Anesthesia makes me nervous, and my Dog is having dental work tomorrow.

--Thank goodness your dog is fine! We knew she would be!:tup:

Greyhound and greyhound-type breeds, the skinny ones, have very little fat. Back in the olden days years ago, the anesthesia used, went into the fat first and then was dispersed out from there over some time throughout the body. Very little fat means what drug goes in, goes in and Zap, knocks them out right away...it was very worrying putting greyhounds under some years ago

Here is a very good website by a Vet who has worked with GH for many years:

http://www.greythealth.com/

There is a click-on button on the side bar for 'Anesthesia' - apparently the older types of anesthesias were very dangerous for greyhounds, the newer ones much safer. The ones I write abouut above were the barbiturate-based anesthetic and pre-anesthestics.

I think we sighthound owners are still pretty nervous about it, because it used to be so dangerous. We just can't get it out of our heads...:sad:

*I am not a vet, nor do I play one on TV*

Wow, that's really got to add to the stress of it all. I'm glad they have newer types of anesthesia. I will definitely check out that site. I have loved every Greyhound I've ever met.
 
I'm so glad your cleaning went well. I don't know statistically how many dogs have complication, but it's rare. Unfortunately, my pom fell had cardiac arrest and passed away from the anesthesia, so I choose to do anesthesia free teeth cleaning if it since the results are the same without the drugs. If there's a need for dental work, then I would have to put her under but make sure the vet has extensive experience in small dogs (which I think was the problem with my pom). Luckily dahlia has clean teeth since she's a raw meaty bone eater, and don't see the need for regular cleaning and my vet concurs. I'm glad, since the area we live in now has no holistic teeth cleaners.

Your poor Pom. I'm so sorry. It's just so frustrating that putting them under is the only way to do dental work on dogs.
 
Late to this thread (internet down again, stupid company), but as others said, it's routine and it's a fairly quick procedure. Dental health is important for their overall health, just as it is for humans, so you're doing the right thing for your furbaby.
 
Thanks fashion16 and boxermom!

Boy, my girl has had rough day......she could not wait to leave the vet hospital, and made quite a dash for the door. She is on a painkiller and an antibiotic. I think she was a bit traumatized.