Message Number: SG6139 | New FHL Archives Search
From: whiteweasel@earthlink.net
Date: 2003-09-26 22:00:18 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] Risks of Anesthesia?
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com, ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <3311766.1064613618781.JavaMail.root@louie.psp.pas.earthlink.net>

Hi, Jessica,

> Lost my Puffy yesterday, coming out of the anesthetic from
> having dental work, was moving and then stopped breathing.
> They couldn't resuscitate him.

I've had two experiences with problems coming out of
anaesthesia. Podo, who was eight at the time, had his heart
stop while coming out of anaesthesia after insulinoma
surgery. He was resuscitated and, thakfully, recovered fully
and is just fine more than a year later. We also had a rescue
named Shillelagh that died while coming out of anaesthesia
after a left adrenalectomy.

We've also had, by my count, 12 surgeries, four ultrasounds, and
one round of dental work done under anaesthesia for our 10
ferrets where everything went right.

I think it comes down to there is always some risk, but it's small.
Sorry, but I don't have numbers. I do know that if a ferret is
old or considered compromised our vet uses sevoflourine (sp?)
rather than isoflourine. He definitely did this for Kodo who had
surgery two weeks after Podo. Kodo, who was also eight, had
no problems at all.

I know the risks are there and I always worry before a surgery
because of it. I also know that if our vet believes a ferret is
a good surgical candidate or if there simply isn't any choice we
go ahead.

I wish I could give you a more definitive answer. Obviously, I'm
not a vet.

All the best,
Caity and the non-stop nine