3 Falsehoods About Puppy And Dog Surgery

Making sure that your pet is in great health should be paramount to you as a dog owner. One of the unfortunate issues that comes along with the territory of keeping up with your dog's health is wading through a sea of misguided information and outright falsehoods. Beware of word of mouth health advice – especially about surgeries – when it comes to your dog's health. Be sure to heed the advice of veterinarians and veterinary surgeons rather than a "person on the street." Read on and discover just a few common myths that are propagated about dog and puppy surgery.

You Can Wait Out The Matter

The idea that things will get better on their own accord is something you wouldn't take seriously if the issue happened to a human, so then why do you think this would be the case if something happens to your dog? It is true that some symptoms are often nothing to worry about, like vomiting, but if such symptoms progress or remain consistent for over a day, it is probably best to take your pet to a veterinarian's office; it could be an issue that could require surgery, such as a liver issue. If your vet does recommend surgery, do not let anyone tell you that you can wait the issue out.

Your Dog Is Far Too Old For Anesthesia

Do not let a friend or acquaintance tell you that your dog is too old or that your puppy is too sick for anesthesia. Your veterinarian or veterinary surgeon should be the judge of this. There are many reasons why your dog or puppy should not undergo anesthesia, however. Your veterinarian will perform extensive blood work on your dog or puppy before coming to this conclusion, however, and will not give you a glib, off-the-cuff answer about your dog being "too old." Sometimes the matter can be rectified by pumping IV fluids into your dog or the dog having blood transfusion prior to the surgery.

Medication Can Solve Anything That Surgery Can

Untrue. Sometimes medication can ameliorate certain issues, such as providing relief from pain from diseases like chronic otitis—a painful ear infection —or it can even work towards slowly rectifying the issue. However, surgery is often a much more effective and cost efficient way of solving your dog or puppy's painful problem as it will address the direct cause of the issue.