Hello,
Sorry if this is too much detail, but I’d really like to explain the issue from beginning to end. Please bear with me.
I’m a pet owner that believes in overall health of my dog, which includes dental cleanings. I have a Weimaraner that has gone under anesthesia in the past, including other dental cleanings. Though the day of the surgery, she showed some anxiety and “dopiness” coming out of the anesthesia, she handled it well and was usually back to normal the next day. Recently, as of Monday 8/27, at 9 years old, she underwent another dental cleaning. Because of her age, we did do a blood panel. Monday we picked her up and she did have some pacing and whining as she probably still had some lingering affects of the anesthesia. She ate dinner (1/2 can of wet food, Costco Kirkland grain free). By night time she was pretty much fine and slept the night through. The next morning, we had our usual routine of using the bathroom, feeding, then me getting ready for work. She was completely fine from what I saw between 5am-7:00am. Her breakfast was a little dry kibble and 1/2 can of wet food (I alternate cans between two different brands so this was American Journey). She ate about 6:45-7:00. When I left for work, about 7:45, I noticed she was pacing downstairs, lightly drooling, and panting. This is not normal behavior because she usually stays in the chair asleep upstairs until my husband goes to work. A little odd and abnormal from her day to day behavior, but nothing too alarming. I did let my husband know of her behavior and asked him to check on her in a few minutes, but then left for work. Within about 30 minutes, he called to say he felt something was definitely wrong with her because she seemed to have jumped on the bed, but then seemed confused on how to get down. She seemed a bit glassy-eyed and disoriented. He stated that she was walking in circles. The panting and pacing continued, along with her drooling. He called the vet and we decided to drop her off there for observation, with the understanding that it could still just be the effects of the anesthesia, even though it seemed the night before she was OK.
Fast forward…her condition didn’t change while at the vet, but they looked her over and didn’t find anything wrong with her. They felt that it was just anxiety. We took her home Tuesday night and she ate dinner like normal (dry kibble mixed with some wet canned, I think this was back to the Kirkland brand). I was able to get her calm until bedtime, and she then slept like a rock. The next morning she seemed back to normal.
Fast forward…last night. She seemed quite fine all day Wednesday, but right when we were about to go to bed (10-10:15pm), she had the same issues. She was on the ottoman in our bedroom and couldn’t figure out how to get down. The pacing ensued, with light drooling (not really much), glassy eyed, and panting. She was just restless. She finally went to bed and laid down about 11pm. She slept all night and seemed fine again this morning (Thursday) when I woke up. Again, our typical morning routine of letting them out and feeding them. This morning she only had dry kibble. But again after I left this morning, she had some of the same issues. Not too much of the panting and drooling, but the weird pacing and restlessness.
Has anyone experienced these issues after anesthesia? It should be completely out of her system by now so I’m wondering if it is another issue. On the other hand, she was perfectly healthy with no issues before the cleaning on Monday. Right now, my husband is telling me that she is sleeping hard and is calm. By the way, she has bowel movements, so no problem there. I feel like she is eating a bit more ravenous than normal, but from missing a meal then only receiving a smaller meal than normal after the cleaning, I figured that may be why. I’m at a complete loss as to what to do. Could anesthesia trigger neurological (if that is what this is) issues in a dog? Or could there have been something underlining going on? We had already had our vet look her over after the cleaning only to say it is anxiety. When we touch her all over, she doesn’t whine or grimace in pain. Any ideas?? Sorry for such a long post and thank you for anyone that is still reading!
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