{"id":2604,"date":"2026-01-13T10:24:09","date_gmt":"2026-01-13T14:24:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.drphilzeltzman.com\/blog\/?p=2604"},"modified":"2026-01-13T10:24:15","modified_gmt":"2026-01-13T14:24:15","slug":"is-my-pet-too-old-for-anesthesia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.drphilzeltzman.com\/blog\/is-my-pet-too-old-for-anesthesia\/","title":{"rendered":"Is my pet too old for anesthesia?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Is my pet too old for surgery?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We often hear this question from pet lovers, and even occasionally from family vets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What they really mean is: is this pet too old for anesthesia?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our usual answer is \u201cAge is not a disease,\u201d which is true.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Age is just a number.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ve seen extremely sick 5 year old patients, and very healthy 15 year old patients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which one do you think is at higher risk for anesthesia?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, all dogs are not treated equal. A 10 year old poodle cannot be treated like a 10 year old Mastiff (we are alluding to the fact that it is said that small dogs live longer than large breeds).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rather than a blanket, somewhat tongue-in-cheek answer (\u201cAge is not a disease\u201d), the solution to the dilemma is a bit more nuanced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s not so much the age, or the number of years, that matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, it\u2019s the consequences of aging that we should focus on, because it makes the patient more \u201cfrail\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What is a frail patient?<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In humans, \u201cfrailty\u201d is defined as having less \u201cfuel in the tank\u201d and being \u201ceasier to be stressed out\u201d (in the medical sense).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Frailty better predicts getting in trouble (or dying) under anesthesia, compared to age alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A frail patient will have a tougher time maintaining their heart rate and blood pressure, or staying warm, or breathing well, while under anesthesia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their liver and kidneys may be less capable of eliminating toxins (e.g. anesthesia drugs).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who is considered a senior patient?<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n