Just like us humans, our pets may also require surgical or diagnostic procedures that cannot be performed on an awake animal. Most operations and some diagnostic procedures, such as endoscopies or dental treatment, require anesthesia (a medically induced state of sleep), which carries certain risks even in healthy animals and during routine procedures. We will explain what you need to bear in mind before and after such a procedure in order to minimize these risks and what complications can arise during anesthesia.
If general anesthesia is administered, the animal must be fasting beforehand. A full stomach puts strain on the circulatory system and the anesthetic can cause vomiting, which can lead to suffocation or aspiration pneumonia (pneumonia caused by inhaling vomit). Animals should therefore not be fed for at least twelve hours before an operation. Water must always be available to the animals.
In the days before and on the day of the operation, the animal should not exert itself unnecessarily so as not to overload the cardiovascular, nervous, and immune systems. However, moderate exercise is important so that the bladder and bowels can be emptied before anesthesia.
Routine operations should only be performed on healthy animals. Immediately before the operation, the animal is examined again by the veterinarian and blood is taken to ensure that there are no health restrictions that would increase the risk of anesthesia and surgery.
Different anesthetics and methods are used depending on the planned procedure.
For minor procedures or manipulations that cannot be performed on an awake animal, sedation is often used. The animal is sedated with medication and its pain perception is reduced, but it remains partially conscious.
Local anesthesia describes the local elimination of pain in the area of nerve endings without impairing consciousness. It is used, for example, on the skin to perform minor surgical procedures. In combination with sedation, skin wounds can be sutured without the animal feeling any pain.
Regional anesthesia includes various anesthesia procedures that all aim to eliminate pain and numb certain areas of the body. This involves the targeted blocking of specific nerves or nerve plexuses with an anesthetic to numb the area supplied by these nerves. The patient remains conscious during regional anesthesia. An example of regional anesthesia is epidural anesthesia, in which the anesthetic is injected into the space around the spinal cord to numb the nerves that transmit pain.
Under general anesthesia, the animal's consciousness and pain perception are completely shut down and the muscles relax. The anesthetics used act on the central nervous system and the animal cannot be awakened. A distinction is made between injection anesthesia, in which anesthetics are administered via the blood, and inhalation anesthesia, in which the anesthetic is inhaled by the patient in gas form via a tube inserted into the windpipe (ventilation tube).
Even though anesthetics and anesthetic techniques in veterinary medicine have improved considerably in recent years, thereby reducing the risks, every anesthetic and every operation still carries a certain risk, and it is important for owners to be aware of this.
In general, healthy animals undergoing routine surgery have a lower risk of anesthesia complications than animals that need surgery for conditions such as uterine infection (in dogs) or acute colic (in horses). The cardiovascular and immune systems of these animals are already compromised, and anesthesia places an additional strain on them. With the help of modern and efficient equipment for monitoring bodily functions during anesthesia, anesthesia-related incidents cannot be ruled out, but they can be detected and treated at an early stage.
There are additional specific risks for different animal species. In horses, for example, muscle and nerve damage can occur due to their high weight and the resulting compression when lying down. During the recovery phase, there is also a high risk of injury due to sudden attempts to stand up. Almost all equine clinics therefore have padded recovery boxes for horses.
Thanks to modern, gentle anesthetics, the anesthesia can be kept as deep as necessary, which also significantly shortens the post-anesthesia and recovery phases. Even if your pet slowly regains consciousness after the operation, its temperature regulation is still impaired by the anesthesia, which is why it must be kept warm. Perception and coordination also return slowly. The newly operated animal should be given enough time to sleep in a warm and quiet place where there is no risk of injury.
To allow the entire organism to recover from the stress of anesthesia and surgery, the operated animal should be rested after the operation. Exactly what this rest should look like and how long it should last depends on the type of surgery, the species of animal, the condition of the animal, and several other factors, and should therefore always be discussed with the attending veterinarian on a case-by-case basis.
Since complications such as wound healing disorders, bleeding, or pain can still occur even after a successful operation, it is particularly important that you follow your veterinarian's instructions so as not to jeopardize the long-term success of the operation.
Tumors of the urinary bladder or urethra are relatively rare in dogs, but are often malignant. In most cases, they are transitional cell carcinomas. Older female dogs are primarily affected. A higher incidence has been observed in Scottish Terriers, Airedale Terriers, West Highland White Terriers, and Beagles.
This tumor, which originates in the spleen, is one of the most malignant cancers in dogs. The spleen tumor grows very quickly and spreads metastases to all other organs, often before the actual primary tumor is discovered. Older dogs between the ages of eight and ten are most commonly affected.
Leukosis is a tumorous disease of the hematopoietic system and, unlike in dogs or cattle, is relatively rare in horses. Lymphatic leukosis is the most common form in horses and develops as a result of the degeneration of cells in the immune system.
Tooth fractures are relatively common in dogs and are usually caused by playing with stones or sticks, biting, or accidents. This can result in small, sharp chips in the enamel or larger defects that expose the pulp (nerve and blood vessels). If the pulp cavity is exposed, the tooth should be treated as soon as possible to reduce the risk of infection and preserve the tooth. The incisors, canines, and fangs are primarily affected. Young dogs are particularly at risk because their teeth are still developing and are therefore much more unstable than those of adult dogs.
Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease is also known as aseptic (= without the involvement of pathogens) femoral head necrosis (= death of the femoral head) and describes a non-inflammatory growth disorder in young dogs. It mainly affects miniature dog breeds and small dogs between the ages of three and ten months.
It is something very special to buy a horse when it is still young or even a foal. Untrained and completely inexperienced, young horses need a lot of attention and knowledge, but ultimately it makes us riders very proud to work together with our beloved animals to become a great rider-horse team. However, any horse owner who plans to break in the horse themselves should first ask themselves critically whether they have the necessary riding skills and whether they have the time available. In any case, you should work hand in hand with a trainer to find solutions to even minor problems together. After all, it's about laying the foundation, which is essential for the horse's further training. Another option is to give the unbroken horse to a professional who has the necessary routine and experience in breaking in young horses. Often, just a few months are enough, and you can then bring the horse back and continue training it together with a trainer.
Epilepsy is a chronic neurological brain disorder characterized by recurrent seizures. Since horses have a significantly higher seizure threshold than small animals or humans, for example, seizure disorders are relatively rare in horses. Seizures only occur in horses with severe brain damage. Foals, on the other hand, have a significantly lower seizure threshold and are more susceptible to seizure-triggering factors.
Feline panleukopenia, also known as parvovirus or panleukopenia, is an acute, serious infectious disease that is particularly dangerous and even life-threatening for young, unvaccinated cats. Thanks to an effective vaccine, this disease can now be easily prevented.
Lush green meadows, a small herd of horses galloping towards someone calling from afar, the sun shining from a cloudless sky... how beautiful are the images of summer! And what a time for our horses, when they can live as close to their natural state as possible. Nevertheless, grazing time also requires appropriate management, regardless of whether the horses are only out to pasture for a few hours or live on permanent pasture for months at a time.
Mycoplasmosis is the most common respiratory disease in rats. Also known as murine respiratory mycoplasmosis (MRM), this disease is caused by a bacterium that is very common in pet rats and is chronic and progressive.
Anthrax is an acute, often fatal infectious disease that mainly affects cattle and sheep, but horses are also highly susceptible. The disease gets its name from the "burnt" appearance of the spleen in infected animals. Anthrax is found worldwide and is considered a zoonosis, as it is also dangerous to humans. It is a notifiable animal disease, but is now rarely observed in Germany. The anthrax bacterium is considered one of the most dangerous pathogens and could also be used by terrorists as a biological weapon.
A must-have in every horse stable: a box containing the most important items for providing first aid or minor treatment to your horse yourself.
