What Is Best Anesthesia For Greys

[LadyGrey]

I have moved to a new area and my girls are getting dentals done. When I went in a couple of months ago for their first check up and yearly shots, etc, I heard loud continuous howling. It was strange howling. My girls were worried. The vet told me it was a Greyhound coming out of surgery and was disoriented. I know Greys are sensitive to surgery and need special medicine. I wanted to ask her about it, but I did not. Now since my girls are going in and will be under, what shall I say to the vet? I dont think it would be normal for a dog to be serioulsy howling coming out of surgery, do you?

[macoduck]

Please read Dr Stack's article on anesthesia for greyhounds here

 

My vet uses Propofol and mine have done well with it - not even a bit groggy when it's time to go home.

 

Are you sure this vet has plenty of greyhound experience? Ask a local greyhound adoption group for help locating a good vet.

 

Editing to add: After reading eaglflyt's post below mine I see that I forgot to add that my vet also uses isoflurane.

Edited March 13, 2010 by macoduck

[Guest eaglflyt]

The preferred anesthesia gas is sevoflurane, although many successfully use isoflurane. Propofol is short acting, given IV and used for anesthesia induction. Gas is used for maintenance of anesthesia for duration of surgery. Other drugs may also be indicated or utilized.

[CaliforniaGreys]

I would also make sure they use a fluid pump vs a drip

[LadyGrey]

Thank you so much for your pieces of advice here. I will have a chat with my vet before the appointment. But first I will read up on the suggestions you all have made here. There is only one race track that I know of in this state. The girls there heading the adoption group are very nice and hard workers. Although Greyhounds are readily seen here as adopted pets, I do wonder how much advanced experience the vets have. I will research more. So far, the new vet I have been seeing is great with my girls.

 

Again, thank so much for offering the information to me.

 

[Guest smarthound]

The OSU website has information posted on greyhound anesthesia. I would print the info and share it with my veterinarian prior to a procedure.

 

Here is the link

[KF_in_Georgia]

I don't think I'd be too disturbed about the howling. My guys often get noisy in their sleep. It doesn't progress to howling because they wake themselves up, but if they were anesthetized, I can easily picture either of them howling like nobody's business.

[Guest MZH]

A wise vet once told me that the best anesthesia for greyhounds (or any pet) is the one that the vet knows how best to use. OTOH, if anyone even thinks of using acepromazine for even just sedation, I get very involved in the choice! That's a big no-no.

 

Our vet uses different anesthesias for each dog. One gets propofol, another gets iso, and another gets ketamine. They always get domitor too. I don't understand i, really; I will ask why they use different ones for each dog.

[MorganAndGreys]

Reddy just came thru her surgery on isoflurane with no worries. As long as they use plenty of oxygen when they are coming out, there should be no problem.

[LadyGrey]

Your forms of literature that I have printed out, researched, and studied have been vastly informative and helpful to me. I feel more prepared to talk to my vet. I love the Dr. Susan Stack website.

 

Thank you all so much

[Guest Energy11]

My Dr. Beau/former vet/employer, and still good friend, used Valium, Ketamine and Isoflurene gas on the greys he did dentals on. I was there for many of them, including seniors, and they did very well.

 

I agree with everyone else. Print out all of the GH anesthesia protocols and give to you vet. My new vet isn't GH savvy, but is getting there. When we get back from our trip to NY State, I think Staggerlee will get a dental ... my vet says she will follow the protocol I give, and, I agree with Claudia. Have an IV in place with fluid on a pump ... just in case.

 

Good Luck!

 

 

[Guest EmilyandSioux]

I worked in a clinic and we used propofol for induction and sevoflurane as the gas. It is newer than Isoflurane but both are safe gases. Ketamine can give hallucinations after surgery. I use propofol and sevoflurane and they walk out in under 2 hours with it from a dental. That is given they are up and there are no complications(extractions and such). This is a very safe combo. We also used it in the ec when I was there on the trauma cases and rarely had problems and they were due to other complications(hit by car).

[Guest Lucky_JoJo]

All depends. If it's a healthy greyhound with no medical problems a pre-anesthetic mix of atropine, hydromorphone, and acepromazine (lowest dosage) works well, then we use propofol for induction, and they're maintained with isoflurane during the actual procedure. But it all depends. My older greyhound went in for a dental and we used the above 'cocktail' for his pre-anesthetic and he recovered really well from it all. Actually the next day he was a whole new dog -- not having those infected teeth anymore!! Personally, I really don't like ketamine and diazepam for the greys, there's a lot of thrashing, but it is 'safe' for sighthounds.... Talk to your vet, ask if he has other greyhound patients in his/her practice. If you're new to the area, contact the local greyhound adoption group and ask their advice for vets in the area.

Edited March 22, 2010 by Lucky_JoJo

[LadyGrey]

My vet and I had a lengthy discussion about my girls dental appointmenst. She does a presurgical bloodwork in the morning before the surgery. She uses Propofol IV before administering the Isoflurane gas. THere is a special vet tech monitering the Gas administration during the entire surgery as well as machines monitoring the heart rate and the dog's temperature during and after surgery and in recovery. The monitoring is very close and scrutinous. This vet handles several Greyhounds as her patients. I was very comfortable with her informative conversation with me and eager to answer any of my questions.

 

On another note, she will NOT be willing to cut back my girls nails very very short like I asked her to because she said it would be very painful to the dog afterwords and it is unnatural.

 

Thank you all for your help and education. I knew what questions to ask and was able to comprehend her answers and explanations.

 

[Guest kydie]

Ketamine is used on all mine pups, and when my GSP had it in December he whined, and whined, (normal) when he was waking up. P.S. Ketamine is also used in many human surgery proceedures too

[Guest eaglflyt]

My vet and I had a lengthy discussion about my girls dental appointmenst. She does a presurgical bloodwork in the morning before the surgery. She uses Propofol IV before administering the Isoflurane gas. THere is a special vet tech monitering the Gas administration during the entire surgery as well as machines monitoring the heart rate and the dog's temperature during and after surgery and in recovery. The monitoring is very close and scrutinous. This vet handles several Greyhounds as her patients. I was very comfortable with her informative conversation with me and eager to answer any of my questions.

 

On another note, she will NOT be willing to cut back my girls nails very very short like I asked her to because she said it would be very painful to the dog afterwords and it is unnatural.

 

Thank you all for your help and education. I knew what questions to ask and was able to comprehend her answers and explanations.

 

 

It sounds like your pup will do very well. I'm glad the vet did not want to cut her nails way back. One of the dogs in our adoption group had a recent procedure, and while under, they clipped his nails VERY short. A week later the poor fella was still limping and very sore. Only show dogs require very short nails ... not sure why. As long as the nails aren't overly long, they should not present any problem.

 

I'll keep your pup in my prayers for a very safe and effective dental.

[LadyGrey]

My vet and I had a lengthy discussion about my girls dental appointmenst. She does a presurgical bloodwork in the morning before the surgery. She uses Propofol IV before administering the Isoflurane gas. THere is a special vet tech monitering the Gas administration during the entire surgery as well as machines monitoring the heart rate and the dog's temperature during and after surgery and in recovery. The monitoring is very close and scrutinous. This vet handles several Greyhounds as her patients. I was very comfortable with her informative conversation with me and eager to answer any of my questions.

 

On another note, she will NOT be willing to cut back my girls nails very very short like I asked her to because she said it would be very painful to the dog afterwords and it is unnatural.

 

Thank you all for your help and education. I knew what questions to ask and was able to comprehend her answers and explanations.

 

 

It sounds like your pup will do very well. I'm glad the vet did not want to cut her nails way back. One of the dogs in our adoption group had a recent procedure, and while under, they clipped his nails VERY short. A week later the poor fella was still limping and very sore. Only show dogs require very short nails ... not sure why. As long as the nails aren't overly long, they should not present any problem.

 

I'll keep your pup in my prayers for a very safe and effective dental.

 

 

I thank you very much!!