Question:
My 8-year-old, neutered cocker spaniel experiences adverse reactions to anesthesia.After minor surgeries, he paces constantly, seems disoriented, loses his balance and sometimes loses control of his bowels. This behavior can last up to four days.Our veterinarian uses the following: Ketamine, Valium, Torbugesic (Torbutrol), and injectable and inhalant Isoflurane. He says he cannot explain why this happens.The dog will possibly need surgery in the future, and I would like to solve this problem beforehand. Can you help? Thank you.
S.A., Hagerstown, Md Jan 13, 2008
Answer:
Ketamine is the most likely cause of your dog's adverse reaction to the cocktail of anesthetic, analgesic and anxiety-relieving drugs. Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic that can make animals appear as though they are actually hallucinating. It is widely used to spay and neuter cats because it is a very safe drug, but can have long-term adverse psychological consequences in some animals.Ketamine is also a popular recreational drug; such hedonistic abuse contributes to why some seek to take the drug off the market. This would be regrettable since it is (in spite of its occasional adverse psychological effects in dogs and cats) effective when combined with other drugs to minimize animals' pain, fear and shock during various surgical procedures.To order Dr. Michael W. Fox's newsletter, Animal Doctor, on providing the best care for your animal companion, send a check or money order for $2 and a long, self-addressed, stamped envelope to Newsletter, P.O. Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092. Send your questions to Dr.
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