Sedation

[Nic74]

When you sedate an animal (or even a human) are they still fully aware but just not able to react? This question is actually about a dog, not a horse, and I'm not sure what to decide. She has to have a wart removed off her ear and the vet said she can have a local anasthetic or sedation. Would she still be able to feel all the pain under sedation only?

 

[Polygon]

Yes!

A true sedative only causes relaxation and sleepiness - they can totally feel pain (it may provide some pain relief, depending on the drug used but not absence of sensation like an anaesthetic) and they can be roused so are certainly able to react, just less likely to do so.

I would suggest either a combination of sedation and local anaesthesia (the 2 can be used together) or general anaesthesia.

 

[kellyeaton]

the dog will know what they are doing but he will be very sleepy so he will feel like he does not want to move yes he will still feel the pain but if they are removing a wart sist etc they will put local in that area as well so he will not feel anything!

 

[appylass]

It sounds a bit odd, are you sure they didn't say general anaesthetic or sedation? Whenever I've known animals having lumos removed they always have local anaesthetic if under sedation. The pain of removing the lump will counteract, to at least some extent, the sedation given. I wouldn't like an animal of mine to have a surgical procedure under sedation without an anaesthetic.

 

[lauraandjack]

Anyone who tried to remove a lump from a dog under sedation only (with no local anaesthetic) would swiftly find themselves getting bitten!

Sedation makes animals sleepy and less reactive to stimuli, but it does not make them unreactive. Sedated horses can still deliver a well aimed kick if you don't watch out, and dogs will still bite.