b'Canine Anesthesia .A Breath of Fresh Air. by Dr. Tim Hodge, DVMOneofthebiggestfearsamong Sighthounds(Greyhound,Afghandog owners with regards to their pets Hound,Borzoi,ItalianGreyhound,veterinary care is the use of anesthesia. Whippet and others) have breed specif-Many stories abound online about dogs ic differences that need to be taken intothathavecomplicationsorhavedied accountwhenanesthesiaisneeded.from anesthesia during a routine proce- Sighthound breeds have a higher per-dure (dental treatment, spay, neuter, etc). centage of red blood cells, lower proteinThese are very sad stories for both the levels,greaterlungcapacity,decreasedpet and the pet parent, especially if that body fat and unique liver metabolism ofloss could have been prevented. These somedrugs. Veterinariansknowandonline stories, or those that family and address these aspects when choosing thefriends share, can lead others to avoid sedatives, anesthetic medications, dosageallowing anesthesia, causing unnecessary and rates of administration. suffering when an anesthetic procedure Herding breeds (Australian Shepherd,could have removed or avoided that suf- Border Collie, Collie, English Shepherd,fering. German Shepherd, and others) may beEvery dog, at some point in its life predisposedtoMultidrugSensitivity,will need general anesthesia. The most also known as MDR1 gene mutation.commonreasonsarespay,neuterand Some herding breeds have a mutation indental treatments. Others are non-steril- the MDR1 gene, making them suscep-izationsurgeries,x-rays(radiographs), tible to severe drug toxicity. The goodendoscopy,biopsies,etc.Anesthesia news is that there is a test that is readilyshould not be feared when it comes to availabletodetermineifanMDR1the health and wellbeing of your pet. gene mutation exists. According to research, the rate of Certainbreeds(Dobermananesthesia-relateddeathsisverylow. Pinscher,CockerSpaniel,Boxer,Even so, veterinarians strive to reach a Certain breeds like Doberman Pinschers Dalmatian, Great Dane, et al) are predis-point of zero fatalities. This may be a goal are predisposed to cardiomyopathy, posed to cardiomyopathy, a type of heartthat is never achieved but with due dili- presenting a higher anesthetic risk. disease. ThemostcommonisdilatedArcher, shown at the 4th Annual Cutest Pirate Contest ingence, we can get very close. Ybor City, is a healthy two-year Doberman Pinscher. cardiomyopathy, resulting in a decreasedThe pre-anesthesia period is when a Photographed by Anna Cooke ability of the heart to generate pressurecomplete physical exam and lab tests are performed. This allows for to pump blood through the vascular system, which can lead todocumentation of any medical condition or disorder that can influ- congestive heart failure. Dogs with cardiomyopathy have a higherence anesthesia so that these issues can be addressed. The procedure anesthetic risk so during the pre-anesthesia period, veterinariansmay need to be rescheduled until such time that the underlying listen very closely for a heart murmur.An ECG is also veryconcern is removed and anesthesia safety is at its optimum.important in these breeds. If heart disease is diagnosed, then regu-At this time, we also consider the breeds conformation. Those lation of the heart disease is advised before anesthesia if possible. breeds with very short noses (brachycephalic) such as the Pug, Toy breeds (Chihuahua, Maltese, Yorkshire Terrier, et al) havePekinese, Bulldog, et al, also tend to have very small nasal openings a small lung capacity, need smaller amounts of drugs and must beand may have a long, soft palate that can make breathing more dif- kept at optimal body temperature. They are also predisposed toficult. In these dogs, veterinarians know to give oxygen during the liver shunts, causing blood to bypass the liver and not detoxify nor-induction phase of anesthesia and to keep the pet intubated as long mally. If there are liver abnormalities noted on the pre-anesthesiaas possible so that their normal respiratory functions return once lab testing in a toy breed, additional testing is needed to determinethe anesthesia is complete. Close post-anesthetic monitoring is if a liver shunt is present. Correction of a liver shunt (if possible) isvery important. the best course of action.56THE NEW BARKER www.TheNewBarker.com'