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My dog is groggy after dental cleaning. When should I worry?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Great Pyrenees | Male | neutered | 75 lbs

My dog got his teeth cleaned today. He is eating a little, but is still very groggy. He's been mostly sleeping and when he stands, he's a little unsteady. Is this normal? When does this stop being normal? I'm concerned because my other dog had the same procedure today and he's been running around....though he is much smaller. Thanks in advance.

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

Published on March 14th, 2017

It depends quite a bit on what drugs and doses were used for anesthesia, so unfortunately it's difficult to give a good answer to this question without being able to look at his medical record. But in general, for most anesthetic procedures, it's not uncommon for many dogs to remain somewhat groggy or drowsy for up to 12 hours or so afterwards - my rule of thumb for owners at our clinic is that their pet should be acting normal again by the following morning, but not to worry overly much if they are a bit sleepy or "off" for the rest of the afternoon or evening after going home. However, the pet should be able to get up and walk around, eat and drink without problems, etc. - if they are groggy to the point of being unresponsive or unable to stand, this is not normal. If you are concerned about Falkor, the safest course of action would be to call your vet's office and describe how he is currently acting - they should be able to tell you if this is reasonable, based on their anesthesia protocol. If he is unresponsive, having difficulty swallowing, or seems to be getting worse over time, I would take him back to your vet or your nearest emergency clinic to be checked.

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    Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    It is normal after having anesthesia that a dog will be a little groggy and sleepy. Each dog reacts differently to anesthesia, so that could be why your other dog is running around and Falkor is groggy. It's good that he's eating a little, and I would continue to monitor him for the next 24 hours. This grogginess should pass in that time, but if he does become very lethargic, starts having trouble breathing, stops eating, or starts vomiting food, then I would have him seen by a vet right away. Hopefully, however, this is will pass overnight and Falkor will be back to his normal self tomorrow. I hope this helps!

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