What anesthesia is safest for an old cat's ear removal surgery?

Question

my cat has squamous cell carcinoma on her ear and her ear needs to be removed. can it be done by local anesthesia/sedation instead of general? She is 18 and i'm worried she is too old for general. Would local be less risky? Pet's info: Cat | British Shorthair | Female | spayed | 18 years and 4 months old

Amy S. Eutsey, DVM · Accepted Answer

Unfortunately, this type of surgery would not be conducive to a local anesthetic only. The ear is very thin....basically 2 thin layers of skin with a layer of cartilage in between and many small blood vessels. Partial removal of the ear can be painful, bloody and is a delicate procedure. I am sure that your veterinarian will adjust the anesthetic protocol to suit her age and additional risks that come with age.

What anesthesia is safest for an old cat's ear removal surgery?

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