Your vet can do a pain injection. Most last at least 24 hours. They are standard at my vet clinic for all patients after surgery. If the owner is knowledgeable enough, sometimes a second injection is sent home 'just in case' or an oral pain medication may be sent for aftercare.

A dog that is vomiting frequently after surgery is usually allergic to the anesthetic, or in severe pain. In any case, any dog not able to keep fluids down 24 hours after surgery should be on IV or sub-Q fluids until the vomiting has ceased to prevent dehydration and shock. Sub-Q fluids are easily given at home-- ask your vet to show you how it's done.

Call your veterinarian and inquire what medications were used for the intubation, and what gas was used during the surgery. Prolonged vomiting is not common AT ALL with the newer drugs out there. If your vet is using antiquated drugs, complications are much more likely. For instance, Acepromazine "Ace" is known to cause muscle weakness, vomiting, and disorientation in many dogs; particularly when injected. Few clinics use it any more, and those that do should give IV fluids to help the animal recover. Oral administration of this drug is less likely to cause problems. Xylazine (Rompun) is also rarely used-- vomiting after surgery is one side effects of this medication. It can also cause prolonged sleepiness, gastric bloat, muscle weakness, and organ failure. If this was used, Yohimbine can sometimes be used to reverse it's effects.

The safest drug combos used by most vets are as follows:

Induction with Valium/Ketamine for sedation and intubation, and maintain on Isoflurane or Servoflurane; or induction with Propafol, maintain on Isoflurane/Servoflurane.

Old-fashioned Halothane gas is still widely-used among rural veterinary practices, even though much safer options are available.

Find out exactly what was used on your pet, and document it. Ask that this drug combination NOT be used on this particular animal in the future, and make sure the clinic notes this on your dog's files. If you discover that your vet clinic is using old drugs instead of newer, safer ones, consider another clinic for the future. Some animals, like people, cannot tolerate certain drugs or are more sensitive to drugs. For instance, my dogs are all very lean with a low percentage of body fat. They require about half the dose of anesthetics than similarly-sized breeds with more body fat. A vet that is unaware of this could overdose them-- their files are noted, and a NO ACE and NO XYLAZINE note is on each animal as well.

How is your pet doing today? Please keep us updated-- I hope she's OK!

Last Edited By: dogsnhorses Nov 25 08 1:34 PM. Edited 1 times.