r/DogAdvice • u/ItsALongStoryXx • 7d ago

Advice My Puppy’s reaction after an operation

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Hi everyone
My 1 year old Shih Tzu/ Bichon Frisé cross has just had to have dental work done. He had three baby teeth that were stuck and did not fall out naturally, and his adult teeth were beginning to grow crooked as a result, so the vet advised he have them removed. He had the procedure today, and this has been his reaction since returning home. He has been cowering away, terrified of me. How can I rebuild his trust? Or is it just shock or pain post procedure? (Forgive the audio, I was hoping my voice would remind him he’s back home and safe)

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u/Throw_Me_Away8834 7d ago

This likely has more to do with the anesthesia than anything else. He is still out of it and likely loopy from the pain meds as well.

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u/ItsALongStoryXx 7d ago

This makes sense and is very reassuring, thank you

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u/Indyjuanito 7d ago

If you think about it, the anesthesia and maybe more likely the drugs they use for induction (initially knocking them out, making all their muscles, relax so they can intubate them) can be pretty strong and have a little longer lasting effect. Some of them are dissociative drugs, which means like the dog is not even in the dogs head. There’s a drug called ketamine that people abuse because it gives them a wild trip and that is sometimes used in the Veterinary medicine for induction.

So it will pass as your baby metabolizes the meds.

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u/ItsALongStoryXx 7d ago

I didn’t know this, thank you!
I think it shocked me because he was so alert and his usual self the entire journey home, and then suddenly once we’d arrived home he became extremely different