Are dogs more likely to die from anesthesia

As a shit scraper, when I heard that my pet was going to undergo anesthesia surgery, I was so scared that I peed my pants in seconds.
“Will I not be able to wake up after being anesthetized during sterilization surgery?”
“Are the risks of anesthesia high for elderly dogs and cats?”
“My cat has always been healthy. Does it need to be checked before anesthesia?”
What are the risks of anesthesia? Is “gas anesthesia” better than “acupuncture anesthesia”? What should I pay attention to before anesthesia?
Don’t worry, let’s debunk the anesthesia myths together.

What is anesthesia?

Anesthesia is a process in which drugs are used to temporarily suppress the central nervous system, making dogs and cats lose consciousness, relax and feel no pain during the operation.
For dogs and cats, it is the process of suddenly falling asleep and slowly waking up.

What are the risks of anesthesia? How to reduce?

possible consequences
Because anesthetic drugs will suppress the central nervous system, thereby affecting the cardiovascular system, respiratory system, and digestive system, they may cause dogs and cats to suffer from serious conditions such as hypotension, respiratory depression, vomiting and reflux.

Tools to reduce risk

The deeper the anesthesia, the less able the dog or cat is to control their body, and the more outside intervention is needed to help it.
At this time, the importance of anesthesiologists becomes apparent. Experienced anesthesiologists will monitor the physical condition of dogs and cats throughout the process and adjust their anesthesia depth and medication in a timely manner.
It should be noted that a small number of dogs and cats are particularly sensitive to anesthesia and are more likely to have serious side effects.
Therefore, it is very important to check basic functions such as liver, kidney, heart, and lungs before surgery. If the preoperative examination is normal, these side effects will have almost no sequelae on dogs and cats.
If the examination results are abnormal, a veterinarian can also evaluate whether the dog or cat can receive anesthesia, as well as the choice of anesthesia method and anesthetic drugs.

“Acupuncture” or “gas anesthesia”?

Most anesthetic drugs, whether liquid (“acupuncture”) or gas (“gas anesthesia”), may cause common side effects such as hypotension, hypothermia, and respiratory depression.
The real focus is on professional anesthesiologist monitoring and overall anesthesia management.
Professional anesthesiologists will use a variety of drugs and anesthesia methods to perform balanced anesthesia and compound anesthesia based on the actual conditions of the dog and cat and the surgery required to reduce the side effects of anesthesia on the patient.
Why do multiple drugs and anesthesia methods reduce the side effects on dogs and cats? for example.
Movie plots often feature the protagonist drinking alcohol for surgery.
The main function of alcohol is to make people “lose consciousness”, but it is not enough to relieve pain and relax muscles. Therefore, if the knife is cut, the person will probably jump in pain, and he will need to drink more alcohol to make him fall asleep again.
When the patient wakes up, he or she may suffer from a severe hangover, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, or even alcohol poisoning.
However, if local analgesia is provided to the area where the patient needs surgery before surgery, the patient is more likely to successfully complete the surgery.
Nowadays, the common clinical method of general anesthesia for dogs and cats is to initially use a liquid anesthetic “acupuncture anesthesia” to induce anesthesia, and then use a gas anesthetic “gas anesthesia” to maintain anesthesia.
So you guys, don’t worry about why doctors use multiple methods of anesthesia~

What should you pay attention to when taking your pet for surgery?

First, choose a pet hospital and anesthesia surgery team that you trust. Secondly, make an appointment by phone in advance, follow the doctor’s instructions on fasting and drinking before surgery, and prepare the necessary items if your pet needs to be hospitalized.
If your pet needs a bath in the near future, with the doctor’s consent, you can give it a bath a few days before surgery. Because it usually takes 2 weeks for the sutures to be removed after surgery, try to keep the wound away from water before the sutures are removed, and it is not recommended to take a bath.
If it has not been dewormed recently, deworm it at least 3 days before going to the hospital, because the hospital environment is complex after all.

Finally, let’s answer the 3 questions at the beginning!

“Will I not be able to wake up after being anesthetized during sterilization surgery?”
When dogs and cats are in normal health, preoperative examinations are done and an experienced anesthetist is responsible for anesthesia. Healthy dogs and cats rarely have anesthesia accidents.

“Are the risks of anesthesia high for older dogs and cats?”

Older dogs and cats are at higher risk for anesthesia than younger dogs. A preoperative examination is required to allow the anesthesiologist to assess the most likely anesthesia risks and be prepared to deal with them promptly. If the risks are too high, anesthesia will not be recommended.
“My cat has always been healthy. Does it need to be checked before anesthesia?”
Cats are very tolerant animals. They may have hidden diseases that just don’t show up. Nearly half of cats have underlying heart disease problems. If no examination is done before anesthesia and no attention is paid, it may cause great harm to the heart. Burden, both intraoperatively and postoperatively will increase the risk of anesthesia accidents.
Although anesthesia has certain risks and side effects, adequate pre-operative examination and cooperation can minimize the probability and forward it to the caretakers around you to provide the first protection for your pet.