Do Vets Do Local Anaesthetic Procedures At All?

[MolassesLass]

Will vets do a small procedure under a local or do they insist on general for anything?

If specifics help, this is a nail that needs to be cut way back and cauterised.

[Emily Howard]

I had exactly this just a few weeks ago. My vet didn't do a local but a very light general. He let me stay for the prosedure. It was all over in abut 40 mins and doggy was up and about. She was a bit groggy but not nothing magor we just kept her quite for the day. So It was just a needle to put her to sleep and a needle to wake her up.

He did the same when my other dog just needed some stitches. Hope this helps.

[Staff'n'Toller]

You may not get adequate pain relief for a nail bed. A quick IV anaesthetic is the easiest and safest way to do it.

It is the most humane for the dog as well. Local anaesthetic is painful in itself, and you can't ask the dog how numb the area is.

[anniek]

Will vets do a small procedure under a local or do they insist on general for anything?

If specifics help, this is a nail that needs to be cut way back and cauterised.

Our greyhound vet does as much as he can with only a local - either injection or cream.

A semi ripped back toe nail was "pulled out" recently with just a bit of local cream.

Didn't appear to be any pain. IF it was me I would have howled.

annieK

Edited December 5, 2006 by anniek

[jbbb]

Last year when Flame sliced her leg open and needed stitches, it was done under a local anasthetic. The vet just got us to hold her as the local when in, then we put her on the table and Flame watched for a while as the stitches went in (until she got bored then she just lay her head down and waited to be told she could get off the table!).

Earlier this year she nearly sliced the pad off her foot, and that required a general anasthetic as she had sliced an artery and it was very fiddly work for the poor vet who had to do internal stitches as well.

[blacklabrador]

A nail should be able to be done under the equivalent of a "digital block" where the entire toe is blocked. I am guessing that it may be up the the behaviour of the dog and the tolerance of the vet. Once the block is done the dog will feel nothing, the problem is having them stay still for the local infiltration. Might be easier to hold a BC still than a Mastiff

[MolassesLass]

Any vets/vet nurses here able to tell me if it would be cheaper to go the non-GA route or would it be around the same cost?

Pssssst - Duke's a Bullmastiff, if you want to get specific about things.

[Hazz]

My vet generally gives a twilight for those types of procedures.

[TigerJack]

local anaesthetic procedure should be cheaper, not as many drug costs.

My vet has had me hold my ridgeback cross boy while he was stitched and that emant we didn't need an anaesthetic. I was only able to do it as they know me, and know I work in a hospital setting and I wasn't about to faint. They wouldn't allow it for owners if they weren't sure how they'd cope seeing the procedure done.

I think it depends on the pain level. I had my chihuahua's abscessed anal glands lanced under light sedation as it was way too painful to do otherwise, even if I had held him.

[Rappie]

Depends on the dog, the owner and the procedure.

In animals things are often done more safely, more quickly, and less painfully if sedation is involved. Local nerve blocks are effective, but whether I chose to use it alone would depend firstly on whether or not the dog will let me restrain a foot long enough to inject something that stings and secondly how effective the owner is at restraint. The answers to those in most cases I see where I could do something under local only is "No" and "Useless", so I often admit an animal for sedation rather than start a war of wills where someone could get hurt.

That doesn't mean that I would never do something under local, as I do, reasonably frequently (removing torn toe nails, exploring and suturing wounds etc) where it is appropriate. If you are confident with handling your dog and their behaviour then it's certainly a possibility. There is a quite obvious difference between the general dog owning population, and the DOL dog owning population particularly in terms of knowledge and capabilities. As for the breed of dog, "anger management" seems to be more of a concern with dogs under 1 ft high

Edited December 7, 2006 by Rappie

[MolassesLass]

Thanks people. It seems the likely answer I will get is no and as I'm not willing to risk a GA for this, I will just have to work something else out.

Edited December 6, 2006 by molasseslass

[Rappie]

Would you be willing to have it done with sedation?

I'd just have a chat with your vet to see what they are able to work out with you.

[MolassesLass]

Problem is Rappie, I have recently moved, thus I have no relationship with any local vet. I doubt they are going to allow a new client to do anything out of the ordinary and I'm not paying a consult fee to find this out.

Although not ideal, nor as painless as a local procedure; I should be able to rectify the issue slowly. If I can't then I will reconsider handing over my arm and leg to the vets.

[Tonymc]

Many Vet"s will use a Local obvisouly depending on the individual Circumstances.For example I had a Pup with Entrophion and the Problem was dealt with under a Local. Tonymc

[~Anne~]

Problem is Rappie, I have recently moved, thus I have no relationship with any local vet.

Could you ring them and discuss it first by phone? Most Vets will speak with you over the phone if you are not expecting a free consultation. Explain your concerns and what you want done.

[charlottew]

Hi, About a year ago our male Amstaff sustained a laceration to his neck .Vet wanted to do a general but hubby insisted on a local.It was done without a problem and it was a nasty cut -quite deep. Our boy was very well behaved and we are proud of him.

[WreckitWhippet]

We just redid a dew claw with just a local. I have a very good working relationship with my vet, so much so, that he assumes I will be his nurse for every proceedure he does on my dogs

I would also suggest calling a few vets and speaking with them. I can understand their "safety" concerns and I'm guessing that there won't be too many willing to do anything on a BM, without heavy sedation or GA.

I know BM's are the biggest sooks and let you do just about anything to them.

I understand your concerns and I won't put a dog under a GA , for the convenience of a vet, when they could certainly do the proceedure without one. There are plenty of clinics out there, who book 'em all in in the morning, GA the lot and run them through the surgery one after another. I hope you can find a new vet that's willing to take the time and also look at what's in the genuine best interest of your dog.

If my vet said, we're knocking the dog out, I know he's doing it for a reason. I hope you can find one that's the same

;)

[Hathor]

I understand the apprehension in knocking your dog out with a full GA. If it's a quick procedure you could use sedation. There is a product called domitor which has a reversal (antisedan), it's very quick. However I'm not a fan of this drug. Lowers the heartrate and blood pressure, until reversal is given. It always makes me uneasy. If I had to choose between that and a ga, I'd choose ga.

Some vets may use a valium/ketamine cocktail (however I don't know if that's any cheaper)

[Kirty]

Is this just for an overgrown nail? How overgrown is it? If I were you, I would just snip it back to just below the quick, and then snip off a tiny bit more. You can get this powder-like stuff (I always forget what its called) that stops the bleeding and helps prevent infection. The nail will heal very quickly.

[Sparkle]

I'm sure the vet knows what they are doing. If you want to know just ask the vet, im sure he will offer advice that is what they are there for