My senior cat is not himself after anesthesia. What should I do?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sometimes it can take some time for cats to recover from anesthesia and administration of these medications together so that could be a reason why it has been taking him longer than expected to recover. If he is eating and otherwise doing well, it may be ok to monitor him for a bit longer. However, if he worsens or by tomorrow he has not improved, he should be evaluated by his veterinarian for reevaluation. Good luck and have a great day!

I am so sorry for the delay in answering your question. I hope that HIro is feeling better now. It can take a few days for them to be back to normal following anesthesia. Since he is eating now, I suspect he may be coming around back to normal in the next few days. If you are still concerned about him, take him back to your vet to discuss your concerns. Regarding your specific question "Can anesthesia though muscle cause problems or death days after?" Whether anesthesia is given in the muscle, in the vein, or via inhalant (gas), it can cause cardiovascular changes that may manifest in illness days after; for instance if they had some pre-existing kidney insufficiency, its possible that deceased blood pressure while under anesthesia may further damage the kidneys to cause kidney failure. While I suppose it is possible that there could be decreased blood flow to the brain that could cause a change in their personality, this certainly isn't something we recognize occurring, I think in terms of frequency of that happening I would say its very rare. If Hiro is still not acting normally, please take him back to your vet for a recheck. I hope he is back to himself. Thank you for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Hello, sorry to hear about Minou. General anesthesia and it’s associated side effects can last up to 72 hours in pets especially older pets. I am not surprised that he seems still a little more quiet after his procedure and would allow him up to 72 hrs to recover from anesthesia. You can offer probiotics but they may not be necessary at this time. If he continues to be under the weather or if he is becoming more lethargic, does not want to eat or has other clinical signs such as vomiting and diarrhea then have you veterinarian examine him again. Otherwise, Minou may just need a little longer to recover from his procedure. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! While I am unclear what you are specifically referring to in terms of his behavior, it is fairly common for cats and dogs to feel differently and show signs such as lethargy and sedation for 24-36 hours following anesthesia. The fact that he ate is a good sign. Best of luck!

Poor kitty! It takes a good 24 hours for anesthesia to completely wear off, and if he's on heavy pain meds that can also affect his ability to get around and know when he needs to go potty. I would keep him in a sort of recovery area nearby his litter box that is easy to clean as he is likely not intentionally having the accidents. If after 24 hours he is still seeming to be very disoriented, can't hold his urine properly at all, or new symptoms are appearing, I'd let your vet know ASAP to make sure he isn't having an adverse reaction to the pain meds or anesthesia.

If his bloodwork before the surgery is good, then she should do well. Ask your veterinarian about what kind of monitoring and supportive care they are given before, during, and after surgery. Ask any questions you have concerns about so that you understand, part of your vet's job is to make sure you understand and are aware of what to expect.

Hello, sorry to hear about Taz. Sedatives and anesthesia may take up to 24-32 hours to wear off in some dogs, particularly older patients. Other factors that contribute to this include any concurrent illnesses such as liver disease, kidney disease, or even his ulcer. If Taz continues to be sedate and without an appetite, then he should be rechecked at the latest tomorrow morning. If he seems more lethargic or painful, then he should be evaluated sooner. Please contact your veterinarian to inform them that Taz is still sedate and not wanting to eat as they may want to see him sooner depending on his concurrent medical history and what agents they used for anesthesia. Hope this helps and best of luck.