When dogs need surgery, they receive anesthesia. Anesthesia is given to reduce the amount of pain that the dog feels during surgery, as well as reduce or eliminate consciousness so that the animal does not panic. There are a variety of anesthetic drugs that can be used in the field veterinary surgery, and not all of these drugs are okay for every animal.
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Significance
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Adverse reactions can occur in nearly any part of a dog's body, manifesting internally and externally. These reactions can range from mild to life-threatening.
Time Frame
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A dog is susceptible to having an unpleasant reaction to anesthesia from the moment they receive pre-anesthetic treatment until anesthetic drugs have left the animal's system.
Warning
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Dogs that are pregnant, sick, or immune-compromised are considered at a greater risk than those who are not. Despite this, any dog may have a reaction to anesthetic drugs.
Types
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Mild reactions may include shivering, uncoordinated movements and extreme sleepiness. Moderate and severe reactions include hypothermia, coma, seizure, paralysis, extreme ataxia or in some cases death.
Prevention
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Veterinary teams take a variety of precautions to ensure that adverse reactions do not present themselves. This includes pre-anestheic testing for conditions or allergies, surgical monitoring of the animal and post-surgical monitoring and care.
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