104 EQUUS 498 AUTUMN 2019ELDER CARE
Weighing the risks of
general anesthesiaQ:
My 11-year-old Jack Russell
terrier needs to have some
dental work done. He otherwise is
in good health but I’m scared of
anesthesia at his age. Do the risks
of complications outweigh the risks
of dental problems at this age? Is
there a safer anesthetic protocol for
older dogs?A:
I certainly understand your
concern: It is scary to leave
your older dog at the veterinary office
for any kind of procedure. Certainly
the risks of general anesthesia
increase with age, but then so do the
risks of health problems associated
with dental disease.
Share your concerns with your
veterinarian. There have been great
advances in veterinary anesthesia
during your dog’s lifetime---including
special protocols for older dogsdesigned to keep them safer than
ever. When newer anesthetic drug
protocols are combined with pre-
procedure blood tests, cardiac moni-
toring and other safety protocols, the
risks are minimized.
Ask your veterinarian about the
relative risk of dental disease com-
pared to those posed by general
anesthesia. With proper monitoring,
I would almost always recommend
addressing the dental disease. InSH
UT
TE
RS
TO
CK
ISTOCKPROGRESS: Advances in veterinary
anesthesia have made surgery safer for
both horses and dogs of all ages.so many cases the dental disease is
painful and has an impact on the
entire body’s health. And then do your
best to trust in your veterinarian---your
dog will thank you when his mouth
feels better! TROUBLESHOOTING
Will my puppy
outgrow motion^
sickness?Q:
Is motion sickness common in
puppies? We have an 8-month-
old German Shepherd who is very
prone to carsickness.
We would like to take our puppy
to horse shows and other events, but
within a half-hour of being in the car,
he’ll throw up. We try to not feed him for
a few hours before a trip, but that’s not
practical or fun for anyone.
None of our previous dogs had this
problem but they were already grown
when we got them. Is our puppy likely
to outgrow carsickness? We hate to
leave him behind but unless we can
solve this problem we may not have
a choice.A:
The good news is that most
puppies outgrow motion
sickness. In the meantime, there are
medications that can help. Some dogs
do well with over-the-counter products
such as Dramamine or Benadryl, but
consult with your veterinarian before
giving any medication to your puppy to
make sure he’s old enough and that the
dosage is appropriate.
Some veterinarians also prescribe
Acepromazine, which calms dogs just
as it does horses and also seems to
keep them from vomiting.
In the meantime, you can help your
puppy adapt to travel. Start with super