Older Dogs

[gemstone]

would like opinions / experiences with older dogs and general anesthetic

I have a 12 year old foxy with skin cancer (her cancer doesnt go away or get 'cured')

In the last 6 months she has had a tumour removed by GA and 1 by local.

She has another sarcoma and the vet says I have to start weighing up the risks of a

12 year old and GA.

Has anyone had a dog this age that has had GA

do you think its safe? when is too old?

any info appreciated

thanks

[raffikki]

Hi rmc :D

My dog had 5 or 6 GA's at the beginning of this year for Nasal Aspergillosis and 1 to get lumps removed.

He has had a heart murmur for at least 2 years and I felt I had to way up the risks/and what his life would be like without the surgeries.

I think all surgery has risks, and it depends on the over all heath of the dog.

I'm not much help to you, but I just wanted to let you know what we've been through.

[Rappie]

Age isn't a disease, and by itself is not barrier to putting an animal under a general anaesthetic.

There is potential risk associated with any GA, whether or not there is an increased risk really depends on your dog's general health. Does she have any concurrent illness or problems - liver or kidney disease, heart murmurs etc?

We (myself and other vets at the hospital I work in) frequently anaesthetise older animals and try to do it as safely as possible by running preanaesthetic blood profile (or full blood panels if neccessary), ensuring they are on intravenous fluids and creating a balanced anaesthesia plan for each patient. It is ultimately up to you whether you want to go ahead but I would discuss the options fully with your vet to get an idea of risks from the tumours, versus risk from GA (and whether there are more concerns that her age, which is just a number).

[gemstone]

Hi rmc :D

My dog had 5 or 6 GA's at the beginning of this year for Nasal Aspergillosis and 1 to get lumps removed.

He has had a heart murmur for at least 2 years and I felt I had to way up the risks/and what his life would be like without the surgeries.

I think all surgery has risks, and it depends on the over all heath of the dog.

I'm not much help to you, but I just wanted to let you know what we've been through.

do you mean the dog in your sig? 14 years old?

[raffikki]

do you mean the dog in your sig? 14 years old?

Yep that's him :D

[gemstone]

Age isn't a disease, and by itself is not barrier to putting an animal under a general anaesthetic.

There is potential risk associated with any GA, whether or not there is an increased risk really depends on your dog's general health. Does she have any concurrent illness or problems - liver or kidney disease, heart murmurs etc?

We (myself and other vets at the hospital I work in) frequently anaesthetise older animals and try to do it as safely as possible by running preanaesthetic blood profile (or full blood panels if neccessary), ensuring they are on intravenous fluids and creating a balanced anaesthesia plan for each patient. It is ultimately up to you whether you want to go ahead but I would discuss the options fully with your vet to get an idea of risks from the tumours, versus risk from GA (and whether there are more concerns that her age, which is just a number).

I think the risk my vet means is that this latest site is not raised yet (looks more like a red scratch)

and we are expecting more tumours (cutaneous hemangiosarcoma) so he thinks we should wait and take more than one

off at a time. I have been told 'that the lumps will keep on coming and we will take them off as long as its in

the dogs best interests'

My dog doesnt have liver or kidney disease as such but it is something that has to be considered.

She has been on cortisone for extended periods which I know is not good for her health.

Do you think this increases the risks for surgery?

ps really appreciate you taking the time to reply

[gemstone]

do you mean the dog in your sig? 14 years old?

Yep that's him :D

WOW!!

that's a great age - you both must be doing something right.

He is really cute!!

How is he doing??

[raffikki]

WOW!!

that's a great age - you both must be doing something right.

He is really cute!!

How is he doing??

He's doing really good

Spoiled rotten!

The nasal problems have been sorted.

He's a little stiff in the back legs but still has his juvenile moments, especially when there's food involved :D

(There is a few better pics of him in this thread I started in the photo section)

He has been on prednisolon (sp?) as well as other medications for severe allergies most of his life.

[Staffyluv]

rmc, I just posted in your palliative care thread.

Ollie is nearly 12 and just had a GA so they could remove a lipoma that was about the size of a large orange.

Our wonderful vet did blood tests, checked his heart and lung function and also a urine test and said that for a dog with cancer, he is fine

If Callie is well enough there is no reason that she can't have a GA.

[gemstone]

well so far its sounding positive for my girl...

I was just worrying (cant help it) that this time the vet might say its not in her best interests to remove anymore.

I will do as advised by the vet - measure and monitor and hope for the best

[mita]

I had a 19 yr old little dog who had a GA for teeth surgery.

Needless to say, I was worried. But the specialist vet dentist who was to do the operation told me that he'd become very interested in anaesthetics used for tiny human babies. (Apparently he & his wife had a baby who needed a lot of major surgery). And he'd incorporated some of that into his procedures on older dogs.

Our little dog came thro' the operation fine. But she had a bad night of distress after it....as if it was hard for her elderly body.

She recovered & lived for another 3 years.

In recent months, this same vet did dental surgery on friends' 16 yr old cat.....who also came thro' the op & recovered.