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Is local or general anesthesia safer for my dog, especially if senior?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Female | spayed | 11 years and 4 months old | 50 lbs

Is local anesthetic safer than a full one for canines or are they both risky? What about for senior dogs?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on December 9th, 2019

The answer to your questions depend on the health status of the dog and the procedure needed to be done. If the dog is in a good health status, either anesthetic can be fine, even for senior dogs. Only your vet can make the risk assessment for anesthesia.

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1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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