Dog anxious, scratching after dental cleaning: Is this normal?

If Cooper had general anesthesia for a dental cleaning it could take 24 hours or more to recover from anesthesia. He may have been given different medications than in the past. The trachea and back of the throat can be irritated by the endotracheal tube and cause coughing or reverse sneezing. I would recommend calling the veterinarian who performed the procedure and expressing your concerns. If they are not open and you feel Cooper is in distress, having difficulty breathing, or in pain I'd recommend seeing an emergency veterinarian.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Loki. Anesthesia can make a dog a bit off balance for a bit, and it take a bit for a dog to return to normal. Keep an eye on him tonight, and if he's still acting this way in the morning, give his vet a call. Hopefully, he should be back to normal in the morning. Best of luck.

It depends quite a bit on what drugs and doses were used for anesthesia, so unfortunately it's difficult to give a good answer to this question without being able to look at his medical record. But in general, for most anesthetic procedures, it's not uncommon for many dogs to remain somewhat groggy or drowsy for up to 12 hours or so afterwards - my rule of thumb for owners at our clinic is that their pet should be acting normal again by the following morning, but not to worry overly much if they are a bit sleepy or "off" for the rest of the afternoon or evening after going home. However, the pet should be able to get up and walk around, eat and drink without problems, etc. - if they are groggy to the point of being unresponsive or unable to stand, this is not normal. If you are concerned about Falkor, the safest course of action would be to call your vet's office and describe how he is currently acting - they should be able to tell you if this is reasonable, based on their anesthesia protocol. If he is unresponsive, having difficulty swallowing, or seems to be getting worse over time, I would take him back to your vet or your nearest emergency clinic to be checked.

Older dogs can take longer to completely process the anesthesia medications and return fully to normal. If she's on any pain medications after the cleaning (for example if she had dental extractions), that could also be causing some sedation. If she's eating, drinking, going to the bathroom, and appears comfortable, there's nothing you need to do right now and can give her another day or two to be totally normal. If she's not back to normal tomorrow evening, it might be wise to take her in for an appointment Friday before the weekend to make sure nothing else is going on.

Dogs may feel strange for up to 24 hour or so after sedation or anesthesia, just like humans - so it's not uncommon for them to be restless, whining, or otherwise acting a bit unusual the evening after a procedure like this. Most are back to normal by the following day. :)

I'm sorry to hear that Hammer is not feeling well. Dental cleanings are typically performed under anesthesia in petd because they can be uncomfortable and sharp objects are used to remove tartar in the mouth. Depending on the level of dental disease, it is possible that the dental cleaning was uncomfortable for him and could cause a great deal of stress if significant restraint was required. Stress can cause stomach upset including bloody diarrhea. Given the severity of his signs, I am glad that you had him seen by veterinarian. If he does not improve with the prescribed treatment, I would recommend scheduling a recheck examination. I would also recommend checking with your veterinarian about ways to manage dental health in the future.

Hi. Yes it is normal to havevsime coughing or irritation there after an endotraceal tube is used. If it continues beyond 3-5 days, or if there are also other signs, I would call your veterinarian first thing in the morning.