better about the surgery, you could also consider getting a second opinion from a different vet so that you would have two opinions from two vets who have seen your dog. Having a dental specialist perform the dental can also be another good option. A specialist deals with the more complicated or high-risk cases on a daily basis. That expertise often allows him or her to keep anesthesia time to a minimum. I hope you are able to feel peace about whatever you decide to do and have the chance to have many more good days together.
Got the surgery done a few days ago and my baby made it! 19 years old was the record for my vet, but herself and the entire staff did an amazing job. I was obviously nervous, but I believed she was healthy enough to go through the procedure and the benefits outweighed the risk. I do not regret my decision and I’m soo happy she’ll live out the rest of her days in comfort!
JOHN! I’m cheering for you and your dear dog and baby’s veterinary team!!!
I am so happy to hear how well she did in surgery, and that this is all behind you. Thank you for sharing your story with us. YAY!!!
Hi, my dog has congestive heart failure and also just got diagnosed with kidney failure stage 4! He is 12 and I only had him for over two years. He’s having some issues with his teeth maybe an infection?? I got an antibiotic for him today and he finally ate tonight and drank some water.. My issue is the vet said they can’t give his anesthesia because he may not come out of it to do any work on his teeth or pull any teeth. My question is can he have his teeth pulled without anesthesia? The vet said no. He is drooling a lot, has very bad breath and if you try and touch his mouth he doesn’t like it.. I don’t want him to suffer if he does have an infection. I an not sure if someone else could do anything if I get a second opinion or if I have to put him down eventually..
Thank you for your time. ??❤️
Hi Hali,
Sorry to hear about your sweet pup’s recent health issues. Congestive heart failure and advanced kidney failure do definitely make anesthesia much more risky but there unfortunately isn’t a way to humanely pull teeth without anesthesia because even with a local block, a dog can’t keep their mouth open and tolerate an extraction like a person can. This puts you in a hard spot for sure. If possible, I would recommend consulting with a board certified dentist at a specialty practice that also has a dedicated anesthesia department. Hopefully there would be one within a few hours of where you live. I can’t make any promises, but if any vet felt comfortable doing anesthesia on your pup for a dental and extractions, it would most likely be this combination of specialists. If they don’t feel comfortable with the risks of anesthesia either, they should be able to advise you on how best to control your pups dental pain/infection. I hope you are able to find some good answers for him! ❤
Hello, our 14 year old Toller has Addison’s disease which is managed really well.
She has what I believe is an abscess , vets have given pain Medication and antibiotics, with in hours she was her old self sadly just a few days after finishing them the pain is back.
I know next move will be to discuss removal but I’m very concerned about it given her age.
Other than her addisons she’s a very fit and active dog.
HI Sara,
It is definitely difficult to know how to proceed in these situations. I’m sorry to hear that your Toller has an abscess that may need to be removed. I would urge you to have a frank discussion with your vet about the pros and cons of surgery based on your dog’s bloodwork, Addison’s disease, physical exam, and any other factors. You could also consider talking to your vet about a referral to a specialty center that would have a board certified surgeon and board certified anesthesiologist. Having these specialists on your dog’s team can sometimes be very beneficial in more complicated cases. I hope that you are able to find a good answer that you can feel comfortable with!❤
Hi,
We recently adopted a female, six-and-a-half year old toy poodle. She was used for breeding prior to adoption, so she was never spayed. Is it better/safer to get her spayed or not put her through the anesthesia and surgery? We hear varying concerns/risks about putting an older dog under anesthesia. We know that we can keep her away from male dogs, but then some people say there are other health risks by not getting her spayed. Please advise pros and cons. TY
Hi Dave,
First of all, congratulations on your new family member! That is a good question, and one that isn’t always 100% clear cut. The good news is that at 6 1/2 she is still relatively young for a toy poodle, since I have met many who live to their mid or upper teens. Generally speaking, there are still benefits to having her spayed. Intact females can sometimes get a serious uterine infection called pyometra which can make them very sick or even cause them to become septic and die in severe cases. There is also always the risk of unplanned pregnancies (which I know you said you will do your best to minimize). Both of those risks can be eliminated by spaying her. The risk that is unlikely to change with a spay would be mammary tumors since that risk is the same after they have been through two or more heat cycles. So in general, if she is otherwise healthy and her bloodwork looks good, I would lean towards having her spayed to decrease the pyometra and pregnancy risks. However, this is ultimately your decisions as there is risk anytime a dog has anesthesia or surgery. The veterinary team does its bests to minimize those risks of course, and a spay on a healthy dog is generally much less risky than a spay on a dog who is sick with a pyometra. I would recommend making an appointment with your veterinarian to get his or her opinion on the spay as well because he or she can examine your dog, run bloodwork, and discuss the specific pros and cons of a spay in your pup’s particular case. All the best to you and your family, and congratulations again on your new dog! ❤
Hello Dr. Buzby
Hope you are doing well.
I am not sure if you are still replying to the comments. I have a 15 year old dog she was all healthy and fine couple of days before. All of a sudden it stopped eating and doctors told me it is because of pyometra. My doctor suggested to go for the surgery, but I am really scared since it’s too old. I just wanted to have your opinion on this. What’s the risk ratio in this process? Please let me know what you think on this, it will really help me a lot
Hello,
Sorry to hear that you are dealing with a pyometra and some difficult decisions for your sweet girl. It is always difficult to know what to do when looking anesthesia and surgery for an older dog. Since I can’t examine your dog, look at her bloodwork, etc. I can’t give you an idea of how she would tolerate anesthesia and surgery. However, I can tell you that a pyometra can make a dog decline rapidly or become life-threatening so it is usually considered a surgical emergency. I would suggest either having another conversation with your vet to go through the risks in more detail or seeking a second opinion with another vet today (if you haven’t already made a decision). Some cases of pyometra (when the cervix is open and the infected material can drain from the body through the vagina) tend to not make a dog as sick, but if it is the type of pyometra where the infection debris is trapped in the uterus, then time is of the essence because these dogs can get very sick very fast. All the best to you as you make this difficult decision. ❤
Thank you so much for your post. My 16 year old dog is in the middle of stem cell therapy for his kidney failure in which they have to start by putting him under to remove fat cells and my option was to try this or let him die. Your story actually consoled me in a weird way.
Hi Amanda,
Sorry to hear your senior dog is struggling with kidney failure. I’m glad the article was helpful and I hope the treatment is successful so he can keep living his best life with you!
Hello I have a question about my elderly dog. He recently got an eye infection that we are treating with antibiotics and gabapentin for the pain he also was diagnosed with glaucoma in that same eye a year ago and has been blind for a few years. He is almost 16 years old and they told me if the infection doesn’t clear up we might have to euthanize him because he is in pain and because he is not a good candidate for anesthesia to have the eye removed because of his age and the fact that he has a heart murmur. I just can’t accept putting him down just because of his eye because he is otherwise happy and healthy for his age. Should I get a second opinion about removing the eye?
Hi Han,
So sorry to hear about the recent problems your old guy has been having with his eye. It is never a bad idea to seek a second opinion when facing difficult decisions. I might suggest going to a specialty hospital or veterinary school for the second opinion if you have one close to you. The ophthalmology and anesthesia specialists there have advanced training that can help them tackle the cases that are more complicated or risky, such as this one. I hope that you are able to get clear direction about how best to proceed and that you have peace about whatever decision you make for him. ❤
First of all, I want to say I appreciate the community here. I’m not sure if reading these has made me feel better or worse about my dog’s need for dental cleaning, but I would love your advice.
Her bloodwork came back fine except for elevated ALT enzymes (208), though my vet said she isn’t concerned. I’ve known about her elevated ALT level for a year, but it has come down from what it was at in 2020 (261). She is a 10/11 year old collie/yellow lab mix, around 40 lbs and not overweight. She does snore a lot at night, sometimes coughs (once or twice a day?), has a few fatty tumors of varying sizes, has lost a little bit of muscle in her old age (though not significant), and is otherwise a healthy and happy dog.
I’ve been holding off on scheduling her dental cleaning because I am so afraid to lose her. She’s the sweetest, most gentle dog I’ve ever known. And I KNOW there are risks to anesthesia, but as far as I know, her teeth have never been cleaned, and she does seem to experience some mouth pain (she’s quite stoic so it’s hard to tell, but she doesn’t like playing tug of war, is a messy eater, and dislikes hard treats). I want to make sure she is set up to live her remaining years as healthy and pain free as possible, but I’m so nervous.
I know there are always risks, but based on this description of her, I’d love to her your opinion and to know if you see any red flags. Thank you!
Hello Rachel, We’re so glad you’re in the community with us! You are obviously a very observant and conscientious dog mom. It’s evident you only want the best for your girl. These are such hard decisions because ultimately I’d need a crystal ball to give you the perfect answer. However, if your dog is otherwise healthy and you sense that her mouth is painful (I think your logic is sound.) then I think the benefits outweigh the risks. Your veterinarian, who has a hands-on relationship with your dog AND would be the one administering anesthesia/overseeing the procedure is the best source of advice right now. Have you had this exact discussion with him or her? Please let us know what you decide. ❤️
Hi Dr. Buzby,
Thank you for sharing this story — while I’m sure it was difficult, it’s a timely, important reminder for me that these types of things matter deeply to veterinarians, not just the pet owners.
I’m not sure if you’re still responding to comments on this post but thought I’d give it a whirl. My girl is a 14-year-old, 17-pound eskie mix who is on 15mg of fluoxetine each day. Many who meet her think she’s a puppy — she’s super energetic, alert and walks for about 1 – 2 miles with us each day (sometimes more).
Her veterinarian has highly recommended she have a dental. I just left her pre-dental screening where they did bloodwork, and am awaiting the results and recommendation on whether we should move forward with a dental next week. Her last round of bloodwork was completed in September (4-ish months ago), and the results indicated that she was 100% healthy for her age. The vet had zero concerns about her health, other than her teeth.
When I was at her pre-dental screening today, they were very clear that there were risks of a 14-year-old pup undergoing anesthesia, and it’s made me incredibly nervous. I understand recovery will take longer than it has in the past and am not concerned about that element nearly as much as I am about her surviving. I’d appreciate any thoughts or insights you have.
Hello! I can definitely understand being nervous about anesthesia for your dog’s dental. The thought of anesthesia is scary no matter how old your pet is, and I would be lying if I said that anesthesia was without risk. However, it sounds like you and your veterinarian are doing all the right things to ensure your dog is a good anesthetic candidate. Teddy’s story does demonstrate that things can go wrong despite the best laid plans, but it also shows how much planning, careful preparation, and diligent monitoring occurs on the part of the veterinarian and their team when your pet is under their care for anesthesia. The fact that your veterinarian discussed the risks of anesthesia with you further highlights how seriously they take the situation, and I would venture to guess they would be happy to continue to discuss your dog’s upcoming anesthesia in more detail and address any concerns you may have. It is great that she still feels like a spry young puppy and enjoys her walks, so I think that assuming your veterinarian doesn’t find any red flags on the pre-dental screening, the healthy and comfort benefits of having her dental disease taken care of outweigh the risks of anesthesia. I hope things go well with your sweet girl’s dental and anesthesia if you chose to proceed, and that she has lots of happy years of walks ahead of her. ❤
My yorkie is now 15 and 4 months. He has had yearly dentals with occasional extractions. He now has one bad molar that is infected and should be removed. He seems to be in pain around mouth but otherwise happy. He had pre-dental bloodwork and exam. He now has a heart murmur and X-ray shows an enlarged heart. He has been spitting up frequently and is now on meds to help with nausea. Bloodwork shows pancreatitis and we will continue with low fat diet. I am very concerned with anesthesia. Vet at first said she did not advise it because it was too risky with the enlarged heart. Then, I told her the other vet (yesterday same office) felt the bad molar had to come out and the anesthesia would be fine. I asked this Vet today for her recommendation and she said she couldn’t make this decision for us. I asked if he could take antibiotics for the infection but she said it would keep coming back and the tooth will fall out. Very confused and not really happy with the lack of support from this office right now. Already have $700 tied up into these tests.
If you could give some advice or more guidance I would really appreciate it.
Thanks.
Hello Dawn, wow that’s a tough one. And a great illustration of why we call it “practicing” medicine…because nothing is hard and fast. 🙂 It sounds like even in seeing two different vets within the same practice, there were differing opinions. This part is accurate: “…it would keep coming back and the tooth will fall out.” Unfortunately, I really don’t think they are trying to be unsupportive. I think ultimately, because it’s such a hard decision, they want to provide you as much info as possible to make an informed choice. I think this blog might help you: https://toegrips.com/is-my-dog-too-old-for-surgery/
One of the things you could do is look at having the procedure done at a specialty/referral center with a board certified anesthesiologist. I recently sent a patient of mine to a specialist for a dental like this. Perhaps it’s worth discussing with your vet if this is an option. I hope this is helpful. I truly know how hard these decisions are. ❤️
Hi
my jack Russell is 13. Diabetic for rhe last year. she now has a mammory tumor growing rapidly. atleast 4cm. she’s anemic. There only 2 choices attempted to remove rhe tumor or euthanasia. our vet is hesitant because of underlying conditions. we are unsure what to do
give her a chance or not put her through the recovery?
Hi Tracie,
I am sorry you are facing such a difficult decision for your senior girl. Since I haven’t personally examined your dog, I can’t make specific conclusions or recommendations. Any time you are facing a decision about possible euthanasia, it can be a good idea to get multiple opinions and advice. Have you thought about scheduling a consult with a specialist? I hope you can find the answers you need to make the best decision for you and your sweet girl. Praying for a positive outcome.
Hi Dr. Buzby,
I’m not sure if you’re still answering messages on this thread, but I wanted to say thank you for sharing your experience – it was helpful to read. My 12-13 year old (he was a rescue, so we’re unsure about age) minpin passed away about 2.5 weeks ago during the recovery after his dental and I am experiencing a lot of guilt following his passing. He was everything to me, and his sudden death has been incredibly difficult to bear. He had relatively advanced dental disease, but was otherwise happy, healthy, very active for his age (he loved hiking), and did not appear to be in any pain. I was told that he his labs were fine, he did well during the procedure, but that he gagged and his heart stopped during the recovery. The vet assured me that his age was not a risk, and I trusted that. I’m feeling better than I was in the days right after it happened, but I feel that I am partially responsible for not researching the risks more, for not asking for a second opinion at another vet, and it hurts to think that he possibly could have had more happy times on this earth had I not taken him (though I know he was already getting old). It’s also really difficult for me to think about how he was likely scared and confused when I dropped him off, and that I wasn’t with him when he died. I was just so stricken with grief, and I did not know the vet very well, so my family and I were not too gracious on that day because we were asked many times about payment and we felt that was inappropriate when I was sitting there sobbing over his body. I feel bad about that too. I heard from my sister’s vet (a different vet, who we love), and now from this post, that this is a rare occurrence, and that he still would have recommended going for the dental because he feels my pup would almost have certainly developed some illness from his dental disease down the line and would have suffered greatly. My only solace right now is that I know he did not know pain and suffering in his lifetime, and that I really tried to do what I perceived to be the best for him, but the rest is still really hard to process. I would really appreciate your input. Thank you so much.
Oh Kathleen, what a heart wrenching experience for everyone involved. I am so sorry for the loss of your dog. It is devastating to lose a beloved pet, and I also know firsthand, as detailed in Teddy’s story, how devastating it is as a veterinarian to lose a patient who was entrusted to your care. Please release yourself from the guilt you feel about deciding to do the dental and about how the events played out that day. Dental disease can be quite painful as it progresses and definitely puts some of the other organ systems at risk, so I would agree with your sister’s vet and the vet that did the procedure – you made the right decision to pursue a dental cleaning on your dog. I hope you can find comfort in knowing that you did what you thought was best and gave him a wonderful life full of love. It sounds like he was a lucky dog to have been rescued by you and you were lucky to have been his people. ❤
Dr. Buzby, I wish I had read this sooner. My precious 11 year old Yorkie had a dental cleaning yesterday with my other dog as well. One sailed through it. I got a call from the Vet saying my dog had died on the table. She was doing fine, then died suddenly. (She would have been 12) in November. They tried compressions for 15 minutes and she was gone. They couldn’t bring her back. I am so heartbroken. All her tests were fine and none concerned her experienced Vet. I had noticed Diva was huffing and puffing more on our walks, was having difficulty walking after waking from naps and overnight sleeping – which I discussed with the Vet prior. She seemed to be getting incontinent (fecal), and gained a huge amount of weight quickly. She looked heavy too. She was happy, frisky, playful, sweet and loving, and I’m devastated. She had a very healthy appetite. I had noticed she was drinking way more water lately, so the Vet had put her on food to hopefully stave off diabetes. What do you think may have happened? Do you think it was an embolism as in the case of Teddy? I can’t stop crying and feel I will never get over the loss of my steadfast companion. I didn’t want the Dr. to do an autopsy so we have no conclusive answers. Can you help tell me what you think may have happened? I would appreciate it so much! This article is very helpful for those pondering what to do about anesthesia, especially with senior dogs. I feel responsible for my dog’s death, blaming myself that I should have cancelled the appointment as I had a negative feeling and tend to be psychic. If I trusted my gut she would still be here with me. Please shed some light. THANKS!
Oh Diane, my heart goes out to you. The unexpected loss of a pet is so devastating, and it can be easy to be trapped in the endless cycle of regret, guilt, and asking “what if?’. I wish that I could ease your heartbreak and give you some concrete answers about what may have happen, and I’m sure your veterinarian does too, but without an autopsy we will never know exactly why she died under anesthesia. Please do not blame yourself for your dog’s death. It is not your fault, or anyone’s fault. We can do all the right things and give it our all as pet owners and as veterinarians, and still have unexpected bad things happen. I hope that in time you will be able to find freedom from your guilt and that you can find peace and comfort in remembering all the good times you shared together. I’m so sorry for your loss. ❤
I’m blaming myself like you are. I feel i took my beloved Pomeranian to her death as she also died on the table under anesthesia. When I received the call that she died I couldn’t stop screaming. It is a horrible pain that won’t go away because they trust us completely and I feel I let her down. I also had a negative feeling which I wished I followed. She followed me everywhere I went, and sadly I still feel her footsteps following me. My daughter died so she was my constant companion and and symphony provider now she’s gone too.
Linda,
So sorry for the loss of your daughter and now your beloved Pomeranian. I hope that in time some of the guilt and regret that you feel will lessen. I’m sure that your dog knew how much you loved her and that you made the choice that you felt was right for her based on what was going on at the time. ❤
My name is Tanya! I have an awesome 10 yr old pug named Chompers. He was my first baby! He used to go with me everywhere and has traveled with me cross country and through all of life’s ups and downs. He is my buddy and my best friend who has been by my side through everything in my life. Today I noticed a large lump under the left side of his jaw. It was not there two days ago, I know this! When Chomps was just a couple months old he ruptured a salivary gland and needed emergency surgery to have it removed. It was difficult and expensive but we did it and he recovered great. Although I havent confirmed yet what this is (he has an appointment first thing tomorrow morning), I’m pretty confident its his salivary gland and he will need surgery.
He just had a check up a couple weeks ago and everything was fine, other than he is a little overweight. He has been coughing more these last few months but I’ve heard that’s pretty common with pugs as they get old. I am so scared the vet is going to tell me he needs surgery or he will die and the surgery itself could kill him due to his age and underlying health issues. Two years ago he started having seizures, thankfully it only happened every now and then for about a year and it hasn’t happened in a long time. Although, you can tell he gets dizzy here and there or loses his balance sometimes when he over exerts himself. I do not have the money for an expensive surgery but will figure it out if I have to. But I also dont want to put him through surgery if the chances of him surviving are minimal. I dont know what to do! I cant imagine losing him, let alone telling my 4 yr old daughter. I just lost my brother to a hit and run 8 months ago and that’s been hard on me and my child…now the thought of losing chomps, my best friend too…I cant even imagine. He is our family!
I know the advice you can give is probably limited as nothing is confirmed but i’d still appreciate your thoughts.
Thank you for taking the time to read this!
Chomper’s Momma
Hey Tanya aka Chomper’s Momma,
First off, I just have to say that I love the name Chompers/Chomps. What a fun name for a clearly awesome dog. I know that you posted this a bit ago so by now you have already figured out the cause of Chomper’s jaw lump and determined a treatment plan, but I still wanted to reply to you. I hope that it ended up being something that was treatable and that Chomper is still living his best life with you and your sweet daughter. Feel free to give us an update if you want to. Also, I am so sorry to hear about the loss of your brother a few months ago. I can’t imagine how difficult that was and still is. My heart goes out to you and your family as you navigate his loss and Chomper’s health concerns. ❤
My nine year old mini poodle is scheduled for dental cleaning this Monday. . He has epilepsy has seizures every six months and had several last week . Urine normal His blood work was normal for most part globulin level up slightly 4 and cholesterol up a little 352 liver and kidney values normal. He had some pain in back legs possible hip arthritis will have X-ray while under has been taking gabepentin and is not painful now. Am afraid of anesthesia because of seizures and that he has never had anesthesia. Any thoughts?
Hi Linda, I’m sure your vet did an excellent job of designing an anesthesia protocol tailored to your dog’s condition and risk factors. His globulin level may very well be up because of his dental disease. Hopefully he’s doing great at this point! ♥️
Hi Dr. Buzby,
I am looking for some advice on what to do with my 14 year old Pekingese in terms of surgery. He’s been partially blind and completely deaf for a while, but that hasn’t affected his quality of life. We noticed the right side of his face was slightly swollen and that there was some kind of drainage matting the hair under his eye. Other than that, he is acting completely normal. We made plans to take him to the vet, so we gave him a bath before we were to go the next day. As he was drying himself off, we noticed he was bleeding profusely out of the right side of his face, so we took him to the emergency pet hospital. At this point it was around 9:30 at night. The doctor said that she believed it to be an abscess tooth that was leaking pus and blood and that he punctured the swollen part of his face when he was drying off. She recommended surgery and we are taking him to his regular vet after the weekend. He has a cone and is on antibiotics and pain medicine for now, hoping to take swelling down and ease the bleeding. I know he needs to go in for surgery, but I am extremely worried about the use of anesthesia. He had a physical and bloodwork done and everything was normal and he’s very healthy for a 14 year old dog. His liver was slightly elevated is all they found. I’m just nervous about the process. He gets nervous around new people, and at this point in time I wouldn’t be able to even enter the building with him to go to surgery. Is there anything I should ask the vet to make absolutely sure that everything is being done to help the surgery be successful?
Good question, Molly. I love how proactive you are in thinking this through. I agree that a tooth root abscess is the most likely diagnosis from what you describe. And I want you to know that oral antibiotics won’t be enough to really completely resolve this. Surgery under anesthesia seems like the next logical step. The great news is that 14-years-old in a small breed dog isn’t really *that* old. I pray that everything will go great and you’ll have many mmore happy years together! I firmly believe that you’re doing the right thing by pursing the professional dental care.
Is 2 hours too long for a 17 year old Lhasa Apso to be under Anesthesia for dental work? He has 6 major teeth that need extracting. 2 Canines, 4 molars in the rear, and 1 small molar behind the Canine that is loose. He has been sneezing for a month, with a nasal discharge; one nostril being yellowish. I can only assume this is all coming from his teeth. I am having a Board Certified Dentist performing his dental but I am worried about anesthesia and his nasal problems. His nose is filled with fluid and he sometimes has reverse sneezing to clear up his nose. Cost $4,800.
The Internist recommended a CT scan and a Rhino scope but I can not afford both procedures and they won’t just do the Rhino scope. $4,000.
Is it safe to do the dental while his nose is filled with fluid and he is sneezing? Which procedure should be done first? This is a tough decision.
Hello MaryAnn, Wow, this is a tough decision. I’d definitely want to defer to the “boots on the ground” veterinary team for the answers to these questions. But here’s what I can tell you:
1. I love that you’re having a boarded veterinary dentist do this tricky work. Bravo. 2. During anesthesia, it doesn’t really matter if is nose is “filled with fluid” because he will have a protected airway in his trachea in the form of an endotracheal tube. If your doctor feels that the nasal issue may be due to infected teeth, it makes sense to me to try to clear it all up with the dental procedure. As I said, please follow your vet’s recommendations, but I’m thrilled that you sound so committed to getting his dental issues resolved. All the best to you both!
I have an 11.5 year old Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever (breeder unknown) who has severe separation anxiety. She desperately needs a teeth cleaning but I am terrified of the anesthesia, especially because my vet wants me to leave her in the morning and not pick up her until evening. I’m okay with letting her recover there alone in a cage but don’t want her waiting there for her turn for surgery without me. I’m not being a helicopter mom when I say she will be very stressed by that – VERY stressed out – and I’m afraid that will effect the anesthetic. But now I noticed her 2 front lower teeth are loose and discolored very dark around the edges and up along the gum. In addition to all the calcification/tarter on back teeth. I’m literally terrified but now something must be done. She also has slightly elevated renal numbers and is on a renal diet but other than that she has the energy and enthusiasm for life of a 5 or 6 year old.
Hello Patti, I would recommend explaining your concern to your vet and then asking if you could bring your dog in the morning for her dental procedure, but ask if she could wait with you in your car in the parking lot until it is time for her to go back for her procedure. I think your concern is valid! Hopefully your vet will be willing to work with you and think out-of-the-box to come up with a solution that keeps your dog safe and accessible to them, but calmly waiting with you.
I have a 13 year old pug with mammary tumor metastasis. She had surgery in January to remove a large tumor from her abdomen but it has come back with a vengeance. She is growing the tumors all over her body now. There is one right next to her anus that seems to get bigger every day. It is starting to ulcerate. My vet thinks that doing another surgery to remove these growing tumors is a mistake at her age. But she is full of life and love and I couldn’t bear to put her down. I also can’t stand to watch these grow and inevitably break open and cause her pain. I’m not sure what to do. Is it more risky to have surgery twice in one year? Is my vet right to keep her out of surgery? I don’t know what to do.
Hello Molly, I’m so sorry to hear about your dog’s cancer. Whenever we are dealing with metastatic tumor growth, the prognosis is guarded. I understand your vet’s position, for sure. I don’t think there is any added risk of having surgery twice in one year, but I think it’s time for a heart-to-heart talk with your veterinarian about your dog’s prognosis and how surgery fits with that. If you’re interested in a second opinion, you could always go see a veterinary oncologist (cancer specialist). This may help you find peace in all these decisions. I know it’s very upsetting to be in this position and I’m so sorry.
My little white Bichon 8 years old has very bad teeth. I am afraid if I dont do something I will lose her to kidney disease . Probably 4-8 teeth need to be removed in the front of her mouth. I am a basket case cause she is my Baby – I love her like I would a child. She has never been away from me – Now I need to have this done for her – What do you think are the risk of anything happening to her during or after this surgery. I will get a complete blood panel before the cleaning/pulling is done to make sure all is ok with her and I know it is. Please let me hear from you My vet will do the pulling of the teeth – If there is any risk at all I cannot do this – I could never live with myself if she died while I had this done to her omg no.
Hello Janell, Unfortunately there is ALWAYS risk when humans or animals undergo anesthesia. I would be lying if I told you there is no risk at all. However, our job is to minimize risk for our patients. I can tell you that I strongly believe that the benefits of having this work done greatly outweigh the risks, especially at 8! Please talk to your vet about your concerns and questions specific to your dog’s current health status, but it sounds like you are in good shape! 🙂
Hello, My husky dog is 14 years 5 months old and have prostate he pass blood in his urine my veterinian told me maybe he can make an operation to remove the prostate by doing regional anesthesia but im concerned he is to old for anesthesia and im afraid that He will die ulin the operation. Now he is not in pain and eat well but the only problem that he have blood in his urine any advise please??
Hello Melissa, I’m so sorry to hear that your elderly dog is experiencing these health issues. I think it’s worth asking if conservative treatment with antibitiocs is an option, but if not, I would certainly advise you to follow your veterinarian’s recommendations on the pros and cons of surgery.
I have an eleven year old min. Schnauzer with pancreatitis. She was diagnosed three months ago and in on a low fat GI diet. The last few days she has been lethargic. Took her to vet and very dehydrated. Also slightly anemic (but then Again dehydrated). Gave her SQ fluids and I again did that at home today. Seems better but not usual self. real smelly breath so I wiped gums with a gauze 2×2 and blood there. Had some teeth removed and cleaning done two years ago. Wondering if anemia could be from bleeding gums? Also wondering about safety of teeth cleaning, removal in a dog with pancreatitis. They drew some lab work to follow up on the pancreatitis BUt won’t know for several days whether it is better, worse or stable. It needs to be sent out hence the wait. Very concerned about general anesthetic at her age and pancreatitis. Apparently heart and kidneys fine.
Hello Autumn, Great questions. It’s always hard to have these kind of discussions without examining the dog, but my sense is “No”, the anemia could not be from her oozing some blood from her gums. She’d have to be actively bleeding A LOT for it to be enough to cause anemia. So either she has a primary anemia, or, maybe more likely, she has what we call “anemia of chronic disease”…meaning that she has been sick from something else for long enough for it to cause her to become anemic as a secondary issue. I would not put a dog with pancreatitis (in the present time) under anesthesia. Certainly good news that her heart and kidneys are fine! I would ask your vet to examine her mouth and then provide an estimate for services and recommended timeline for when they would recommend dental work again. I suspect he/she will put that on hold until your dog is feeling much better and eating and drinking normally.
Hello Dr. Buzby,
I’m not sure if you’re still responding to questions/comments on this post, but I thought I would submit just in case because I would really appreciate your opinion. I have a 13.5 years old female yellow lab who has two carnassial tooth abscesses on each side of her face. One is a little worse than the other. Her current vet is feeling cautious about surgery mostly due to her age, and wants her to just be on antibiotics instead. My dog’s bloodwork did show slightly elevated liver values, she has early stages of laryngeal paralysis and was diagnosed with mast cell cancer in April 2018. The mast cell cancer was treated right away and she seems to be in remission at this time. The laryngeal paralysis does concern me. I do want to get some x-rays of her chest to make sure there’s nothing else going on in her lungs. If her x-rays are clear, do you feel the extraction surgery would be dangerous? She’s a happy dog, has a great appetite, and she has a lot of will to live otherwise. I hate to see her living with these abscesses. Thank you for your time.
Hello Erika,
Thanks for the comment. There’s a lot to think about here and you’re doing a great job of processing all the factors. First of all, I am always going to defer to your regular veterinarian’s advice. That said, I think this post offers great perspective on the topic from other vets too: https://toegrips.com/is-my-dog-too-old-for-surgery/
For a dog that had actual carnassial teeth abscesses, my recommendation would be extraction. As I’ve said in other replies, referral to a board certified veterinary dentist at referral facility (where they do tricky anesthesias) is an option to consider if your veterinarian is not comfortable doing the procedure. I just referred an 18-year-old patient of mine last week to a specialty facility with a boarded dentist in this exact scenario! Please let us know what you decide and how she does. Thanks!
Hello Dr. Buzby,
What a sad situation with Teddy. Sometimes, things simply happen that we have no control over. I appreciate you sharing the story.
I’m at a crossroad with my yorkipoo, Roscoe He is 18.5 years old. His health isn’t so great. He had a stroke 2 years ago, can’t see, hearing is minimal and has kidney disease and elevated liver enzymes. His mouth is terrible. His last dental was many years ago. I didn’t have another because I didn’t know he would live this long.
I believe he now has a dental infection. His mouth is sensitive to the touch, he sometimes paws at his face, and he eats just with one side. The vet said she thinks a dental cleaning will work because his heart and lungs sound good. After thinking about it for a couple of weeks, I scheduled the dental, which is to take place 2 weeks from now. I don’t want him being in pain and believe the risk is worth it.
That was then….
He’s been sick lately with his kidney disorder I suspect, doing a lot of drinking water and not eating. I thought he was ready to pass, Miraculously he rebounded some and is back to eating and drinking. I haven’t canceled the dental, but I don’t know what to do. The blood work they do prior to the procedure will help shed light on his overall condition, but I’m so scared. He is already frail and being in that environment with strangers is going to stress him out. I don’t know how much longer he has to live. I’m not sure about an alternative. The vet didn’t mention antibiotic therapy but I’m going to ask her about it. I feel it might be the best option in the case, and I would like your opinion. I’ve recently started Roscoe on CBD oil, and that seems to help with discomfort. I know medications and supplements are not the cure, but if he’s at the end of his life, I want him to be at least comfortable. I’m so torn.
Thank you!
Hello Naomi,
I’m so sorry to hear that you are in the position. I completely understand! Interestingly enough, on Friday I recommended that one of my patients set up an appointment at our regional referral center for oral surgery. My patient is also 18! The major reason I advised this was weighing the risk vs reward. REWARD: this dog is in pain. Her mouth hurts. She is not eating well. She has the opportunity for a huge gain here which will extend both her quantity and quality of life. RISK: She is in perfect health with perfect bloodwork. This counts for A LOT. Yes, she could pass under anesthesia or develop complications (and the owner and I discussed this at length), but we both agreed that the reward greatly outweighs the risk. I would encourage you to have this exact discussion with your veterinarian. If she is so critically ill (based on physical exam and bloodwork) that she is not eating, then I would agree that you should not put her under anesthesia. But maybe she’s in decent shape and not eating from oral pain (diagnosed by process of elimination after exam and bloodwork) and you may decide, like we did, that the potential reward outweighs the risk. May God grant you wisdom as you navigate these decisions.
I have an adopted 14.5 year old mini aussie that I adopted last year. She has been diagnosed with glaucoma in her left eye, though the eye test did not go well because she is VERY anxious and wouldn’t keep her head still even with a muzzle. Because of her temperament, it makes it very difficult to administer medicine (she won’t let me touch her mouth so getting a pill into it does not work, even with food she’s too darn smart and figures it out and spits it out, food and all and will attempt to nip at me if I continue to try). So the ophthalmologist has me trying to use eye drops, which again is not easy to administer. I have to get her into a playing mode and keep the vial by my side to administer a drop as quickly as I can, missing a few times too, using treats did not work. Again, because of her demeanor and difficulty taking meds, the ophthalmologist is recommending removal of her eye. Though I’m concerned how well she will recoup with me having to administer pain pills or ointments, she just won’t let me touch her or hold her still for any amount of time. She has also been diagnosed with a heart murmur so I’m reluctant for her to undergo any surgery. I have an appointment with her holistic vet to go over my options. I’m just torn, she seems to not be in pain right now and still gobbles down her cooked meals, and still wants to play even though her sight, smell, and hearing are not what they used to be. Can she survive with glaucoma without any surgery and a continued use of drops? Does she really have glaucoma since the tests were so all over the place because she wouldn’t stay still? I also noticed that after the first time getting the drops in her eye, the pupil became quite smaller than it had been. I’m just all over the place as to what to do. Any opinion you might have would be greatly appreciated. And I’m waiting to see her vet to see what her opinion is.
Hi Teresa, First of all, bless you for adopting a senior dog. In light of your challenges in medicating her and our expectation that glaucoma will worsen over time, I understand why you’re torn. But I also agree with your concern about the diagnosis. Typically glaucoma is very painful, and even in stoic dogs like mini aussies, I would expect you to notice some change in her behavioral patterns consistent with eye pain. Second, I’m concerned that testing for glaucoma with a muzzle on can alter pressures. In fact, any pressure around the head/neck can alter pressures. I’m eager to see what your holistic vet has to say. Also, if they have a Tonopen in office, ask if they would be willing to try to re-measure pressures since the atomosphere may be more calming/relaxed and you might have a better diagnostic experience in Round 2.
Hi Dr. Buzby,
I have a 13 year old pittie mix who has an enlarged heart. We recently took her to the vet because I found her tooth had cracked. We have her on antibiotics but they need to knock her out to remove her tooth. Can she survive this?
Hello Dawn, The answer is definitely yes, but the discussion is one to have with your veterinarian, and I would encourage you to do so. I’m guessing your dog has a cracked 4th upper premolar, which we call the carnassial tooth. It’s definitely a problem that must be addressed because it’s an abscess waiting to happen. If your regular veterinarian doesn’t feel comfortable with the anesthesia, referral to a speciality hospital would be another option. But the bottom line is that the procedure can be done, but special precautions should be taken.
My 16yr old Yorkie poo needs his back teeth pulled. Heade a weird sound when chewing so I looked and it isn’t pretty
He’s got heart issues. Takes enalaprin vetmedin and flurosimide
I’m afraid the vet will suggest euthanasia rather than dental work
He had cleanings at 13/14 and the vet said it he was much older he wouldn’t bother
Bob’s a happy dude tho. Still loves playing
And I just lost my other dog may 5th
I know I need to take him in he’s def not happy now
He’s never had issues with anesthesia before but with his heart issue and age idk. I can’t afford to run around to diff vets getting opinions so may I have yours?
Hi Amber, I understand your situation. These decisions are so difficult to make in senior dogs, especially with heart issues! However, I would be shocked if your vet recommended euthanasia over dental work, because virtually all dental issues are treatable and even curable…unlike so many diagnoses in medicine. I’m not sure what to make of the sound you described when your dog was chewing. I definitely think it’s worth going in to your vet for a complete exam and being honest about your concerns and your desire to see your dog’s mouth free of pain and infection. I wish you both all th best!
At my visit to our vet for Our 12 year old Shitzu Simba for a dental exam we found out from the blood work that his red blood cell count was extremely low (12) . He also was diagnosed with a heart murmur. He’s always been very healthy and it really caught us off guard. He’s been under treatment for 3 weeks now. The medications they put him on has increased his blood cell count to 32. He is doing better. He’s eating well. My vet wants to see him in a month to monitor his progress. I want to continue with his dental work but I’m very worried especially with the heart murmur..
Hello Linda,
I’m so sorry to hear about your dog’s health crisis. 12 is a scary number! It may be that the heart murmur was simply a function of his red blood cell count being so low. When the blood is more “watery”, we can sometimes hear a murmur that goes away when the blood returns to its normal composition. It sounds like your veterinarian is very thorough and will walk you through the process of recovering fully enough to have the procedure done.
Wow this one really hit home. In December my 15 year old pug had an abscessed tooth that was showing symptoms with pus through the right nostril. it was terrifying to have to put her under but I couldn’t stand the thought of the pain. Afterwards was hard. i have been very regular with dental cleanings since she was 5 and I adopted her but had hoped her one at 14 would be her last as the recover was hard then. Well this past time it took her weeks, the first week was a lot of pain, confusion, loss of balance and coordination. Like a lot of pugs she has some spinal/Neuro issues but I wasn’t prepared for how they would be affected, the loss of stability in the back end was drastically worse and took 6 weeks of her regular physio (acupuncture/laser/massage/chiro) To get her back staple again.
Now 4 months later she woke up this morning and I saw pus in her left nostril. she is quick to pick it away but I saw it so off we went to the vet as my younger dog was having her dental today. You cannot see it on the inside but when i line down next to her while she sleeps, i can smell almost a metal smell from her nose exhales. We have put her on antibiotics, to help ease what we suspect is another abscess.
I find it odd that 4 months later she has gotten another one, and now because of how long the recovery was from the last one I don’t know if it is worth it. The procedure in December really took it’s toll on her and aged her considerably. I agree 100% age is not an illness but I also first hand now know survival is part of the equation but it is also what the procedure would do to her after this time. Any guidance, or suggestions. One worried pug mama.
Hi Livia, first of all, great job rehabbing your dog after that last procedure. I’m so impressed that you used acupuncture, laser, massage, and chiropractic. You probably saved her life, or at least her quality of life. When they did that last procedure, did the vet indicate concern for any of the other teeth at that time? Did they do dental radiographs while she was under? That might help us understand the likelihood of this being another dental abscess, though things can certainly change in 4 months.
I’m really optimistic that the diagnosis could be something else and the antibiotics might be the only treatment needed. Let’s not think about another anesthesia unless it becomes your last resort. And if it is, given how she responded in December, you may want to ask about referral to a specialty hospital for the anesthesia/extraction in hopes that the recovery will be smoother and less involved due to their specialty care. And certainly make sure whomever does the procedure (if it comes to that) is well aware of how she did after her December anesthesia. I wish you both all the best!
Today I came home to a house full of blood, I have three remaining shih tzus all 14 years of age, will turn 15 in November. Memo, the one I found with a bloody mouth.. seems to have a problem with his teeth. I had 3 generations, his grandparents, his parents and them, and I never had their teeth cleaned. Now, he is paying the price. Or maybe they all have, they have all had heart murmors and or heart related deaths. I rushed him to the vet, cause I was nervous. The vet said the teeth are very bad, and he really needs a teeth cleaning. But his age concerns me. He has a mild heart murmur. His blood work came back fine. They will give him some antibiotics, for now. But they have explained it will not fix his issue and he can bleed more, since he has other loose teeth. So, I am nervous about putting him under. I read your article, and at least I have some hope, but am fearful too. He cries alot, maybe he has pain in his mouth, and I didn’t know it… I would appreciate your suggestion.
I will also visit his regular vet, to ask their opinion too.
Hello Adriana,
You obviously care very much about Memo, and I encourage you to do as you suggest—-speak with your regular vet to get a “second opinion” of sorts. From what you describe, he needs a dental procedure so badly that it doesn’t sound like you have any other real options. It sounds like his mouth is painful and is a time bomb for infection. Hopefully you’re able to find peace with your decision to get him the care he needs.
Hi, I am so sorry for your loss and a situation with teddy. I cant imgine the pain you felt/feel having the experiance. I ran across your page trying to search for some resolution for my older dog. Rufus is a 12 yr old 70lbs lab , he ruptured his ligament in his rear leg trying to run around with the younger dogs. When I took him in after a few days of continuing to not use the leg I found that the limping was cause the ruptured ligament.. i had a feeling the only solution was surgery- now I dont care about the cost of surgery but was worried about his age and being put under. At this time I learned my fear should not be from age but he has a heart murmur 3 on the scale. This was going to be a determining factor in his canadacy for repairing his leg. I currently have him on anti-flamatory , we just had to switch to something that starts with a G ( apparently very effective and can be used long term) cause the other stuff wasnt changing anything. It’s been 4 weeks and he still will only toe touch on that leg or hold it up compleatly. He is on strict bed rest ( good thing he is a typical country porch dog – loves to lounge and sleep ). The reason I say all of this is I am trying to research my options for him if surgery due to his heart is not an answer. I keep reading surgery is the only solution, but what if I literally cant do surgery. The vet is having me bring him in periodically to check on him and he is scheduled for xrays on heart and leg to see full extent of issues. In mean time I am trying to get all my ducks in a row to be prepared for any outcome. Do you have any suggestions on where I can research alternate solutions that will provide my baby a good quality of life. I appreciate any assistance, this is my baby and I can’t stand the thought he doesnt have any options with out surgery. He has always been there for me I cant let him down and say oh well no walking ever again.
Alison, I’m so sorry to hear about your dog’s injury. Yes, the BIG problem in what you describe right now is that he’s very likely to rupture the opposite cruciate ligament in the process of favoring the injured knee. I wouldn’t rule out surgery on a 12-year-old dog with a heart murmur. It will be good to see what the xrays show, and perhaps you could ask for referral to a specialty facility for surgical repair if your regular vet doesn’t feel comfortable with the anesthesia. As for knee options, I really like the educational resources on this site: https://www.topdoghealth.com/library/orthopedic-surgery/articles-surgery/dog-cruciate-acl/
I hope this helps!
So sad to read this story…poor Teddy and all involved. I’ve been scouring the internet for over a week regarding anesthesia and surgery for pets…I’m an emotional and nervous wreck.
My 7 year old chihuahua CoCo has a perforated ulcer in her left eye. It’s infected the Ophthalmologist believes. My primary Vet and my Ophthalmologist both recommend removal of her eye. She is scheduled for Tuesday.
She’s never been put under and only weighs 5lb. She is my entire life and I honestly don’t know what I’d do if something happens to her. I know one day I’ll have to say goodbye as it’s inevitable, but I didn’t think it could possibly happen so soon. I’m terrified of the anesthesia. My vet has assured me that they will run blood tests before to make sure she is ok for surgery and they said they monitor very closely during and after surgery to ensure she is ok.
I’ve been sobbing for over a week, everyday because I just keep thinking this is the end and something terrible is going to happen to her. Her Ophthalmologist said that her eye is more of a risk to her life than the surgery…so of course we are taking the route that need to be taken. But I am so upset and scared.
Hi Kristen, I understand your concern and I’m so sorry that both you and your dog are in this difficult position. I couldn’t agree more with your ophthomologist…the perforated ulcer is definitely a more serious risk right now, not to mention that it is probably very painful. Your veterinary team sounds very conscientious and professional, and I trust all is well. Please update us if you can! We love happy ending stories!
My dog is 14 years old and I recently noticed a lump on her gum. My vet suspects it’s melanoma but would require to put her under general anaesthetic to get samples to confirm this. She had blood work, and it showed her kidneys and liver failing. She is on meds for both for a few years now. I was advised that if I removed the growth, it will come back more aggressively and in a matter of weeks. I don’t know if I should just let it be or put her under despite the huge risk. She still eating fine, not in pain and in good spirits. I’d appreciate any advise.
Hello Janet, I certainly appreciate your dilemma and how much this must be hurting your heart. The mouth is a very common site for cancer in dogs. There is a type of “gum lump” in dogs that is benign, but if your veterinarian mentioned melanoma as the likely diagnosis, I’m sure there was a reason for that. I’m sorry to say that melanoma in the mouth of dogs is considered an extremely aggressive and metastatic (spreading) cancer. Please visit this article from Veterinary Partners for more information: https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4952854
I have had one patient do very well with the melanoma vaccine (discussed in the article), but surgery would first be required. I understand this just may not be possible or fair to consider, given your dog’s underlying kidney and liver issues. If I were you, I would educate myself on options and then set up a follow up visit with your veterinarian so he/she could check the lump again for changes/growth, answer your questions, and the two of you could work together to formulate a plan that you both have peace about.
Hello my 11 year old
Chihuahua got in a fight with my jack russel Terrier who is one. I broke the fight ASAP, but the fight left my chihuahua with loose and broken teeth, Hebis not bleeding anymore and I feed him in the mouth. I am so scared of putting him through anesthesia he is just not my pet he is my child I love him so very much. Should I wait for his teeth to fall of by themselves?
Hello David,
I’m so sorry to hear about your experience. I’m sure that it was traumatic for all involved. As for your question about the teeth, I would defer to your veterinarian’s recommendation based on a complete physical exam and oral exam. As a general rule, I would never recommend waiting for broken teeth to fall out on their own. These teeth are usually painful and can be a “time bomb” for your dog’s health because they can get infected, abscess, etc. Please be proactive and talk to your veterinarian about recommended next steps.
Hi Dr. Bubzy,
After reading your article and the comments on it I feel more at ease for my 12 year old dogs dental surgery thats scheduled for next week. Shes a manchester terrier and is doing so well for her age, her only ailment would be that her phosphorus levels are slightly elevated and we need to think about changing her food. I had so much anxiety over her, she had her teeth cleaned a few years ago and did absolutely fine. This is technically an elective surgery but her previous one had extractions, and her breath is very foul smelling, her teeth dont look great. so in my mind its more of a preventative surgery rather than elective. Would love to hear your thoughts, my vet also took the time to respond to my email asking various questions to help put me at ease.
Hi T,
I am glad you were able to gain some comfort from the article and comments from other readers. I think it is great you were honest with your vet about your concerns, and they responded with much needed answers and advice. Since your girl did just fine with anesthesia a few years ago, I am hopeful this anesthesia event will go smoothly as well. As long as all of her preoperative lab work and testing looks good, I would agree to go with your vet’s recommendations and proceed with the dental cleaning. Feel free to leave us an update on how things go. Wishing you both the best!
My 5lb Yorkie who is 14 yo now had 3 mammory tumors removed 1 1/2yrs ago. During the surgery she also had several teeth removed at the same time. The Vet said to me my dog needed more teeth removal at that time but because her temperature started to drop they stopped and woke her up. Now because of her age and also has horrible teeth, 3 more mammory tumors that have appeared again I am planning on getting blood work first and deciding to have surgery in a few weeks. I also think my dog may have a low auto ammune since she startec losing all of her back hair 4 yrs ago. I tried every treatment and opinions. Should I risk surgery? Is there a better anesthesia for my little 5lb dog? Concerns I should let the Vet know with my dogs temp. dropping from last procedure?
Hello Ava, that is certainly a lot to consider and I understand your concerns. You definitely want to mention the temperature issue from last time (although it’s a very common problem for tiny dogs like yours under anesthesia, so not a surprise). Precautions can be taken to help avoid that in the next procedure. I think your plan of doing the pre-anesthetic bloodwork and then discussing the results with your veterinarian to make decisions/a plan is the ideal route.
Hello! Our 10 year old husky was just diagnosed with a liver tumor that is quite large. Other than the tumor, he is very healthy. All his blood work is normal except for high liver enzymes and the CT scan shows some enlarged lymph nodes but all other organs are good. The vet keeps mentioning his old age but no statistics about how much anesthesiology might affect him. We know there is always risk. Any suggestions? Thanks
Hello Konna, I’m assuming your dog had anesthesia for the CT. I trust all went well, which is a good sign. In your case, I’m worried less about your dog’s age and more so about that fact that many drugs and anesthetic agents are metabolized in the liver. Since your dog’s liver function may be compromised (which could be determined by bloodwork), if he did need anesthesia, I think the most important piece would be creating a “custom” protocol which took his liver function into account. Please talk to your vet for details. Thanks!
Dr Buzby,
Thank you so much for your reply! Yes, he had anesthesia for the CT scan and they commented that he came out of it very well. We are asking for bloodwork before surgery and will make sure to bring up the “custom” protocol you have mentioned. Thanks again!
To clarify, by “custom” I mean using drugs that take into account all of your dog’s issues…a wholistic anesthetic approach. I’m sure your vet will do a great job!
Yes, we asked about this and he said they would be working with all of the issues in mind. Thanks again!
Dear Dr. Buzby,
I have a 14 year old bichon who recently got hematoma. She’ also has Cushing’s disease but is under control. She is also taking antibiotics for her urinary infection. We tried to drain the blood to avoid surgery but it came back almost immediately.
Our Doctor suggests surgery but I am just so worry because of her current condition and age. I would love to hear your input.
Thank you.
Hi Angela, I certainly understand and respect your concerns about surgery with all of your dog’s issues. I always want to defer to your veterinarian’s recommendation because he or she has the advantage of hands-on assessment and a relationship with you and your dog. But I will just add one opinion–for many veterinarians today, aural hematomas are not treated surgically, and there are a LOT of opinions on how they should be treated and a lot of options. So perhaps it’s worth another discussion with your vet about non-surgical options and/or a second opinion. I wish you and your dog all the best in getting this successfully resolved.
My almost 12 year old Shiba Inu has been treated for arthritis in his back with medacam and gabapentin for 2 years. I took him for a dental cleaning in June and he hasn’t been the same since. He had severe pain with crying and anxiety for over a week before it was relieved. He was very active but has declined and now seems confused and tired. He stares at the wall, walking in circles to the left and licks his lips. He paces the house at night and has Vision problems. I too him to the vet who suspects he may have a brain tumor. He was now placed on 5mg Prednisone twice a day and showed some improvement but still seems lost and paces the house and sleeps a lot . He eats well and drinks plenty of water. He is only taking prednisone and gabapentin and pepcid ac now. Vet says we can do an mri but at his age it is a risk with no upside. Any suggestions to help him? Thank you
Dear Amalia,
I’m glad that the pain and crying are no longer an issue. I know how difficult it is to see your faithful companion in such a state. I’m so sorry. I have to confess that as I read your comment, I didn’t have any immediate brilliant suggestions! So I reached out to some trusted colleagues for help and many of them suggested a diagnosis of canine cognitive dysfunction (doggie dementia), worsened by anesthesia. The good news is that this can often be helped by diet, supplements, and medications (or some combination therein). I would recommend reaching out to your vet to discuss this as a possibility. Unfortunately, the symptoms you describe could fit an array of conditions from metabolic disease to brain tumor and referral to a specialist for further work up is perhaps another option worth discussing with your vet.
I have an7 year old half jack russsel half chihuahua with CHF, an enlarged heart that pushes on his Trachea which then causes him to cough a lot do to him basically choking. He also has a hernia on his right butt, right around his anal gland. His doc says we can’t do surgery for it because of the CHF…he’s in pain every day…there isn’t anything we can do for that?
Dear Jackie,
I think the best thing to do in your situation would be to get a second opinion. I’m of the firm belief that two heads are always better than one and hopefully you’ll get peace of mind on the issue.
I have a 15+ year old dog whose teeth aren’t terrible, but my vet wants to do a cleaning. He’ll use propofol and sevoflurane, and potentially some local anesthetic, if necessary. She has had intermittent seizures over the past 2 years (he wanted to clean her teeth 2 years ago to avoid having to do it later, but then she had her first seizure and so we didn’t do it). It seems that stress can induce a seizure. I’m so nervous about having this procedure done. She doesn’t appear to be in pain. I do trust my vet and he thinks it’s safe and should be done, but I can’t help being petrified! Thoughts? Should I do it if she’s not in pain, though waiting until she potentially is in pain doesn’t seem like a good idea either.
Hi Christine,
It’s great that your vet has discussed the anesthetic protocol with you. Obviously he is very conscientious and I would go with his recommendation to be proactive about her dental health. I agree that minimizing stress is always ideal, even without the seizure piece of the story. There are simple things you can do to minimize stress the day of the procedure, like sitting with your dog in an exam room through the pre-medication/sedation process until they are ready to take her back to induce anesthesia and being there to help her wake up once she’s through the initial recovery. I’d recommend discussing your specific concerns with your vet.
Hi Dr. Buzby!
I adopted Fluffy, a 14 year old wheaten mix from the SPCA about a year ago. He had a mole on the top of his left ear that got clipped by a groomer we took him to, which slowly developed into this golf ball sized mass. There were no real signs of it hurting him, possibly a little irritation as he would occasionally rub his ear on the wall or the couch. I had taken him to the vet quite often to figure out how to clean it or get rid of it, but the only option was to put him under anesthesia. I didn’t want to do it only because I felt like it really didn’t bother him, however as months passed it started giving off this terrible scent. So a few days ago I decided to have them clean the mass while under anesthesia—a full removal was a little too expensive for me. The whole process lasted about 15-20 mins. Anyways, the day after he was unable to stand on his back legs, seemed highly disoriented and extremely weak. I immediately called the vet and they hydrated him all day with intravenous fluids and I believe gave him some sort of steroid shot for his back legs. He seems to be doing better now although is still very weak and is not eating any food. Did I make the wrong decision? Is this normal? If not, what should I do. I hate to see him like this. It’s breaking my heart.
Hi Kelsey,
I’m so sorry to hear about Fluffy’s difficulties after anesthesia/surgery. To answer your question directly, I absolutely believe you did the right thing. Sometimes dogs, like people, take some extra time to recover from anesthesia. It’s critical to get him eating as soon as possible. Usually supportive care and tincture of time do the trick, but certainly stay in close touch with your veterinarian.
Hi there, I have a 10 year old cocker spaniel and rabout 3 weeks ago suddently started losing strength in his legs and lost some appetite, for me it seemed like he was hurting when eating. I took him to the vet but since he’s a bit aggressive with strangers doctor couldnt check his teeth and instead ordered blood tests. Test results showed everthing was ok so doctor recomended to put him under anesthesia to check his teeth, still I noticed my dog had now trouble standing up and jumping and I asked the vet how that had anything to do with his teeth? then after a physical examination vet said my dog has osteoarthritis gave him antiinflammatory injection and pills to regenerate, and adviced that once he’s better we’d deal with his teeth. Currently my dog has been feeling better but still doesn’t seem his old self, so I’m not sure if he was correctly diagnosed and also I’m very scared about putting him under anestesia to check his teeth; my question is should I get a second opinion or to just continue with doctor’s advice even though I know my dog is not 100% with his levels of energy still?
Hello Alejandra, I’m so sorry that your dog is not 100%. I know that is hard on both the dog and the caretaker when a dog is sick. I think you are right in your desire to pursue this and get to the bottom of it. Whether it be with your regular vet or through a second opinion, I would encourage you to follow up with a veterinarian on the issue of your dog’s loss of strength and the fact that he still just doesn’t seem like himself after the initial course of treatment. One thing that I will mention is the concept of Fear Free Veterinary Practices: https://fearfreepets.com/fear-free-directory. If you do decide to pursue a second opinion, this might be your best chance for having an oral exam performed without the use of sedation. I hope this is helpful!
Dear Dr. Buzby,
My 15 year old foxhound mix (68 lbs) has a Mast tumor on his belly about the size of a tangerine. Why did it get so large you may ask? Well, upon veterinary advice, we thought it was a fatty tumor but just recently grew in size and became dense which raised the red flags.
We are still waiting on more information, but assuming his blood work is good (he had great stats earlier this year “like a 5 year old”) and taking into account he has a low grade heart murmur that has not gotten worse in over 7 years, should we get surgery for the tumor? I know mast tumors can metastasize and also the location on his belly appear to make it uncomfortable to lay down on his stomach. But my worry is eating me up – our dog is our child. I want to make the best choice for him, so any advice you could give would ease my mind.
Many thanks
Dear Elizabeth,
I’m so sorry to hear of your dog’s situation. Mast cell tumors can be particularly tricky and it may be worth getting a consult from a veterinary oncologist and/or surgeon on recommendations for removal. In your case, I’m not only concerned about anesthesia at 15, but also about how to handle this mast cell tumor. That’s not to say that anesthesia and removal are not the right option…it’s almost surely the right option…but I’d want you to be clear on the prognosis (expected outcome) and treatment plan (short and long term) before surgery. All the best to you both!
I have a 16 year old Corgi. She has a eye tumor that has been growing for a little over 6 months now. I am worried about putting her under anesthesia because of her age. The growth does not seem to bother her, but she also can’t speak for herself and let me know if she’s in pain or if it’s bothering her. I just don’t know what to do.
Dear Kaylee,
I’m so sorry to hear about your dilemma. I can certainly understand your concern with anesthesia in a 16-year-old dog. I would urge you to discuss this with your vet. If the eye mass is causing rubbing on the eye and thus setting her up for secondary problems, like a corneal ulceration, we always recommend removal. However, if it’s not bothering her, then it may be fine to leave it. Generally, in this case, I don’t associate these with pain. Of course the problem is that masses (especially around the eye), are much easier to remove when smaller than larger. In short, I doubt “pain” is an issue here, but I’d ask your vet for advice on what to do. All the best to you both!
I have a 14 year old labrador cross and he has a quite large lump under his tail that has started to open up and smell,he is still very responsive and he is eating and drinking as normal he is still able to go to the toilet on his own .He is still a healthy little boy other than him having that lump. but my question is would it be too much of a risk to consider him going through surgery to have the lump removed.I would love to be able to see if there would be an alternative other than having him put too sleep.
Dear Liam, I’m concerned based on both the location you describe and the fact that the mass (lump) is now ulcerated and smelly. I would recommend having the mass evaluated asap by your veterinarian. Since your dog is in such great shape otherwise, depending on the location and surgical prognosis (expected outcome), your vet may start by aspirating some cells to try to determine what type of mass this is (ie. benign or malignant). I think based on that information you could make some very informed decisions about where to go from here on a possible anesthesia and surgery. I certainly wouldn’t rule out surgery as the best option for your dog, but will default to your hands-on regular veterinarian to help you determine the best plan for your senior guy.
I just put my dachshund to sleep last night, he was 13 years old. Earlier this week he started to swell on the right side of his mouth, the second we noticed it we decided to bring him to the vet the next morning. That morning it was much more swollen. The vet found what it was, and it was a fractured tooth with abscess, cutting into his gum line and cheek. With a very bad infection. The 3 options I had was too do surgery, which got ruled out because of he had a heart murmur and when they took his xrays, the vet strongly advised against surgery because of how big his heart was and possible valve disease. My next options after that was to let him live on antibiotics and pain meds, hoping be wouldn’t be in pain , or to put him to sleep. Did I make the wrong decision with not still doing the surgery? Even though vet strongly advised against it?
I just feel so guilty. But you could tell his quality of life wouldn’t be good.
Dear Erika, I’m so sorry to hear of the loss of your dog. I’m sure you are processing a lot of emotions right now and I want to promise you that guilt should not be one of them. You obviously loved your dog dearly and made the best decision you could given his pain, other pre-existing health conditions, and the recommendation of your veterinarian. I hope you can find peace in your decision. As hard as it is, euthanasia is often the last gift we give our dogs and it sounds like your veterinarian certainly believed this was the case. Please accept my deepest sympathies. I know it is so hard.
Erika,
I am in the same situation right this minute. My 15 yiear old Papillon is ineligible for surgery due to her long list of conditions and I have been doing antibiotics and pain meds…. It worked great for the first few weeks and her swelling went away… Well, now they have come back with a vengeance and we are trying a different antibiotic. Having said that, I do not know how this can turn out well… Everything I have been reading says they must have the tooth taken out to end the infection! With everything we have been through, I cannot and do not want to believe it will be a TOOTH that will take her from me. I sympathize with your decision as I try to make the best one for her. I do not want to be selfish, but she is still eating and drinking and walking about…. I just feel helpless!
Hello Dr.Buzby,
We have a 12-13 yo rescue male Chihuahua/Dacschund mix that has had long term bad teeth and needs one or more dental extractions. He has exhibited signs of pain recently and I’m thinking dental as most likely source.
Overall he is in otherwise good health with the exception of exhibiting signs of a collapsing trachea (honking cough, hacking, and increasing reverse sneezing). We have not had xrays or scoping done to determine extent of the collapsing trachea.
Do you think he would do ok under anesthesia and what sort of treatment plan would you suggest given his age ??
He hasn’t needed to go to a vet other than for immunizations over the 8 years he has been with us and has been seen by a vet at local Petsmart. Should I seek out vet outside of the ones at Petsmart??
Than you,
Jim
Dear Jim,
Thanks for reaching out about your dog. There are not many anesthesia situations that make me nervous but I have to confess anesthetizing a dog with tracheal collapse is one of them. I want to be clear that this does not mean I am against the anesthesia. It sounds like his long-term dental issues have caught up with him and the procedure is necessary. But I would definitely have a discussion with your vet about your concerns regarding anesthesia at his age and anesthesia with his other issues. I would ask your vet if they are comfortable handling his anesthesia and procedure or if they’d recommend referral to a specialty facility for the procedure–in case there are any unexpected complications. I hope this helps and I wish your senior boy a safe procedure and a speedy recovery.
My 13 yr old dachshund has an abscessed tooth and is causing pain and difficulty eating. She has Cushings disease that is managed well with meds and has been living with it for 4 years. She is just tapering off Prednisone for a cervical disc issue and will have her last dose at the end of the week. What are your thoughts on the risks of anesthetizing her with both the Cushings and the prednisone? I know they both decrease immune system function and I’ve read that Cushings can be particularly risky for anesthesia. She does have mild CHF that is also managed through meds and has not progressed since starting treatment a year ago. Thank you in advance for your advice.
Hello Laura, You are correct in your concerns about the Cushing’s syndrome and prednisone impacting healing, but the flip side to this is that the infection is all the more serious too, since your dog’s immune system is impacted. It sounds like you have a fantastic veterinary team treating and monitoring your senior dachshund. Actually, the anesthesia, even in light of all your concerns, is the less of my worries. My main concern, in reading your story, is that when a dog is under anesthesia they do not have the ability to “guard” their spine. One of my highest priorities would be talking to your veterinary team to make sure everyone is on board with being meticulously careful during the procedure to move and manipulate your dog in light of the cervical disc issue. I would recommend a conversation with your veterinarian about the risk-benefit analysis and proceeding with confidence if your vet recommends it.
I’m sorry to hear about ur dog. My dachshund is 11 yrs old. The same problems. She did well thru each of her surgeries which were Many of the last 4 yrs. He last one on Oct 29th t have infected k9 teeth pulled wasn’t as good. It’s been a week and she’s not eating and has no life in her. She’s acting as if she has no brain activity. I’m taking her in Saturday morning to have her put to sleep. I don’t tell u this to scare u but just sharing my story. It helps. There’s always risk so u have to prepare for bad news just in case. But my beloved baby has had Many surgeries that were needed to keep her alive. If ur dog hasn’t had several times under anesthesia it’s a plus for her her. Say a prayer and hopefully She’ll do okay. I hope she does anyway. My prayers are with u.
Good morning, I am in the position of making a very difficult decision. My 12-year-old German Shepherd/English Setter, Gracie developed a swelling on the right side of her face that came on abruptly alittle over a week ago. Not knowing the cause was disheartening as I take such good care of her since she has PLN (Protein losing nephropathy) and is on a very strict diet of turkey/barley/cooked veggies that was formulated by a vet/nutritionist in addition to taking Enalapril 10 mg twice a day. We, (her DDS and I ) decided to obtain xrays to see the cause and because of her current diagnosis, and the fact that she receives Enalapril twice a day for her PLN, the anestisiologist decided to give her only a small amount of propofol. Gracie did fine and awakened promptly and the xray revealed periapical lucency-indicating bone lysis and non vital tooth #108. The DDS feels the pros of extraction far outweigh the cons and said it would not be uncommon for the abscess to return over and over again causing not only pain but damage to other organs. Both the Anesthesiologist and Dentist said they would ver very careful given her history but I just need someone to tell me I’m making the right decision. Gracie had an adjacent tooth extracted because of a fracture when she was 9 and did just fine but now she is 12. Even though she has a great appetite and still walks up to 2.5 miles a day, this whole process is extremely scary. I would so appreciate any advice or reassurance you can give. Thank you and God bless.
Annie
Sent from Dr. Buzby’s ToeGrips for Dogs
Dear Annie, Your comment brings me a smile because you are in such great hands! Look at all you have going for you: a veterinary anesthesiologist who understands Annie’s unique needs and will carefully choose and titrate anesthetics to be as safe as possible; a veterinary dentist who was able to make the diagnosis and will be able to cure Annie with a routine extraction; the dentist’s clear recommendation that extraction is the absolute best option (so nice that it’s not a grey zone here!); and a clear picture of the alternative. (I completely agree with the dentist’s concern that this could be a recurring nightmare if not addressed aggressively–i.e. extraction.) Because you have done your homework and have such a talented veterinary team caring for your Gracie, plus you did such a great job of clearly presenting it to me…I feel confident standing behind the vets who have advised you to get this done for Gracie. I hope this brings you some peace of mind. Please follow up and let us know how everything goes. Thank you!
Hi Dr Buzby,
Thanks in advance for your help and advice. We have a 14 and a half year old lablab named Breagan. Health wise she has glaucoma in one eye but otherwise no issues. We did bloodwork and xrays a few months back, nothing negative. Unfortunately over the past 9 months or so she has developed lar par. Our vet says its not that bad in comparison to other cases and she isn’t sure surgery is necessary. She can still walk a mile or so (though a bit loudly) and loves to play fetch or run on the beach. Ive noticed her breathing getting a bit louder and more whistly as of recent. This scares me, but ive been nervous to even look into surgery because of her age. I want her to have the best quality of life possible, but also nervous if she did have surgery shed be miserable in recovery. Also to note, she has a sensitive tummy and is on prescription food, not sure if she could still have that after surgery? Again, thanks for your input, she is my world!
Hi Steph, I love how you describe your relationship with Breagan, as your world. Clearly, you want the best for her and this comment is one tiny part of the puzzle as you research what is the best way to manage her condition(s) as she ages. Laryngeal paralysis can be a frustrating diagnosis. I am personally not a fan of the tieback surgery for most of my lar par cases, but I have had some success with medical management using a drug called doxepin. I refer you back to your veterinarian to continue the discussion, but here’s a link with current, solid information for your consideration: https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4952489
The GREAT news for you both is that as the weather changes (cooler/less humidity), I expect she will do better. I’m not sure where you are located, but I’m guessing this is not something you’ll really have to think hard about until the weather starts to warm up in the spring. Heat, and even more so humidity, are devastating for lar par dogs. If you’ve ever dreamed of moving to Alaska, now is the time. 🙂
I actually have a similar problem to one above. My dog is 17 years old. He’s been whining and howling a lot recently and it is unlike him. He never howled in his life. We were thinking it was probably separation anxiety since we were all out of the house last Friday for an entire day and he’s usually not alone for more than 5-6 hours. That’s when the howling and crying started. A family member took him to the vet for me today just to rule out anything else. The vet said that he does have an abscess on his tooth and told our family member that he would need to go under anesthetic to have his teeth cleaned but that he should go home and have a chat with us since there are risks involved.
The thing is, it’s not just his age. He’s been on medication for the past year for congestive heart disease. He has a grade 3 heart murmer. I am extremely worried than going under means that he won’t wake up.
Dear Geraldine, I’m so sorry that you are faced with making such difficult decisions. Certainly, you are right to be concerned about anesthesia in a senior dog with a heart condition. Depending on the details of the diagnosis, it’s possible that a course of antibiotics could serve as a “band-aid” solution. It’s also possible that the mouth is not the cause of the whining/howling, and there is still more to the story. Since your family member was left to relay information, I would recommend you connect with your vet asap to discuss options, pros-cons, and risks and go from there.
My male lab is 12.5. He started having some swelling in his face right above one of his molars. Took him right to the vet. They were not convinced it was 100% a tooth abscess or a growth. They took a sample but still not sure. Gave us antibiotics and the swelling is coming down. Now I am faced with the decision of having a dental cleaning and extractions. We did pre op blood work and everything was normal except slightly elevated creatine but on the low side of high.. any advice?? My regular vet is on vacation so we saw someone else. He will be calling me when he gets back in town Monday. Thanks I am so worried.
Hi Kathleen, I trust you and your regular veterinarian have worked this out by now and hopefully all is well. I know anesthesia is always worrisome, but I would have no qualms about anesthetizing a 12-year-old lab, who was otherwise healthy, for a dental procedure. I’d much rather do it at 12 than at 15. I’d also prefer to do the procedure when the dog was stable without raging inflammation as opposed to doing the procedure as an emergency oral surgery due to acute pain and infection. If your vet is still recommending anesthesia for treatment/extractions, I would rest assured it’s the right option.
Hi Dr Buzby, My 12 year old Lasso Apso has been diabetic for 3 years now. As he’s aged his teeth have now become a problem and our vet wants to remove some of them. Is it safe for diabetic dogs to have anesthics at his age?
Hi Janice, I certainly understand your concern about anesthesia with your dog’s age and preexisting condition, but I would trust your vet here. Diabetic patients don’t handle chronic infection (such as what is happening in your dog’s mouth) very well. It sounds like the risk of not doing anything is greater than the risk of the procedure. Senior dogs with diabetes can be safely anesthetized, and I would follow up with your vet.
Hi there. I have a 15 year old cocker spaniel. His breath over the last few months has been atrocious. I know he’s due for a cleaning and desperately needs grooming (he fights us badly these days, so his hair and nails are longer than the should be), but I’m terrified to put him under to take care of these issues. He sleeps more now and his breathing can seem a little labored at times, like he has a congested chest or something. Otherwise, he still loves to play, eats and drinks well, etc. His vet voiced concerns on his age vs anesthesia, but he’s never had any health issues and still seems spry. The vet even didn’t believe he was as old as he is because of how great his teeth looked (a couple years back). I can’t decide if the pros outweigh the cons, and whether or not the vet just isn’t comfortable because he doesn’t trust himself or he genuinely feels that it’s not a good idea for my old man. Do you have any advice?
Hi Sara,
First of all, I think you are doing a fabulous job of asking the right questions. I would advise you to humbly have this conversation with your veterinarian (and be sure to bring up your concern about your dog’s occasional breathing issues). If your vet is not fully confident in the anesthesia, I would ask for a referral to a specialty facility. It’s a nice way to get a second opinion on what’s best for your dog with experts in anesthetizing more challenging cases.
I am fostering a 10 year old, obese (we’ve lost about 15 pounds so far but still have at least that much to go) dog. He has congestive heart failure, just beat a fungal infection in his lungs this spring, arthritis in his back, slightly enlarged spleen, probable prostate cancer, just finished 2 full rounds of antibiotics for a UTI (not sure it’s fully gone yet) and his teeth are in dire need of cleaning and some extractions. Nobody thought he’d survive the winter, but here he is, still hanging in there. We’re going to our vet and the shelter’s vet next week to talk about options but I’d love a third opinion. Given his medical issues, it is my opinion that his immune system is probably in pretty bad shape and infection may be a part of life for him now. I also think putting him under anesthesia for the dental work would be pretty risky, however, if he’s not in pain now from his teeth, he will be soon. Any thoughts on anesthesia risks or other options to help his teeth that may not require anesthesia?
Dear Cindi,
The advantage the vet and shelter vet have in providing you advice is that they get to work with your sweet foster dog first hand. So certainly their advice trumps mine. Did the two rounds of antibiotics seem to improve the health of his mouth? I worry that he has some sort of underlying endocrine disease (such as Cushing’s disease) causing him to be obese and have a weakened immune system. With him, I think you might need to “peel the layers of the onion” so to speak, and treat his issues in a sequence until he is healthy enough for anesthesia for his dental procedure. Again, I defer to the two vets who’ve been able to give him a thorough hands-on exam. God bless you for fostering him and I hope he lives and thrives for many more years.
Hello Dr. Buzby,
I just found your blog and this particular post. Your story sounds almost exactly like what happend to my Archie. I have been searching around trying to find information to help me make sense of my dogs’ recent passing (last Thursday afternoon, November 8, 2018). He had just come out of a dental cleaning and had a few teeth pulled; he was still on the monitors as they were finishing up and his heart stopped. Apparently they tried to revive him by CPR (not sure about other drugs) to no avail. In my haze of hysterical disbelief, I remember the vet vaguely referencing a possible blood clot. Archie was older (13-15) but in excellent health. We had done full blood work, and exam (his heart was deemed “very strong”), etc. a week or so ago. His last dental was one and a half years ago and he’d done fine. (He was a Chihuahua and had horrible teeth so dentals over the years had been called necessary…) This time, the vet had not gone over any special risks present for him at this time. Had I known there was extra-high risks, I probably wouldn’t have done it. I am wondering if it was a blood clot, what caused the clot? And do you think the clot would have been present prior to the surgery, or formed as a result of the surgery? Could he have been under anasthesia too long, or been overdosed? If so, how would I determine any of this? For my own peace of mind, I need to try to find out what happened to my sweet little Chihuahua. I would appreciate any and all feedback and advice. Thank you!
Dear Carrie,
I feel your pain acutely. I’m so very sorry for your loss. The likelihood is that you will never have the answers to these questions. My father died of a blot clot he developed post-surgery, so I really understand. I hope that you will be able to find peace in knowing that you were doing what was recommended and best for his long-term health having been prone to horrible teeth. I would have made the same choice for my own dog. I know your veterinarian grieves along with you. Please accept my deepest sympathy.
My nearly 15 year old mini schnauzer has been yelping when I very gently pet her head. I’m guessing she has some very bad teeth that need to be pulled as she just had a check up at the vet a couple days ago. She has congestive heart failure, so the vet mentioned a few months ago that while her teeth were bad it was too risky to have them pulled. Now that’s she’s yelping & feeling very lethargic however, I’m not sure what I should do. Will they just eventually fall out & will the pain go away if so?
Hi Candace, Thanks for the comment. First of all, I wouldn’t assume that the yelping when petting her head is due to her bad teeth. It’s possible that is the reason, but I would worry more about an ear infection, neck pain, etc. I think it’s worth getting her another exam for this specific issue, even though she’s recently been seen. My gut feeling is that there is something else going on.
But to address your questions about the teeth–dogs do lose teeth, but because of the nature of the shape and number and length of their teeth roots, it’s very, very unlikely that her teeth will fall out and the pain will then subside on her own. If your veterinarian is uncomfortable with the anesthesia (which I understand and respect), it might be worth asking about a referral to a specialty facility for a second opinion where they have a board-certified anesthesiologist who could handle the procedure.
My 16 yr, 3 mo. old minature dachshund is blind, deaf, and has dementia. Took her to vet with swelling under a runny eye and he said her teeth and gums are severely infected. Her last dental was 3 yrs ago, and I have been paranoid about having a dental due to her age and putting her to sleep. I have an appointment to have the dental and obviously a number of extractions. I am so upset and torn. The surgery will be so painful to her and experiencing that seems almost intolerable for her and me. I want the best for her, but am I being selfish to put her through this? She still knows to potty and eat, but sleeps most of the time. She knows me by smell and touch and “looks” for me when she awakens. With just us 2, she’s ok but is most confused when anyone else comes around, and yes, she does have periods of anxiety, particularly late afternoons. Her quality of life and what she has left is so important to me.
I would most appreciate your comments.
Hi Phyllis, I sincerely understand your concerns and appreciate all that you expressed in your note. What I read as your main concern is your dog dealing with post-operative pain. You may indeed have 3-5 rough days or so after the procedure, but your veterinarian will likely send home a combination of anti-inflammatories and pain medications which will help her get through it. Dogs don’t complain and they adjust to the status quo. And it sounds like your dog’s status quo is very painful and her body is constantly fighting infection. Often dogs like yours show a dramatic improvement in quality of life once they get through the healing process (which usually takes 2-3 weeks). Please follow up with your veterinarian to discuss your concerns in detail so that you have peace of mind about your decision. All the best to you and your dog!
Read your post & concern, my dachshund has a tooth problem & he is 15 years & 6 months old. I, too, not sure what to do. He also has a heart murmur. It’s such a hard decision. I have been giving him baby aspirin from time to time for the pain. I feel so bad & not sure what to do. let me know how your dachshund made out with this problem.
Thank you,
Karen S Arnold
Hello Karen, I’m so sorry to read of your senior dachshund’s health issues and the decisions you face. I’m curious what your veterinarian is recommending for your dog. Since he or she has listened to your dog’s heart and looked in his mouth, weighing the pros and cons of the procedure, I think they are the best qualified to help you navigate this decision. Even though it can be daunting, I’d encourage you to reach out to them with all your questions to try to find peace in your decision. Indeed there is always a risk, but the alternative seems to be having your dog living in pain from something that should be curable with a procedure. Incidentally, I’m so glad you wrote because I would not recommend giving your dog aspirin, but please follow your vet or cardiologist’s recommendations on medicating as well!
My 16 yr old poodle just had dental surgery and did pretty well under anesthesia. But once home for about 6 hours seemed confused, didn’t walk very well and had some shivers. After getting him to drink water he seemed to be better. Today when he has been asleep and wakes up for a few minutes seems not able to use his back legs. I put him on the the floor and after some wobbling can then walk slowly. Is this from being put under? And will it be permanent? Vet really didn’t Want to put him under because of age and the fact that I’m very emotional when it comes to him.I think he was more concerned with my reaction if he didn’t make it. Health wise he seems to be in pretty good shape for his age. He had been on an antibiotic every 6 weeks for this and then twice he had lumps come up under his eye. I just though he needed it done but if he hadn’t made it, I would have always blamed myself for his death. But just wondered about his walking being a permanent issue.
Thanks,
Sally
Dear Sally, I’m so sorry to hear about your dog’s struggles post anesthesia. I was out of the country for a bit so I know this answer is delayed, but I would suspect this issue is improving daily with the tincture of time. Unfortunately, there are many possible causes for what you describe, ranging from anesthetic complications to a side effect from pain medications to a back problem, which could have been exacerbated during the dental procedure. I trust your veterinarian has guided you through this issue and I certainly hope that your dog is doing very well at this point.
I have a -yo mini dachshund with a level 4/5 heart murmur, renal disease, and now an inguinal hernia that as fine for 2-years but in the past 4 days has allowed the intestinal loop to pop out with any exertion. I am able to reduce it each time and she is not in pain. We are away for the summer and not near our regular vet. I called to let him know and he advised that we have surgery ASAP. We took her to the local ER who told us that it was not an emergency and with all of her health issues surgery would be a great risk. She is happy and comfortable. She lets me “rub” her belly and reduce the loop without any pain. In fact she seems to enjoy it. I am so torn on what to do at this point. Our ER visit was yesterday. Do we go to another ER? Do we continue status quo? I am not ready to let go but want what it best for my fur baby.
Hi Michelle, I’m sorry for the delayed responses. I was out of the country for a few weeks this summer. I think the concern is that if the bowel loop would become twisted or in some way have a compromised blood supply, it would be a very painful, life-threatening emergency. So I understand both points of view–both your vet saying this needs to be addressed promptly and proactively and the ER doctor saying that it isn’t a life-threatening emergency at the moment. My concern would be if your dog is alone and this happens and you aren’t there to either reduce it and/or observe a significant change in symptoms, it could be a big problem. I think following up with a local GP vet in your summer location for another examination and opinion is the way to go.
I have an 11year old Huskyx Retriever, Kahia. Kahia was diagnosed with Addison’s DIsease 3 years ago, and has been maintaining healthy levels with constant medication.
At my recent visit to the veterinarian they had expressed concern about root exposure in some of her teeth. This seems like a very painful situation for my girl, and teeth extrication should be the next option.
Upon research I have learned that Addisions Disease and Anesthetics are not a good combination.
What are my risks? What are my options?
Dear Vanessa, It’s wonderful to hear that Kahia is doing so well. I am not averse to anesthetizing dogs with Addison’s disease. There are a few precautions which your veterinarian would take, to include trying to continue her normal medication routine, likely monitoring her electrolytes, and likely administering a supplementary dose of glucocorticoid at the beginning of anesthesia to help her cope with the physiological stress of the big adventure (since her body can’t produce its own cortisol). I say all this to say that her condition certainly needs to be accounted for in the anesthetic protocol and monitoring plan, but isn’t a reason to automatically forego anesthesia. And if you and/or your veterinarian aren’t comfortable with the risks, you could always go to a referral facility to have the procedure done with a board-certified anesthesiologist who would surely be comfortable handling anesthesia for your dog. I hope this helps as you look to the next steps.
My 12 year old dog has cancer, He is a candidate for 6 radiation treatments followed by 4 biweekly shots of oncept. He would have to go under anesthesia once a week for the radiation and my wife and I are concerned about it. He recently had to have a growth removed from his lip and had to go under. It took him about 3 days to get back to his “normal” self. We are worried that he might not be able to handle the once a week anesthesia and wonder if it comes down to a “quality of life” issue?
Dear Jerry, My heart hurts reading your comment because it’s such a weighty decision to make and I understand your concerns. In your case, I don’t think the decision is only about the anesthesia but also what the future holds for your dog even if the anesthesia goes smoothly. Ultimately, it’s a decision only you can make, but I think the key is to get as much information as you possibly can from your dog’s healthcare providers and, as a couple, decide what is best for your dog. This sounds very unscientific, but I truly believe you will make the right choice.
Hi, I have really read this post and comments with interest as I am really not in a great place right now with regards to my 12 year old springer. He has had arthritis for some time now which is managed averagely ok with meds but 2 months ago he was walking on the lead and tripped and tore his cruciate ligament. The vet has suggested operating is out of the question given his age and existing arthritis but while meds/course of injections initially saw improvement, over the last few weeks he doesn’t seemed to have moved forward.
I would really appreciate your views on firstly operating and secondly if things could get worse?
Thanks so much
Hello Rhian, Great question. I am an integrative veterinarian who practices predominantly acupuncture and am not quick to rush into surgery for any situation. However, a torn ACL in a bigger dog is a situation where, over the years, I’ve really come to prefer surgery as the best option for my patients. In my experience it yields the quickest return to function, least long term side effects (less debilitating arthritis in that joint long term, for example) and is most sparing for the other hind leg. (Keep in mind that the other hind leg is now at risk for the same injury because of your dog’s compensatory gait:Compensatory Injury in Dogs
That is only my opinion, but I suspect there are actually scientific papers out there on the pros and cons of ACL surgery in senior dogs. I would encourage you to have an open discussion with your veterinarian about exploring all the options for treatment, including surgery, given that your dog has not responded that well to “conservative management” from what you describe. I’d also ask about the possibility of referral to an orthopedic surgeon for the procedure, so you’d essentially be getting a second opinion when you meet with him/her on your options and concerns. As a final word of advice, I would recommend you pursue a relationship with a veterinary rehab professional. Whether you do or do not choose to pursue surgery, this would be very valuable for your dog. You can find a local practitioner here: http://www.rehabvets.org/directory.lasso.
My dog Toby is a Multipoo and in great health. He’s 10 years old. He needs his teeth cleaned. I’m afraid to have Anesthesia done. Very afraid! However I don’t want him to have dental issues and end up having problems because I neglected his teeth.
Any reassurance that you can provide me would be helpful!
Hello Jeffrey, You asked for reassuring words and here they are: You are actually in a great position! Your dog is only 10 (yes a senior, but relatively “young” for the breed) and is in great health. Now is a great time to have the procedure done, especially if you can follow up with daily home dental care to help slow the progression of dental disease for the future. (For more information on home dental care, please check out my article: Dental Care for Dogs.) You are acting in the realm of preventative care versus crisis care, which is the ideal situation for action and the safest place for anesthesia.
My 99% beagle/1% west highland white terrier is almost 13 years old. She has not slowed down yet. I take her 2x yearly to the vet for wellness visits. The only surgery she has had, next to a spay when she was a puppy, was for kidney stones a couple years back. She had both struvite and oxalate, along with a urinary tract infection. She never acted differently, until one day I cam home, and she couldn’t get off the bed. Took her to the emergency vet service and found out she was full of kidney stones. All is well now, but she has a small lump under the right eye. Took her for a check up, and they believe it’s an abscess. They gave a round of antibiotics but feel surgery is not the way to go because of her heart murmur – 3 on a scale of 1-6. If the antibiotic doesn’t clear it up, and it keeps coming back, do we just monitor for it getting worse and keep treating with antibiotics? She has had no x-rays, and they felt that they really couldn’t see anything unless she has a cat scan, for which they would need to sedate. I don’t want to lose my Lily due to anesthesia, and she isn’t in any pain that I can see, but do I just continue to let her live with an abscess?
Hello Mary Ann, Great questions! I appreciate your concern in this matter. First of all, I would not recommend just letting your dog live with an abscess because they are painful and often cause fever. They just make the dog feel crummy. But the lump under the eye could be any number of things, including an abscessed tooth root. Perhaps the prudent next step would be aspirating the lump to determine what it might be. This can be done without anesthesia and is very “minor” in the realm of pet vet experiences. You can learn more about aspiration of lumps by listening to my podcast where I talk with Dr. Sue, cancer vet: The Myths and Misconceptions of Cancer in Dogs. Hopefully, this will yield more answers for you and then a better idea of appropriate treatment.
This story hits close to home for me. I have a shitzu that’s around 13 years old.. he has bad teeth and I believe it’s creating issues for him.. his eyes have like a film over them.. he keeps sneezing and squinting his eyes a lot..plus I seen a small amount of green mucus in his nose.. I had his teeth worked on twice..both times they removed several teeth..which last time his sutures came undone and I had to take him to emergency vet.. I took him to my vet and we put him in antibiotics..which he has one day of meds to take . But it’s like I think the antibiotics didn’t work ..I was reading some where if he’s on Prednisone for his back… maybe that would keep the antibiotics from working..i just took him back to the vet yesterday and the vet said he was too old to have any more teeth removed but and just to let him be though.
Hello Michael,
I’m so sorry to hear that your shih tzu is having these problems. Indeed, chronic prednisone use can impact the immune system and healing, so I understand your concern there. Squinting of the eyes can be a symptom of generalized pain, as well as ocular issues. It’s certainly possible that fistulas (tracts) in his mouth have formed and are causing the nasal discharge and squinting eyes. This should be something a veterinarian could determine on a thorough exam of the mouth. Of course, there also may be no correlation. I certainly respect your veterinarian’s concerns and recommendations, but since everything you list may be totally curable, perhaps you could inquire about a second opinion with a specialist. There are board-certified veterinary dentists throughout the country (often working at places that have a board-certified veterinary anesthesiologist). I think it’s a discussion worth having if you would be willing to go see a specialist.
Hi Dr Buzby in a bit of a dilemma at the moment my 14 year old dogs who is really still well for his age, with no heart, kidney, liver issues or lung issues but has absolutely horrible breath, really bad and with very swollen neck lymph nodes.. Had probably about 1 year. He had blood test undertaken and he has low lymphocytes, nothing else is wrong with the blood tests and he has a few small swollen pea size lymph glands on other parts of his body. He eats but not quite as well, sleeps a little more but when awake is quite alert and I take him walking everyday, doesn’t vomit, poos normally, but at times does gag or like clearing the throat. Vet said he has lymphoma by his swollen glands and bad teeth, they advised not getting his teeth done due to the lymphoma/cancer. So unsure if getting his teeth done would effect the lymphoma.
Hello Robyn, Thank you for the comment. I recommend that you double check with your vet to confirm if an aspiration has been done of the lymph nodes to confirm lymphoma. This is a very simple test that takes a few seconds. (Cells are gathered from a tiny needle stick into the lymph nodes for a pathologist to assess on a slide). The diagnosis of lymphoma should be pretty black and white. If it is indeed lymphoma, I would probably manage your dog’s mouth “medically” and not do anesthesia. However, I’d definitely want to confirm the diagnosis because an infected mouth alone could cause enlarged lymph nodes as the body reacts to the bacteria and inflammation in the mouth. In that case, anesthesia and dental care could be curative. Finally, I would encourage you to have another chat with your vet and ask about confirming the diagnosis through FNA (fine needle aspirate). I hope it works out to be a best case scenario!
Thank you so much Julie for your reply, really appreciate it. You are truly wonderful to give us advice. THANK YOU SO MUCH
Hi Julie They feel it is definitely lymphoma by the cell count low and all glands swelling and also back leg a little swelling now. Im still concerned as they have said he has infected teeth so can an infected tooth cause all symptoms mimicking lymphoma. Should anything else show up in blood test for lymphoma, I have read it should also show elevated calcium and high liver enzymes. He is starting to deteriorate his breath smells so rotten. His temp is normal. Will a blood test show up in a culture of bacterial or fungal and also how do they test for cancer markers, do these show up in lymphoma. I suppose for me a bad long standing tooth infection must create problems. Thanks you Julie
Hello Robyn, I’m sorry for the delayed responses. I was out of the country for a few weeks this summer. Indeed calcium can be elevated with lymphoma but it doesn’t have to be. The best and most straightforward way to diagnose lymphoma is to aspirate the lymph nodes for cytology (evaluation of cells) as I mentioned in my reply on 7/9. In my opinion that is the best diagnostic test for your dog’s situation. I do not think that an oral infection would cause all the lymph nodes to be enlarged, especially if they are massively enlarged as is typical with lymphoma. I think you are in good hands and I’m so very sorry that I don’t have better news.
Hi Again Julie
Can teeth that have been infected or bad for a long time cause low white blood cell count.. Thanks Robyn
Hello Robyn,
Good question! Sometimes an infection in the mouth is “localized” such that it won’t even affect the white blood cell count. But if it does become serious enough, I would expect any infection to elevate (not decrease) the white blood cell count.
Hi Again Dr Buzby Still have concerns regarding the dog with maybe lymphoma, no aspiration done and vets still saying its lymphoma by low white cell count and lower HCT in blood test, all other blood results normal, and all lymph nodes swollen, should lymphoma also show up as high calcium in blood test, his back leg has started to swell also. The problem for me still is the infected tooth, he has pus coming out the side of his mouth at times, can lymphoma cause that or can the teeth cause all of the symptoms I have mentioned. Is there a blood test or a bacterial or fungal culture which can be done to make sure that’s not causing all his problems. Just so confused. He is getting weaker, eating less but still no vomiting or diarrohea. Im worried they are missing something and it may be too late.
Hello Dr Buzby,
Thank you and everyone else who has posted.
I just cried for Teddy’s story and we have been through great loss before. Agonizing.
W have a 17 year old Pom, we know her teeth are bad, a few have fallen out and her breath awful, she has had 2 lots of antibiotics over the last year as we know she has dental issues and we are terrified of her going under anesthetic. She had blood work, and it showed her kidneys not too be as great as they should be as well as a heart murmur.
Her last vet check appointment was awful, we took her in and came out with a very different dog, she was terrified, couldn’t walk and we tought we would lose her, I think this was the stress ( I did ask them what happened I thought they had dropped her) she was a so distraught for a few days.
She has metacam only when we feels she needs it, but we want to do the right thing but what is the right thing? we are terrified of loosing her, she is the last of our 4 fur babies and want the best for her. I know you can’t say either way but what do you think of her chances.
Thank you so much for any words ~Andi
Hi Andi, I sense from your story how very difficult this decision is for you. I’m so sorry for your pain! If you are able, I think yours is the perfect situation for referral to a specialist. I would discuss with your vet the possibility of being referred to a facility where they could do the dentistry under the watchful eye of a board certified anesthesiologist. I invite you to listen to my podcast on this topic: Fear-Free Anesthesia in Dogs With Guest Dr. Ralph Harvey (veteran professor in the Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine in Knoxville, Tennessee.) It sounds like your sweet girl’s mouth is a source of pain and infection, and really needs to be addressed, but she has so many anesthetic risk factors that I’d absolutely choose a specialist to do the procedure, if she were my dog. If nothing else, you can have a discussion with them if you get the referral and they will give you very good information about “her chances” on a consultation exam. I hope this helps and provides you hope!
I have a 13-year-old lab mix who has never had a problem with anesthesia until now. He had his teeth cleaned about 6 weeks ago and ever since, has started sleep walking, seems confused and nervous for no reason, and when he’s sleeping, he jumps up suddenly into a standing position and seems scared and hangs his head as if someone hurt him. Don’t know what’s going on, but am very concerned, expecially about the sleep walking and confusion. His vet has no idea what to make of it.
Hello Catherine, I’m sure that is difficult to see your faithful companion in such a state. I’m so sorry. I have to confess that as I read your comment, I didn’t have any immediate brilliant suggestions! So I reached out to some trusted colleagues for help and many of them suggested a diagnosis of canine cognitive dysfunction, worsened by anesthesia. The good news is that this can often be helped by diet, supplements, and medications (or some combination therein). I would recommend reaching out to your wonderful vet (whom I love for their honesty) to discuss this as a possibility. Unfortunately, the symptoms you describe could fit an array of conditions from pain to metabolic disease to brain tumor and referral to a specialist for further work up is perhaps another option worth discussing with your vet.
Hi, I have an 18 year old minature dachshund, Marvin. He had his teeth cleaned 2 Year’s ago and is in need of a dental cleaning now. We have him on pulse therapy where he takes a week of antibiotics once a month to help his mouth. My vet does not want to use anesthesia on him because of his age. He had a dachshund patient that went into kidney failure shortly after being anesthetized. I know he needs a dental cleaning, but I am scared because I do not want to loose my boy. I know he is having some discomfort, but the antibiotics help. It drives me crazy because I work for a dentist! My husband is against him being put to sleep. I am not sure what to do!
Hello Roxanne, So many lovely parts to your story! I love that Marvin is 18, that you work for a dentist, that your husband is actively involved, and that your vet sounds very compassionate. I would definitely defer to your vet on this one. I am familiar with pulse antibiotic therapy and think it makes sense here. Will Marvin let you do daily home dental care to help keep his mouth healthy? If you really felt strongly about anesthesia for the dental procedure, I’d recommend you talk with your vet about referral to a speciality facility with a board certified veterinary anesthesiologist who would handle Marvin’s anesthesia. Ultimately, I think you and your vet need to, together, work through the risk-reward ratio.
Hello my dog is 15 years old and is going to have an oral mass on his lip removed. The Doctor said that it’s a risky procedure due to his old age. Do you think it’s the right move for him to have this surgery?
Hello Lilliana, Without understanding your dog’s history and doing a hands-on examination, this is a difficult question for me to answer. I hope I can provide some help to you in the form of these guiding principles: First, is your dog having anything else done besides the lip mass removal? For example, dental work? If it’s only the lip mass, depending on the size and location, it may be worth asking your vet if this is something that could be done under local anesthesia rather than general anesthesia. If general anesthesia is the recommended way to go (and it certainly may be the only realistic option), then I would ask your vet to talk to you about the risk-reward ratio. I think that’s a really critical conversation since the procedure has been deemed “risky.” Should you choose to proceed with anesthesia, another option which may help diminish the risk would be asking for referral to a specialty hospital where a board certified veterinary anesthesiologist would supervise your dog’s anesthesia.
My 12 year old has a tumor in his mouth the doctor wants to remove to check for cancer and has to put him under to do so. It was also determined he has a heart murmur along with a horrible cough that could mean more tumors on his lungs. He is still a happy, spunky dog but I’m concerned he won’t make it through surgery.
Hello Nicole,
I certainly understand your concerns about the procedure, and also understand your veterinarian’s concerns about your dog’s oral mass. The mouth is a common site for cancer, but benign masses (often “cured” by surgical removal) also occur in the mouth. Removing the mass for biopsy is the key to knowing what you are dealing with and how to treat it. In terms of your question about whether or not cancer is present in the lungs, I would recommend a 3-view series of chest x-rays. I’m sure your veterinarian has already discussed this with you, but this will yield good information on the health of your dog’s lungs and I’d definitely do this before making a decision on anesthesia. No anesthesia is required for the x-rays. It’s a fairly simple process. The information gathered in this step should help guide your next steps. I certainly hope you get nothing but good news as you proceed with tests and procedures for your dog.
I was very fortunate that when my 17 year old Miniature American Eskimo Dog, Fuzzhead, needed emergency dental surgery for an impacted molar he not only survived the surgery, but lived another happy 18 months without dental pain. However, the very real possibility that he might not have come back from anesthesia was certainly on my mind. My veterinarian and I discussed that hard cold fact, and I was gratified that she was direct and clear about both the risks, and the potential benefits. Thank you, Dr. Buzby, for this article. I hope it will reach many who face the decision I faced, and help them make the best choice even if it comes with a burden of risk. We all need to understand that along with the joy our companion critters bring into our lives, they will almost inevitably, in time, bring hard decisions, as well. Part of the compact we have with them is that we will be informed, caring surrogates and make those decisions with seriousness and with love.
Roberta, Thank you so much for your insightful comments! I really appreciate your perspective and couldn’t agree more. I trust that your words will also be helpful for other readers. Thank you again for taking the time to share your story.
I have a 10 yo 5 lb Yorkie who has had no issues with GA in the past. However he is now deemed high risk due to his lower treachea collapse. He has also had respiratory infection the we have been treating for a month. I am nervous to send him to get his dental procedure due to the trachea. The vet keeps just telling me it is high risk and we won’t knoe how he will do so it’s up to me. I want healthy teeth but I don’t want him to die when he isn’t having any eating problems yet.
Hi Ashley, I certainly understand your concern and would be remiss to put a dog under anesthesia for an elective procedure while he or she was fighting a respiratory infection. So if we assume that you would wait to see that resolved before anesthesia, the main concern becomes the tracheal collapse. Most dogs with tracheal collapse do well with a little extra TLC during the anesthesia process, especially in the immediate recovery period. However, certainly there is a greater risk for your dog and another option worth mentioning would be having the procedure done at a specialty facility where they offer 24-hour care if there are any complications. I hope this is helpful and would encourage you to keep the conversation open with your vet.
My 12 year old miniature dachshund had a steady growing tumor on his hip. We treated it with medication as much as possible. It had gotten so large that it almost touched the ground. We took him in to have as much of it removed as possible. Our vet told us the surgery was fine, but he didn’t wake from the anesthesia. It has been such a shock and so hard to understand. I read your recount of a similar experience, but everything I read before on several sites gave me confidence that it was extremely rare. He was so full of life. Healthy in every other aspect. I’m heartbroken and miss him more than I can state.
Dear Jennifer, My heart breaks with yours. I’m so sorry for your loss. I can promise you that your vet is also devastated. I don’t have any answers, but I do want to assure you that you and your vet as a team made what you believed at the time to be the best decision for your dog. It sounds like the tumor was so aggressive that you really had no choice. I’m so sorry for your loss.
My sweet 20 pd 13 year old Jack Russell Zoey is happy and active eats fine canned food as vet said give her 5 years ago when she had 33 bladder stones and surgery to remove them.
Well now age 13 her back top side teeth have bad very bad tarter build up. I was shocked when I saw it way back there in her mouth.
She doesn’t seem in any pain.I hear that bad teeth can cause heart and kidney issues etc.
Right now vet wants to clean teeth and said will have to extract any bad ones. IAM terrified! So scared she will die.
Blood work was all good except her liver count was 1,800..vet didn’t seem concerned but said normal was like 120!! What a difference.
What do u think and what if i wait to do surgery?
Hi Maria, Thanks for reaching out about your dog. First of all, I would ask your veterinarian for a deeper explanation on the elevated liver value. There is one liver value that can rise significantly as a benign change in older dogs or due to certain chronic medications, but typically we need to run a bit more testing to confirm that it’s nothing to worry about. The liver is one of the organs that processes certain types of drugs, so I think it’s worth learning more before anesthesia. As for the mouth, if it were only calculus, I would be less concerned, but I am guessing that Zoey also has periodontal disease if the vet is mentioning extractions. And if this is case, you’re right about the mouth being a reservoir for infection elsewhere in the body and I would also guess she is indeed in pain and has just gotten used to living with it. I would strongly recommend another conversation with your vet about your concerns and ask him or her to help you process the pros and cons. It’s a tough decision, but I guarantee you it won’t get any easier as the the months and years march on.
Please let me know if my response seems cold or don’t honor the vet!
I have a 10 year old Doberman and she has a cyst on her lower eyelid. Her doctor told us that as long as she isn’t bothered by it surgery is unnecessary. It has been growing recently and it’s started bothering her. She “itches” it by rubbing her eye on the carpet – we did get ointment to apply to the cyst to help with the discomfort. We discussed surgery, and her doctor wants to hold off until it is closer to her yearly dental cleaning so she’s only going under anesthesia once. My concern is that the last two times she’s had dental cleanings her heart rate dropped dangerously low and she needed medicine to bring it up/stabilize it. It took her a long time to come out of it too. I’m not sure if it’s safe for her to go under anymore considering her age and previous medical history. I’m not sure if this is relevant, but her former doctor retired so this is a new doc who has her medical information, but doesn’t know the nuances of my girl. I’d appreciate your thoughts and opinions.
Dear Sabrina, I understand why your veterinarian wanted to wait on the eye mass removal, but I certainly understand why you are now eager to have it removed since it seems to be bothering your dog. It seems like removal is imminent. As for her anesthesia, you’ve described a few things here worth discussing. As a general rule of thumb, for a dog without an underlying heart condition, I do not worry about a drop in heart rate PROVIDED the blood pressure is still strong. In my opinion, blood pressure monitoring is one of the most valuable measures of a dog’s stability and safety under anesthesia. So it’s hard to comment without knowing how her blood pressure was through all this. And there are a lot of different “anesthetic protocols” that can be used, some of which wear off quicker than others…some of which depress the heart rate more than others. This is my strong recommendation: I would set up an appointment to have your dog thoroughly examined by your new vet to make sure there are no other concerns for anesthesia, and explain all of your concerns from the past. Hopefully, your new vet can look in her records to determine a bit more about what went on with her heart rate and what drugs were used and learn from this to help ensure the next anesthesia is smooth and uneventful!
My dog is 18 years old with a heart murmur and takes Novox daily for her arthritis. She can barely see or hear, but normally she gets around pretty well. Just no stairs or jumping.
She has just been diagnosed with a herniated disk. They are recommending surgery. I am worried. Just going to the vet stresses her out, she almost hyperventilates whenever she goes. Now she is also in pain and I am worried about putting that much stress on her heart.
Is it too dangerous for her?
Her age, her heart. she is already wobbly on her hind legs just before she hurt her back. Would crate rest help her heal enough so she won’t be in anymore pain? Would novox be enough to handle her back and her arthritis? Would the surgery eliminate the pain even if she can handle the therapy?
I don’t know what to do. I just want her to live the rest of her life without pain and happy.
What do you think?
First of all, it’s wonderful that you have an 18-year-old dog. That just makes my heart happy. I know you are torn about the decision here, and it would be wrong of me to provide you definitive answers since I haven’t personally examined your dog. However, I’m happy to provide some guidance. You are right to be concerned about relieving her pain, and, in most cases, medications can handle that job. But depending on how severe her herniation is, it’s quite possible that she will never regain mobility without surgery. There are different degrees of herniation which manifest in different clinical signs. If she would have no “deep pain” ( a simple test your vet would have done during the exam), then surgery is absolutely the best option and time (hours) is of the essence. You have a very limited window to perform surgery and have a successful outcome. The vet who is working hands-on with your dog will be the right one to explain your options and associated prognoses (meaning the expected outcomes). If you do not do surgery, I would strongly recommend acupuncture and laser therapy. I hope your dog is quickly on the road to recovery!
My 14 year old pug’s breath is absolutely awful, the worst it’s ever been. Her last dental was about 4 years ago. I have a hard time seeing all her teeth but none feel loose. She doesn’t act in pain but I know she could be. Could tartar be causing her heinous breath or is it undoubtedly an infection of some sort? She has a heart arrhythmia and is on medications to help prevent her from passing out. Her cardiologist has deemed her a poor anesthesia candidate. Although she also has SARDS and is deaf and blind, she has a good quality of life and her very recent blood work was ‘truly remarkable’ per our vet. I have a feeling you would recommend following up with our vet and cardiologist! Thank you…
Hi Megan,
In light of what you describe, it is possible that a dental procedure under anesthesia would not be the best thing for her. Brushing her teeth daily may even be a good place to start to help with her breath, depending on what her underlying oral issues are. However, before changing anything in her routine, I would I would certainly recommend following up with your dog’s primary veterinarian for an exam and heart-to-heart discussion about your options.
My 14 year old Pug Lucy has an abscessed tooth. She is on a strict dosage of pain meds, anti inflamitory, and antibiotics. I am not sure what to do about possible surgery. The vet is not wanting to perform any tooth extraction due to her age. Wanting to see what someone else thinks about putting her under for the procedure.
Thanks
In my experience, it’s not possible to successfully and completely treat a true tooth root abscess with oral antibiotics in dogs. Typically it requires more invasive treatment. If you are concerned, perhaps you might consider a second opinion; however, it sounds like your vet is being very thorough in treating Lucy. I recommend scheduling a follow up appointment and voicing all your concerns in light of her progress.
Has your vet assessed Lucy’s health based on bloodwork/labs, exam, heart health, other specific to Lucy factors? Or is age the only reason they won’t consider the extraction? Though a nerve wracking decision, my 17 yr old dog went under 2 days ago with a succesful surgery, 28 extractions–and did well under anesthesia, see comment above. I was advised by 2 different vets that she was in good enough health to undergo anesthesia/surgery despite her age which was definitely considered. I would vote for getting a 2nd opinion and also respectfully asking your current vet what other criteria besides age are they basing their decision not to move forward with extraction, maybe there are some other limiting factors– I was also advised that antibiotic couldn’t successfully resolve the infection, then again my dog’s dental disease had progressed to a truly unmanageable state. Sounds like your doing a good job taking care of her and trying to find the right thing to do.
Thank you so much for writing and sharing this most difficult and tragic event, poor Teddy, sweet doggy. I wanted to let you know how much your experience helped me to make a decision to go forward with a dental procedure on my 17-year-old jack terrier mix. Her mouth was in horrible shape. At first, I had issues with covering costs financially but then as time and her dental issues progressed I had too much worry about her age and putting her under. Things started to get pretty bad at home bloody drool horrendous breath obvious signs of bad infection and After two vets for consults, one whom I trust with everything, they both agreed her best option was to go under and have the dental work done. She has Addison’s disease, a weak trachia and some other old doggy concerns but her bloodwork/labs showed her to be a healthy and good candidate for anesthesia. The alternative would’ve been to let her suffer and most likely the infection in her mouth would take her out. She’s home today and yesterday had 28 teeth extracted! She had already lost 9. She has 5 left 🙂 One upper and one lower canine so it looks like her tongue won’t be hanging out too much 😉 she did amazing on anesthesia , coming off of it was a little bit rough she whined, cried and yipped all night, but actually ate a little bit of food this morning 🙂 Point being the most important thing I found was to find a vet who is fully invested in your pet’s individual needs as far as what kind of anesthesia they will use, what they will have in place to supplement senior dog needs like IV catheter/Fluids,Radiograph digital imaging, monitoring by a team, vet, or anesthesiologist, and a clear picture of what to expect. I am so proud of my doggy for coming through and proud of myself for taking the time to understand why anesthesia isn’t necessarily a bad thing for a senior dog and making the right choice for her. Thanks again 🙂
Hello, Dr. Buzby,
I rescued a boxer (probably now around age 9) who was diagnosed with heartworms and treated. Several teeth were missing but he had/has no problem eating. When his breath became terrible my vet was able in the exam room, without anesthesia, to remove one very rotten, loose tooth. Caleb’s breath is now bad again, and he frequently is licking inside his mouth. My vet recommends his teeth be cleaned and I’m concerned about the risk of anesthesia and also wonder if his having had heartworms would increase the risk. My vet feels the dental would be safe but I’d appreciate your opinion. Thank you very much.
Hi Rebecca,
I definitely understand your concern, but I would go with your veterinarian’s recommendation. I’m worried that your dog’s mouth is painful. As I’ve said in earlier comments, I think doing nothing is not a viable option. If you have any concerns about heart issues (post heartworm, which is a valid point), I would recommend having your dog’s heart checked out by a cardiologist before the procedure and getting their hands-on recommendations for customized anesthesia for your dog.
Hi Dr. Buzby,
I have a 15 year old yorkshire terrier/ jack russell cross.
He has started last week to cough, which sounds like a honking goose type sound.
I immediately thought “elderly-small terrier-collapsed trachea”
I am going to take him to the vet, but i am worried about what they will do to find out.
If they want to xray him or put a camera inside his trachea, they need to anaethesise him. Im so worried that it would be dangerous to do so.
And of course if surgery was needed, he would have no option but to be anaethetsised.
He doesn’t show any sign of being in pain, he is still eating/drinking normally, and still wants to play.
He is a healthy dog, his only ever problem being a small heart murmor the vet spotted last year during his booster shots check-up. The vet said there was no need for heart murmor medication yet.
He used to honk-cough once in the morning and once at night, which the vet put down to this small heart murmor.
Unfortunately, a week or so ago, this twice a day honk-cough has escalated to maybe seven times a day.
Maybe the heart murmor is connected to the trachea problem i am suspecting, i just dont know.
All i do know is i am terrified to take him to the vet and lose him for the sake of an xray. Im so worried and upset, is he too old for this?
Many thanks,
Susie
Hi Susie, thanks for your detailed question. It’s obvious how much you love your dog! You mentioned that you are concerned about what might happen if you take him to the vet, but I’m 1000x more concerned about what might happen if you do not. Though you are correct that it could be coming from tracheal collapse, coughing is the number one symptom of cardiac disease in dogs. He definitely needs a physical exam and chest radiographs (x-rays) and he would NOT need to be anesthetized for this. Medications may now be necessary and, if so, do hold the potential to greatly help him feel better. Please call your vet today. Thanks!
Hi Dr. Buzby,
I have a 9 year old Chihuahua that will need a dental cleaning with anesthetic procedure due to infections on his gum. He has a heart murmur and weighs 10.7 lbs. He is recently diagnosed with a vertebral disc problem on his lower back and arthritis on his neck and he takes Metacam when needed. Would any of these health issues put him on a high risk of complications when anesthetic is administered?
Hello Evelyn. I appreciate your concern. The heart murmur does make him a higher anesthetic risk, but your veterinarian will take that into account when planning his anesthetic protocol. Certainly doing nothing also places him at high risk. Infection in the mouth can lead to bacterial showers in the bloodstream which could further damage his heart.
As for his vertebral issues, I would definitely point them out the morning you drop him off for the procedure. I’m sure he will be handled very gently, but by reminding the staff about his neck and back issues, it will help them remember to be EXTRA cautious when manipulating/moving him under anesthesia. Also, ask your veterinarian in advance of the procedure if you should stop or continue the Metacam around the time of the procedure.
I respect your desire to be proactive in doing all you can to keep him healthy!
Hello
My jack Russell is 13 and the vet says she is fine apart from ‘hideous’ teeth. He insists that following pre op health/organ tests she be given general anaesthetic and teeth cleaned then either no teeth extracted or about five teeth extracted depending on what he finds.
1. How necessary is this? Wouldn’t we know if our dog were in pain/distress and so needed anasthetic and extractions?
2. If not necessary for pain reasons, is it ok to put off the job until the dog needs it done? Is she more likely to suffer from dental problems in later years if we do not go ahead now? She is a rescue dog and we have had her for 2 years and so are unaware of any medical history. It looks like she still has all her teeth. Her breath does not smell.
3. Our previous dog was 14 and died a couple of months after general anaesthetic for something we did not deem necessary.
So we don’t want our current dog to go through this. Would we be doing her a disservice by refusing to have this done now?
Thank you very much
I know it may be hard to believe, but your dog absolutely can be in a lot of pain from his mouth and not have obvious clinical signs. Sometimes dogs DO have symptoms, such as chewing gingerly or only on one side, or they might have a swelling or discharge associated with infection in the mouth, but by far and away, most dogs show no discernible symptoms. I strongly concur with your veterinarian’s recommendations. And I understand why the number of extractions is questionable…often you cannot know for sure until the dog is under anesthesia and the teeth (all the way to the back of the mouth) can be probed and examined. Taking dental radiographs (x-rays) of the mouth would be the gold standard. I completely understand why you’re concerned about the anesthesia and I understand how it might seem counterintuitive to go fix something that doesn’t appear to be broken, but based on your vet’s recommendations…I hope you don’t mind my brutal honestly…I do think you’d be doing your dog a disservice to put this off.
Hello,
My dog is about 15 years old and has extremely bad teeth. Her teeth have gotten continually worse over the past few years to the point where her teeth have fallen out and the remainder are severely decayed and look “mushy.” She still loves to eat (we feed her soft food), but she is definitely more anti-social and doesn’t like when we get too close to her face. Our vet had originally said a few years ago that they could perform an extraction to remove the bad teeth, but said the risk was very high since she would have to be put under anesthesia and has an enlarged and weak heart. Because of this, he recommended that we don’t perform the surgery. However, now that a few years have passed, our vet has seen how bad our dog’s teeth has gotten and said that we should perform surgery because she is in a lot of pain and this outweighs the risks. I’m really worried because of how old she is getting and her heart problem. I hate that she is in pain, but I am worried that her heart won’t be able to handle the anesthesia, especially since she is a small dog that doesn’t weigh much either. Do you have any recommendations?
I am confident, even without seeing your dog, that your dog is in a lot of pain. So to address your question, I would not be comfortable letting my dog live like that. I understand anesthesia is a risk, but I would take the risk, knowing that my dog’s current standard of living was not acceptable and that there was a great chance of completely curing the mouth issue with one surgery. I have been amazed over the years at the number of dogs who have regained energy, curiosity, and zest for living after having a procedure like this. If your vet is not comfortable administering the anesthesia, perhaps you could ask about referral to a specialty facility where they could have a cardiologist standing by in case of trouble.
My 10 yr old miniature dachshund has had two previous surgeries both not without incident. First surgery at 3yrs , while under for spaying the vet and tech had a extremely had time with her heart. No apparent heart issues were detected previous. Second surgery was at 7yrs for a hurnia . The vet decided because of the issue with last surgery he would have the other vet do the techs job in surgery. Again this time they had an extremely hard time not to loss her. When under anesthesia her heart would go into distress. When we picked her up the vets their suggestion was that she never put under again. I am pretty sure my dog now had an absessed tooth. What to do? I want an opinion before I go to the vet with her.
Thanks
This is an interesting scenario and I understand your concerns! That is frightening! First, I would make an appointment with your vet to discuss the mouth asap. Perhaps an anesthetic procedure will not even be needed. However, if it is, I would ask the vet to look at the anesthetic protocol used in surgery 1 and in surgery 2 to see if they find any commonalities or patterns. If another anesthesia is needed, you will definitely want to make sure every one is aware of her history and has those anesthetic records for reference. You might want to talk to your vet about being referred to a specialty hospital if your dog needs a procedure because they would have critcalists and possibly (depending on where you go) a board certified anesthesiologist on staff to help ensure safety and success.
My dog is 16 years old and her last cleaning was 3 years ago. We are very nerveous as well. My vet agreed to not worry about it but now her mouth smells and she does not want to be touched vigorously. I fear an infection that requires more than just AB.
It’s a tough call, Hayward. I certainly understand that the procedure is not without risk, as my personal story illustrates, but life with mouth pain and infection is not without risk either. Both are a major detraction from quality of life. I’d encourage you to make an appointment to have your dog seen specifically to discuss the pros and cons of having the dental work done. I’ve seen so many senior dogs get a new lease on life after a dental procedure that it’s definitely worth being proactive about having the discussion.
Is a dog in their mid teens, who does not have a spleen, at a greater risk as a surgical candidate under anesthesia? The only other factor that you might want to be aware of is IBD that’s been well under control for three years. He takes a synthetic steroid for the IBD and is currently on steroids for IVVD, which is what the possible surgery would be for. Thank you!
Hi Susan! Thank you for stopping by and reading my post. In answer to your question, the presence or absence of a spleen would not impact anesthesia; however, the chronic use of steroids is a concern for me. Certainly, I understand that in some cases it’s necessary, but there are potential side effects which include delayed tissue healing and an increased chance of infection. I would certainly encourage you to have a discussion with your vet about the pros and cons, and long-term implications of the surgery. In your dog’s case, I’m more concerned about the surgery than the anesthesia.
My dog is 14 years old and needs his teeth cleaned again. His last cleaning , aprox 2 years ago, he was very ill following treatment. When we brought him home, he acted funny like he was paranoid or confused and had diarrhea. Later we discovered that he could not hear. Is this possible that he lost his hearing from the anesthesia. Consequently, we are very nervous to get his teeth cleaned again.
Hello Kim,
I’m so sorry to hear that your dog had trouble post-anesthesia and has gone deaf. I have never experienced that in practice, but your question drove me to spend the weekend researching and reading information from colleagues so I could best provide an answer. But first I wanted to double check that your dog had no ongoing ear issues at the time when this occurred and no ear procedures were done at the time of the dental. Is that correct? Deafness has been reported following anesthesia (usually associated with dentistry), but no one knows for sure why. One theory is that the procedure causes pressures changes in the middle ear as a result of the dog having a tube in the trachea for anesthesia. It does appear this secondary deafness is more common in senior dogs and many people believe these dogs were on their way to becoming deaf anyway, and some change under anesthesia just pushed them past the threshold of clinical signs. Your vet could refer you for a procedure called BAER testing, performed by a veterinary neurologist, to provide you with more information on your dog’s hearing. In the cases I read about, some dogs seemed to spontaneously recover in a month or two, while others remained permanently deaf. I’m so sorry that your dog is in the latter category. I would still encourage you to have that conversation with your vet about your dog’s teeth. Thank you for the comment!
We have a 14 yr senior dog. He has a very serious heart murmur with an enlarged heart. He does not have CHF.
The vet is wanting to clean his teeth because of very bad periodontal disease. He has an infection now. We did get 2 other options from other Vets and one said, if he makes it through the anesthesia. The other Vet said, she would be too nervous to do the procedure. The original vet that ran all his test said she believes he will make it through the procedure. That was 4 months ago. Now, I believe he has a decay between his nasal and oral cavities because he now has nasal drainage out of his left nostril and sneezing and snorting. He is still very playful and seems happy. I know he has to be in pain. We are tore as too what to do. We could loose him with the procedure, but down the road I believe there will be more issues arising that will not be good for him.
My husband feels strongly that we will be killing him if he has the procedure. Please, please give us some advice.
Hi Marlene,
It sounds like your senior guy is in a tricky situation with his health. You are right to be concerned about anesthesia with his heart condition. But the dental disease with a possible oronasal fistula seems severe and is definitely painful and will need to be addressed. While there are no guarantees, if your vet has performed the necessary preanesthetic testing and is confident to go ahead with the procedure, this may be the only option for your pup. Infected or abscessed teeth are a big risk especially for dogs with heart murmurs. The bacteria from the mouth can travel through the blood stream and set up an infection on the affected valves inside the heart. If you forgo the dental cleaning and extractions, you may need to talk to your vet about hospice/palliative care and have a plan in place for euthanasia when the time comes. Here is a link to another article with more information: Senior Dog Tooth Extraction: What to Expect
I hope you can find the advice you need to make the best choice for you and your sweet boy. Wishing you all the best.
I adopted Estrella, an eight-year-old beagle, two weeks ago. She was taken to a vet by a rescue organization last year after she was hit by a truck which fractured her pelvis. Fortunately, it healed on its own, though it left her with a slightly unsteady gait, but this hasn’t caused any problems. Today I took her to a local vet for an overall check-up, and the vet found that she has mild arthritis in her hips and an infected tooth (possibly more) and will need a tooth extraction under anesthesia. She has heart worms (though not a severe case) and has been on Advantage Multi since she was found last year (though she still has a cough and occasionally seems to have sleep apnea). Today the vet did some blood tests and will let me know in a couple of days if she’s healthy enough for the surgery. She also prescribed doxycycline for her for now. I know that being elderly and having heart worms raises the risk of surgical complications for dogs. Lately I’ve heard several stories about dogs with heart worms who underwent surgeries and didn’t survive, so I can’t help but be worried for Estrella. However, she was spayed prior to her adoption and apparently handled that well, so that helps me feel a bit better. I was wondering how well do you think a dog in her condition would handle having a tooth extraction, and if her bloodwork shows that she’s not suitable for the procedure, what are the next steps?
Hi Lindsey,
Estrella is a very lucky girl to have found you! It sounds like you are doing a great job of advocating for her health and wellbeing. I know you are worried about the risks of anesthesia considering her current medical issues. As long as her lab work looks ok, I would go with your veterinarian’s recommendation to proceed with the dental cleaning. I have seen many dogs with severe conditions do just fine with anesthesia, although nothing is a guarantee. If her lab work shows abnormalities that would prevent her from undergoing this procedure, the options are quite limited. It may be a good idea to talk to a veterinary dentistry specialist. They have a great deal of experience handling more complicated cases. Were you able to get results from the testing? How is Estrella doing today? Hoping you received good news and have found the answers you need to make the best decision for your sweet girl.