I'm scared is it OK for an elderly dog to go under surgery?

Question

my 12yr old poodle should get surgery on his mouth cause of decay and bad breath, but I don't know if it's safe is he too old he'll be13 in dec. I don't want him to be in pain, but he doesn't act like his teeth hurts he still eats hard food and alot of things, but breath is really bad! I don't want nothing to go wrong cause I love him I'll die if something happens when he goes under what is the best thing I should do? should I leave it be or should his teeth get fixed I rather live with his bad breath then him dying or something else any advice? I've been contemplating about this for a while

Answer 1

Especially for a dental procedure, your dog will be fine. The veterinarian has two types of gasses they normally use, halothane & Isoflurane. With an older dog they'll use isoflurane, it's a bit more expensive, but your older dog will metabolize it better. Dont worry. All the vital signs will be monitored constantly during the process. Dental procedures are relatively easy. Really the dog only goes to sleep, because most animals won't let you scrape plaque of their mouths while they're awake.

Answer 2

If this is the Vet's order, then do not be scared, your dog should be ok. Mouth surgery cannot be compared to internal organ,or some kind of major surgery. Your dog will be anesthesized and will not feel anything. Just remeber, after the surgery to give your dog a lot of TLC. Right now, you will never now if the dog is in pain and you know that something is wrong with the dog , then for sure at some point and time or maybe most of the time, THE DOG IS IN PAIN. Stop thinking of how you feel right now about the surgery but instead, put yourselfe in the dogs situation, ask yourselfe, how would I feel? What do I feel right now? Youa may want to get over with this. If you wish, go get a second opinion from a vet.

Answer 3

If you haven't gotten a second opinion, I would do that first.

If you can find one, take him to a Veterinary college.
Here is my experience with the Columbia School of Veterinary Medicine in Columbia Missouri. It was 90 miles away.

Make an appointment.
It won't cost any more than a regular vet.
An intern (student) will examine your dog first, then a teaching professor will examine the dog.
Then they will both come back in, and if possible, they will give you a diagnosis and options and take as much time as you need to answer every question.
If it's not a simple "yes that's the only thing it could be", They'll give you all of the possibilities and the pros and cons. They may have to run tests.

They may bring in a specialist. If one is not available, you may have to wait for afternoon "rounds" where all of the interns and veterinarians get together and go though the data on all of the patients and share opinions and options and decide the best ideas (or what to do next to decide on the next course - might be more tests.)

They'll come and tell you everything about that.

They have all of the labs there necessary to perform any tests (bloodwork, x-rays, etc.) right away.
If needed, they can do a CT scan or MRI withing a day or two. One they had - the other they used a hospitals to do it, but they were getting their own. Depending on how many humans are in the way of the machine, they can get it in a few days (they grab it at night).

They have a animal pharmacy that's every bit as big as some drugstores I've seen.
They have like a Ronald McDonald thing - they have a deal with a motel withing walking distance and you can get a huge discount.

I took both of my dogs down there. They were wonderful (if you hadn't caught that yet).
I wish I had a doctor spend that much time on me as they spent on just the healthy (but elderly) dog.

One of the dogs had a spinal problem which they did not recommend sugery on (it was on the front of the spine, so they would have had to go in from the front of the dog and gave me the odds, all the information I could need, and their recommendations.

I ended up going down there around 5 or 6 times.

The one with the spine trouble had difficulty with her back legs. Although not exactly physical theraphy, they did show me the best ways to move her and handle the problem (including special harnesses and such).

They gave me the information that I needed - at a price equal or less than a vet would. (I think the one who was in better shape was $25 for the exam). And, I knew my friends were getting the best care possible.

They other one I left down there for a few days.
I called them a couple of times and got a quick call-back.
They would call me at least once a day to let me know what was happening and how she was doing.

I've told people (only half-jokingly) to take me there if I ever get sick.

Answer 4

Ignore Summithorizon's answer! I had a 14-year old dog undergo eye surgery and she was just fine afterward!

Talk to your vet.

I have a pomeranian that suffers from the same thing your poodle is suffering from. The "surgery" is really just anesthitizing him to clean the plaque from his teeth. The decay around the teeth is what is causing the bad breath. It is considered a surgical procedure because the animal is put to sleep for it. This is less stressful to your dog than trying to do it while he is awake.

Small and toy breeds have all manner of oral problems. Once your vet has completed this initial treatment, you'll be able to continue with his tooth care at home. There really is no other way. Your dog will be happier and you won't mind as much when he wants to give you kisses.

Answer 5

12 yr old dog, is not old. Had a 19 yr old dog. She had her teeth clean way after her 12 yr mark. Can turn into Periodontal Disease, when the plaque build-up ( mix of bacteria + food debris) on tooth surfaces and works its way under the gum line. Toxin released by bacteria cause an inflammatory reaction that can lead to destruction to tissue and bone that anchor the teeth in place. If the bacteria enter the blood stream,they can even affect the heart, liver and kidneys. Periodontal disease is not only serious, it's also more common than most owners realize. More than 80 percent of dogs have it by the time they're 4 yrs old. Now- I know it's money, and yr afraid, but do think of the dog. After the teeth are cleaned, Do Brush, yes, I said Brush, the dog's teeth, I'm not crazy! every day with a tiny tooth brush. The vet has the Proper toothpaste.

Answer 6

Discuss it thoroughly with your veterinarian. Sometimes surgery is really necessary & sometimes not. Had an old poodle whose teeth started coming out & her breath was bad, but she was even older than your dog (14). We didn't have the surgery & she died about a year later, but was OK for most of that intervening time. We felt the surgery wasn't absolutely necessary & was a pretty big risk. A friend of mine had a dog who needed surgery for the digestive tract when he was 15. Some people in his family thought he was crazy for having the surgery done, but the dog lived another 4 years. If bad breath is the biggest problem, it might not be worth the risk. However, you may not even know if that's the biggest problem. Again, talk it over with the vet before you decide one way or the other.

Answer 7

I would speak with your vet, and be very direct about your concerns. There are a number of ways that a dental cleaning can be taken care of if the vet is open and willing to work with you. Anesthesia does not always need to be given. Mild sedatives can sometimes be an alternative, depending on the situation and the animals temperment.

The main concern, especially for an elderly animal, remains the respiratory condition during the procedure. Granted, the vet should be monitoring for such things anyway, in an older animal, it's a bit more tricky.

The recovery time in dental cleaning is a bit painful as well. Think about it, how do you think you'd feel after having your gums and teeth surgically scraped for an extended amount of time? Are you really going to feel like eating and playing? Are you really going to feel like cuddling and licking the one who took you there? Or are you more likely to (attempt) to bite the hand that feeds you? Even then, the food will need to be softend.

Answer 8

I have had dogs as old as 15 undergo surgery. If you are scared you need to have a talk with your vet about the surgery and what concerns you. If you want your dog to live more comfortably and are sure he is too old, there may be options to the surgery. However, tooth decay can cause many problems with his health.

Know this though, you should do what is in the best interests of your pet companion. Whatever you choose, if something happens it is not your fault. We are all given a lenth of time to live, some have longer, some shorter. You are blessed to have had your dog for nearly 13 years, and his memory will continue to bless you long after he is gone.

Trust me, talk to your vet about your concerns. Together you can come up with a plan that suites your dog. And it is much better being informed than frightened near to death.

Answer 9

There's always a risk when your dog must undergo a procedure that involves anesthesia. If your vet says your dog needs anesthesia, be certain the office is fully equipped with anesthetic monitors: a pulse oximeter, blood pressure monitor, and ECG. A "pulse oximeter" is especially important because it alerts the vet if the dog's blood oxygen level falls below the safe limit. One type of anesthesia that is recommended for older dogs is "isoflurane," an inhalation-type anesthesia that is quickly eliminated from the dog's body once inhalation stops. However, Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine reports in their March 1998 Newsletter that a new injectable anesthetic, "propofol" (brand name "Rapinovet," marketed by Mallinckrodt Veterinary, Inc.) has been shown to be less risky because it is eliminated even more quickly from the dog's body. Apparently, " . . . dogs show less residual grogginess and irritability when recovering from propofol . . ." Older dogs are generally at greater risk than younger dogs when anesthesia is administered, so this new anesthetic may be the best for an older dog. Only you can decide what is right for your dog. Try to get all the info that you can so that you can make an informed choice. Hope everything works out for you. Here is a site that might be helpful.

http://www.vetinfo4dogs.com/dsurgery.html

Answer 10

Hi, I had a similar situation about a year ago with my Chihuahua. He was 13 years old and with heart problems. His teeth where also in bad shape and his breath was bad, I had the choice of letting his teeth be or get them taken care of, it was a hard choice because I was afraid of the risks the surgery involved. I love my dog and I did not want to loose him. I talked to my vet. and he advised me of the risks involved and the special steps needed to be taken because of my dogs heart condition. At the end he had the surgery and everything came out fine, his teeth where taken care of, and I still have him with me, fresh breath and all! Surgeries always involve some degree of risk, so I would advise you to just ask as many questions as you want and then make the best decision for you and your poodle. Whatever you do I wish you two the best. Good luck!

Answer 11

The vet will be able to tell you the best suggestion. If they think your dog's health is good enough where it could stand being put under anesthesia, chances are, it will probably be okay. That being said, there is a risk for ANY animal they put under anesthesia. It is a risk we take when they go in for surgery. If he is having trouble eating because of his teeth, I would suggest the surgery. They won't put him under if they already believe that he won't make it. They don't like to see animals die on the table.

I have a 16 year old poodle that we didn't neuter for years. He was an inside dog, and we just never did it. Last year around the beginning of October, we discovered he had a tumor in one of his testicles. The vet told us he needed to be neutered, to have the tumor removed. So, my then 15 year old poodle went to have surgery, and he came out of it okay. he was sore and not happy, but he lived through it.