Will my 14 year old dog survive surgery? What to Know

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Episode Notes

Are we right to assume that older dogs shouldn’t go through surgery? Is it ever right to put them under? Dr. Nancy Reese has an answer for Louise’s Listener Line question about her senior Maltese. In the process, she also reveals her own internal struggle about getting surgery for her own senior dog. This episode is proof that even veterinarians struggle with this question.

Helpful Resources and Links Mentioned in Today’s Show:

Here’s a great article on DogCancerBlog about how to think about age and your dog: Is my Dog Too Old for Cancer Treatments?

Sometimes we worry that our dogs are near the end of their life, but we don’t know what that actually looks like. This article tells you the warning signs, so you can be prepared: https://www.dogcancerblog.com/articles/end-of-life-care/warning-signs-dog-dying/

Here’s an article James’ wife Molly wrote about Dr. Dressler’s epic surgery on their senior Maltese, Kanga: https://www.dogcancerblog.com/articles/dog-cancer-surgery-what-i-learned/

About Today’s Guest, Dr. Nancy Reese:

Dr. Nancy Reese is a small animal veterinarian with over 30 years of clinical experience taking care of cats and dogs and other critters in the Sierra Nevada foothills. She’s also a perpetual student and researcher, as evidenced by her many degrees. In addition to her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of California, Davis, she earned a Masters in Preventive Veterinary Medicine at UC Davis and then a Ph.D. in Epidemiology at UC Davis. If you string all her letters out after her name it looks like this: Nancy Reese, DVM, MPVM, PhD. In her spare time, she volunteers to help evacuate and shelter animals caught up in disasters, and she’s currently training to help in human search and rescue efforts. Dr. Reese lives in a log cabin with her husband, her 13-year-old golden retriever, and her two 13-year-old cats. Her hobbies include boosting the quality of life and longevity for all animals in her care, hiking, travelling, and cross-country skiing. Oh, and lots of dog walking.

Follow Podcast Sponsor The Dog Cancer Survival Guide on the Socials:

Dog Cancer Answers is a Maui Media production in association with Dog Podcast Network

This episode is sponsored by the best-selling animal health book The Dog Cancer Survival Guide: Full Spectrum Treatments to Optimize Your Dog’s Life Quality and Longevity by Dr. Demian Dressler and Dr. Susan Ettinger. Available everywhere fine books are sold.

Listen to podcast episode for a special discount code.

If you would like to ask a dog cancer related question for one of our expert veterinarians to answer on a future Q&A episode, call our Listener Line at 808-868-3200.

Have a guest you think would be great for our show? Contact our producers at DogCancerAnswers.com

Have an inspiring True Tail about your own dog’s cancer journey you think would help other dog lovers? Share your true tail with our producers.

How to reduce the risks of surgery for your senior dog

Senior dogs can have unique anesthetic considerations (see Is My Dog Too Old for Anesthesia) and may have more prolonged recovery periods than their younger counterparts. But that doesn’t mean that surgery should be off the table for them.

The good news is that many older dogs can do great during and after surgery, and we stand a chance at significantly improving their quality of life.

  • A thorough work-up prior to anesthesia should be part of the plan for any dog that is having surgery, but this is especially important for older dogs.
  • Senior dogs can have underlying health issues that we don’t know about. Performing a physical exam, diagnostic tests like blood work (including blood cell count and chemistry), X-rays, and sometimes even ultrasounds of the abdomen or heart (depending on what the surgery is and what the individual dog’s health history is) may be warranted before proceeding. Identifying (and managing) underlying health concerns before surgery can significantly reduce the risks of anesthesia.
  • Your vet may also recommend more in-depth monitoring for your pet during surgery itself. Vets can routinely measure heart rate, oxygen levels, body temperature, blood pressure, and more.
  • If your veterinarian doesn’t have the monitoring equipment he or she thinks would be best for your dog’s surgery, he or she may recommend referral to a board-certified veterinary surgeon for the procedure.

    • With your dog’s health history in mind, your vet can steer you in the right direction to make a sound decision on whether surgery is the best choice for your grey-muzzled companion.

    What age is a dog considered old?

    Small dogs are considered senior citizens of the canine community when they reach 11 years of age. Their medium sized friends become seniors at 10 years of age. Their larger sized colleagues are seniors at 8 years of age. And, finally, their giant-breed counterparts are seniors at 7 years old.

    Can a 14 year old dog survive surgery?

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    Dr. Phil Zeltzman is a traveling veterinary surgeon in Pennsylvania & New Jersey. An award-winning author, he loves to share his adventures in practice along with information about vet medicine and surgery that can really help your pets. Dr. Zeltzman specializes in orthopedic, neurologic, cancer, and soft tissue surgeries for dogs, cats, and small exotics. By working with local family vets, he offers the best surgical care, safest anesthesia, and utmost pain management to all his patients. Sign up to get an email when he updates his blog, and follow him on Facebook, too!

    Enter your email address to be notified when a new blog is published. Your Email will ONLY be used to send our monthly Blog, nothing else!