Anesthesia for Dogs: What Is It, And How Does It Work?

What Is Anesthesia for Dogs?

It can be anxiety-inducing to hear that your pet will be undergoing anesthesia. However, anesthesia is a good thing! The word “anesthesia” means “without sensation.” It is what prevents your dog from feeling pain during a procedure.

Anesthetics can block nerve signals, reducing the sensation of pain, and they can cause unconsciousness, preventing the awareness of pain.

Anesthesia for dogs is extremely common. Any dog who gets spayed or neutered has anesthesia.

Other examples of common procedures that might require anesthesia include removing a mass, taking a biopsy, a dental cleaning, or wound repair.

While anesthesia causes a complete loss of awareness and/or sensation, sedation aims to calm your dog and reduce reactivity.

Sedatives may make your dog very drowsy, but a sedated dog may still respond to painful, loud, or otherwise disruptive stimuli.

Sedation can be used for minor procedures, like putting a couple stitches in a wound.

Types of Anesthesia for Dogs

When thinking of the types of anesthesia your dog might experience, consider several broad categories:

• General anesthesia: General anesthesia is what a dog will experience for most surgical procedures. This involves loss of consciousness and pain.

• Local anesthesia: Local anesthesia usually numbs a small region to cause complete lack of sensation.

  • For example, a small local anesthetic like lidocaine may be injected under the skin for a small biopsy. Dogs receiving local anesthesia may also be under general anesthesia or simple sedation.

• Regional anesthesia: Regional anesthesia, such as an epidural, involves removing sensation from a large portion of the body. Regional anesthesia can help with pain control.

  • For example, a dog getting a hind limb amputation or a tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO) might benefit from regional anesthesia.

For most surgical procedures, the dog receives pre-anesthetic drugs to help cause sedation and reduce pain.

Then, a general anesthetic such as ketamine, propofol, or tiletamine and zolazepam (Telazol®), is injected directly into a muscle or vein to induce anesthesia.

In most cases, inhaled anesthetics like isoflurane or sevoflurane will keep a pup unconscious throughout their procedure.

Why Would a Dog Need Anesthesia?

A dog would need anesthetics for any procedure that will cause pain.

For major surgeries, this includes general anesthesia and potentially regional and/or local anesthesia. For small procedures like a skin biopsy, this might include local anesthesia with sedation.

Benefits of Anesthesia for Dogs

Anesthesia is what makes surgery on animals possible. Its benefits include:

• Prevention of the feeling of pain during surgery

• Reduced post-surgical pain

• Lack of consciousness during major procedures

• Lack of memory of painful procedures

• Lack of movement during delicate procedures

Cost of Anesthesia for Dogs

The cost of anesthesia is often included in the cost of the surgical procedure.

For a short, common procedure on a dog, such as a spay or neuter, the anesthesia itself is likely to cost under $100.

For emergencies, especially in unstable patients who require a lot of monitoring and intervention on the part of the anesthetist, the cost can be over $1,000 in addition to the surgical procedure.

Preparation for Anesthesia for Dogs

If your pet is undergoing a planned surgical procedure, your veterinarian will usually give you pre-operative instructions. It’s common to fast a dog the night prior to a procedure to prevent them from vomiting while under anesthesia.

Usually, veterinarians will still allow your pet to drink water, but make sure to check with your veterinarian first.

Your veterinarian will perform a physical exam and may recommend lab work prior to the procedure to ensure your pet is an appropriate candidate for surgery.

If an intravenous (IV) catheter is to be placed, the veterinary team will put it on one of your dogs’ legs. Before undergoing general anesthesia, your dog will also receive pre-medications to cause sedation and reduce pain.

Once your pet is sedated, they may be intubated with an endotracheal tube to protect their airway and allow veterinary staff to help them breathe. In some cases, such as a very brief surgery like a neuter, pets may simply wear a mask during surgery rather than having a tube placed.

Complications of Anesthesia for Dogs

Anesthesia isn’t without its risks, some of which are life-threatening.

Examples of anesthetic complications include:

• Aspiration pneumonia if the dog vomits

• Injection site swelling

• Nausea after surgery

• Allergic reaction to medications

• Organ failure after surgery

• Seizures

• Cardiac arrest

• Death

However, the risk of death for dogs undergoing general anesthesia is very low.

A study published in 2022 found that out of 157,000 dogs who underwent anesthesia or sedation, only 0.10% of dogs (1 in 1,000) died within 48 hours and 0.14% (1.4 in 1,000) died within two weeks of surgery.

Post-op Care and Recovery for Anesthesia for Dogs

After anesthesia, your dog will begin recovery in the veterinary clinic.During this time, it’s not uncommon for dogs to vocalize and be anxious.

While pain could play a role, these behavioral changes are usually caused by drug-induced dysphoria, a state of unease, anxiety, and frustration caused by the medications.

For major surgical procedures, pups may remain in the hospital for 24/7 monitoring until they are cleared to return home. For minor procedures, they may go home with you the same day.

Anesthetics can slow your dog’s gastrointestinal tract, so your dog might take a day or two to recover their appetite and have bowel movements.

Some dogs experience nausea, which may be treated with vet-prescribed maropitant (Cerenia®). Call your veterinarian if your pet’s appetite isn’t normal within two days or if your pet is experiencing vomiting.

Your dog may also seem drowsy or have low energy for one to two days after their procedure.

Make sure to supply a comfortable resting area for your pet. You may consider restricting your pet to a crate if they’re crate-trained, or to a small room to minimize running and jumping.

Your dog may be activity-restricted depending on the procedure they had done, so make sure to follow your veterinarian’s instructions regarding cage rest, leash-walking, and any play restrictions.

For high-energy dogs, this activity restriction can be difficult.

Talk to your veterinarian about anti-anxiety medications like trazodone or gabapentin to help ease the stress of recovery.

If your pet has a surgical incision, protect it from self-trauma with a Comfy Cone™ or recovery suit.

Your veterinarian should let you know if your pup has any bathing restrictions or other incision care needs. Inquire with your veterinarian if they don’t include this information in your discharge instructions.

Alternatives to Anesthesia for Dogs

For most surgical procedures, there isn’t an alternative to anesthesia to make the procedure safe and pain-free. For minor procedures, like a small wound repair, the veterinarian may consider a local anesthetic with sedation.