Why is my dog restless, panting, and whining after vet sedation?

I’m sorry to hear Mutley is under the weather. It is very common for dogs to be somewhat agitated , often whining or panting a lot, as a side effect of morphine. These side effects can last up to 6 hours after the injection. Keeping him in a quiet, calm, low light environment may help. It’s hard to know why his back legs seem weaker without knowing why the pain medications were initially given. If they were given for back pain for example, and the back legs are getting progressively weaker I would be worried about something even like an intervertebral disc issue. But if the medications were given for another source of pain, some weakness can be due to the sedative effects of the morphine. The other medication given is an anti inflammatory medication and should not cause any of these signs. If it has been several hours since the injections and he is just starting to become agitated , It is also possible that Mutley is becoming painful again. Use oral pain medications as prescribed if any were sent home and call his veterinarian to check in if the agitation is worsening. I hope Mutley is feeling better very soon.

Poor Sierra! I am sorry to hear that she is not feeling well. It sounds as if Sierra may be reacting to the Buprenorphine, which can cause restlessness and other nervous behaviors like the ones you have mentioned in some dogs and cats. Unfortunately, the only thing that can be done at home is trying to ease her anxiety. Sometimes, keeping it dark and quiet can help them settle. I would definitely recommend contacting the vet that saw her to discuss the possibility of a different pain medication. If Sierra shows no improvement or worsens within 12-24 hours, she should be reevaluated as soon as possible. I hope Sierra is able to get comfortable soon. Hang in there!

If you think Timmy might be in pain, then you could potentially give him pain medication that was prescribed. Some dogs will act restless when they are recovering from anesthesia, so if you don't think he seems painful you should simply minimize contact and stimulation and give him time to recover. He'll eventually fall asleep. You may need to confine him to a smaller room or turn the lights out.

Morphine has a fairly short half-life in dogs, with effects usually lasting around 3-4 hours. So if the morphine is causing the signs you are seeing, I would expect to see improvement within a few hours of the last dose you gave.

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. :)

We would only be able to speculate here as to why they recommended pain medications for a relatively painless procedure. Unless of course they have a sedative that also had Butorphanol in it. This is a common combination drug used to achieve adequate sedation in pets. So if that was the drug used, there is a low reason for concern about any foul play. If Buster is still not back to normal however, he should be seen by your vet for a follow up. 4 days is enough time for him to recover from a sedative, so a follow up may be best if he can behave enough for a proper exam. If he is just a bit off but still eating, drinking, and has adequate energy, then he may just need a few more days. Older pets do take it a bit harder than younger adults. I hope that Buster feels better soon! Best wishes and take care.

I would recommend having her seen by the veterinarian that performed the ultrasound for a recheck. If after 48 hours my patients are still sedated and not feeling well after I give them sedatives in the hospital, I want to see them for a physical examination just to make sure everything is ok. Every dog is different and depending on the sedatives used, could cause sedation for days after the drugs were given. My own dog used to take 72 hours to recover from a morphine injection so I have been in the same position as you. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns.