My English Bulldog needs X-rays. Is anesthesia safe? Should I get blood tests?

Question

We just rescued a 3 year old English Bulldog. I noticed that he always lifts his back right foot when standing still. He has no problems running and walking but doesn't put all his weight on that foot. We took him to the vet today and it was so quick I don't understand what happened. She said it feels like there is an injury to his knee and they want to do X-rays. I am nervous about anaesthesia - how safe is it for him to be put under? Should I go for the optional extra blood test before hand? Pet's info: Dog | Bulldog | Male | neutered | 3 years and 1 month old | 57 lbs

Lauren Jones VMD · Accepted Answer

Poor Lincoln! It sounds as though your vet is most likely concerned about a cruciate ligament tear, patellar luxation, or the onset of arthritis from a possible prior injury. English Bulldogs are inherently more risky to put under anesthesia simply due to the conformation of their head and airways, but your vet is aware of these possibilities and should be prepared with proper monitoring equipment and oxygen supplementation. I always recommend pre-anesthetic blood testing whenever possible. Most anesthetics are broken by the liver and kidneys (which these tests will assess), which allows the animal to wake up after the procedure. I hope that all goes well for Lincoln!

My English Bulldog needs X-rays. Is anesthesia safe? Should I get blood tests?

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