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What anesthesia is safest for an old cat's ear removal surgery?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | British Shorthair | Female | spayed | 18 years and 4 months old

my cat has squamous cell carcinoma on her ear and her ear needs to be removed. can it be done by local anesthesia/sedation instead of general? She is 18 and i'm worried she is too old for general. Would local be less risky?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Amy S. Eutsey, DVM

Answered By Amy S. Eutsey, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on November 11th, 2017

Unfortunately, this type of surgery would not be conducive to a local anesthetic only. The ear is very thin....basically 2 thin layers of skin with a layer of cartilage in between and many small blood vessels. Partial removal of the ear can be painful, bloody and is a delicate procedure. I am sure that your veterinarian will adjust the anesthetic protocol to suit her age and additional risks that come with age.
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