# Death after neutering surgery - what happened?



## tedmarx38 (Dec 12, 2009)

We lost our two year old beloved pet five days ago and I'm saddened and furious. He was a beautiful offspring of a champion from a well known breeder who serves as a confirmation judge and is cited occasionally in these forums. I'm leaving names out.

I'm against neutering even though we didn't plan to breed him, and so is our breeder (not looking to debate this, just providing context). He was an incredibly friendly chap who made friends with the UPS guy and others who would visit. He was no guard dog and we didn't want him to be. However, our boy began showing a bit of toy aggression and because we live in a rural area with limited choices, no trainers would work with him in socialization classes with others unless we had him neutered. We worried that if left unchecked this could morph into general unfriendliness so we had no choice but to re-enroll him in classes (he went through obedience school as a pup) and have the surgery performed.

My first sign of trouble the morning of the surgery was when the vet injected him with a calming agent and when I asked what was in it, she seemed clueless, muttering something about how "it usually has a sedative and some sort of pain med". When we picked him up later that day he didn't know who we were. He was able to walk to our car but he never regained his personality and didn't seem to recognize his home. For the next 8 hours he stumbled around unable to recognize our home or where things were. Around 3:30 AM, unfortunately in the midst of a 6" snowfall, he started having difficulty breathing. The nearest emergency clinic was about 60 miles away and the roads were impassable, but we tried to load him in the car anyway. When my son lifted him, about a quart of clear liquid spilled out of his mouth. Moments later his heart stopped and that was it.

Our guy was an exceptionally active, healthy dog not quite two years of age. He had absolutely zero health problems. None. In fact, this vet said routine pre-op bloodwork wasn't even necessary in his case.

We took his body to another vet the next day who examined him and could only rule out bloat. We did not do a post-op study because he felt it would be inconclusive. He was miffed and based on our description could only suggest a pulmonary embolism.

As for me, after reading about the process of administering anesthesia and monitoring vitals, I can't stop thinking about this vet not knowing the pharmacological agents in that initial IM injection. How can one monitor medications without even knowing what was in the initial injection?

I've also read about pulmonary embolisms associated with surgery and have my doubts. These tend to occur after major trauma, not routine surgeries like neutering.

Based on the poor dog acting like he'd been lobotomized (I've experienced two prior dogs recovering from veterinary surgery including neutering, and this brain-dead like demeanor was exceptionally different and persistent from anything I've witnessed), and given the vet's lack of awareness of the medication initially used, I've concluded that this vet simply poisoned my dog. He suffered a horrifying death, apparently drowning in his own saliva like a drunken rock star. It's infuriating and sad.

I guess now that I've written this my primary purpose is venting. This ruined our family's Christmas and more to say the least. My middle son, who picked out this dog at the breeder's facility, came home from college out of state for the holidays and while seeing "his dog" has always been the highlight of his visits, he came home to watch him die an agonizing death in his arms. He's crushed.

Any insights from readers with a medical background on what happened will be much appreciated. The dog's siblings are all healthy as are his parents, both actively competing in confirmation contests. Thank you.


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## sebrench (Dec 2, 2014)

That is devastating. Both my husband and my dad have lost dogs when they were being neutered. Coincidentally, both dogs were GSDs. My husband thinks their vet didn't weigh the dog for sedation, just gave it the dose for a normal-sized GSD. I'm not sure if he knows this for a fact or is just speculating. 

I wonder if dogs, like people, can go into anaphylactic shock. Could your boy have had an allergic reaction to one of the drugs used for anesthesia? Though I suppose the greatest risk for a reaction would be closer to the administration time....?

I am so sorry for your loss. I would ask the vet for an explanation. If you find out more, please let us know. It's such a terrible thing to have happened.


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## Apex1 (May 19, 2017)

I am really sorry for your loss and I hope you can find answers here. One of my male cats upon coming home from a neuter went into what I think may have been anaphylactic shock. I had never seen anything like it and when I called the vet they acted like it was no big deal and it would pass. For at least 3 days he could not eat, he drank what I was able to drip to him, he walked wobbly and imbalanced. He was also drooling at the mouth. Everything about him was all wrong. This was many many years ago I thought I was going to lose him. He did live but he has never been the kitten he was he is not 100% in his mind, does not see clearly and has major digestive issues and is a scared cat. 

My current vet stated when I do/if I do neuter my current GSD they do a test I think one week before the operation to be sure the medications do not cause complications. Must be for a good reason.


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## Mary Beth (Apr 17, 2010)

I am so very sorry. I agree with Sebrench that it may have been a reaction to the anesthesia. But since your vet could not tell you what was in the first injection and you have understandably concerns as to her comptence I suggest you may wish to take the matter up with your state veterinary board.


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## tedmarx38 (Dec 12, 2009)

Mary Beth said:


> I am so very sorry. I agree with Sebrench that it may have been a reaction to the anesthesia. But since your vet could not tell you what was in the first injection and you have understandably concerns as to her comptence I suggest you may wish to take the matter up with your state veterinary board.


Thanks everyone. I have filed a complaint with the state board. Sorry to hear that others have had similar tragedies and near tragedies. It's awful.


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## Thecowboysgirl (Nov 30, 2006)

I am so sorry for your loss.

I don't have much to offer except I have seen weird stuff after sedation. My girl shattered a tooth when she was about 8 that had to be removed. I picked her up in the afternoon after her surgery, and she stared through me like I wasn't there. It was so unnerving. I brought her home and when she saw my husband later that day she stood perfectly still, kind of tense, I actually grabbed her because for a second I wasn't sure if she was going to bite him or something. She is a very affectionate dog and she loves us both so much- it was super creepy to have this zombie version of my dog

I can't tell you the relief the next morning when I said good morning to her and her tail thumped on the dog bed and I knew "she" was back. It took a full night of sleeping off the meds before she seemed to have a clue what planet she was on.

She was put under for an endoscopy at our referral hospital at age 10, it was complicated and she was under for a long time. I picked her up the afternoon after this procedure too and I was nervous to say the least--I had discussed the other reaction with the vet ahead of time but he assured me she would be ok and this is a really well respected hospital. So they brought her out to me, same amount of time post-anesthesia but this time she wagged her tail and sang for me like she normally does, although she was very unsteady on her feet and immediately passed out in my truck, she was "her". 

I discussed her reaction with my local vet before my boy was knocked out for x rays. He said he gives them Ace as well because it somehow makes wake up smoother? Sure enough my boy bounced right back up and was wagging to see me an hour or two after anesthesia. 

He just had his surgery for a retained testicle and he did not bounce back quite so well from this--but my sense was that it was pain more than drugs. He was hurting bad. 
And not surprising as they had to really dig around for that testicle. They let me sit with him while he woke up and although he was very subdued he knew it was me and he was glad I was there. He basically slept the entire day but he did manage to wag his tail for dad when my husband came home that night.

These things are never without risk I guess. I am so sorry you lost your dog in the prime of his life.


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## Muskeg (Jun 15, 2012)

I am so sorry. If you get a chance, can you please PM me the name of the vet clinic you used?

I have some medical background, but this is pure guesswork so take that for what it is. To me, it sounds like while an allergic reaction is possible, generally that will express itself very quickly if an animal is going to go into anaphylaxis - within minutes or several hours. Usually there is severe difficulty breathing, often swelling, and the airway can swell shut if not treated. The description does not seem to fit. 

My guess is that your dog had trouble while he was under anesthesia- aspiration possibly. Did they monitor his oxygen levels? (they should, but maybe they were taking shortcuts). Sometimes, a dog can have trouble breathing or getting oxygen into his lungs/body during anesthesia for any number of reasons. This is why human anesthesiologists get paid the big bucks. If he was without oxygen for any length of time, it would have killed brain cells and even lead to partial brain death. One cause of this could have been aspiration during the procedure- his lungs filled with fluid- resulting in inadequate oxygen to his body. 

This would explain his behavior after the surgery (partial brain death).

Any and all of this absolutely should have been obvious to any vet, so again this is just guess work. 

This would explain most of his symptoms, and sadly his death. Fluid-filled lungs will kill quite quickly. 

I am so sorry, I've lost a young dog myself, around this holiday, and it sure makes this time of year not merry at all. I hope you can find some answers. I'm sorry I can't be of more help.


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## tedmarx38 (Dec 12, 2009)

I suspect you’re onto something and have thought about oxygen deprivation frying his brain, possibly due to aspiration or improper intubation / oxygen supply. Thanks.


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## Suki's Mom (Nov 24, 2008)

I just want to say that I am so very sorry!


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## Jenny720 (Nov 21, 2014)

My heart is breaking for you and your family. I have heard of stories of dogs dying on the table while under routine surgery - not common -but not after. I’m so sorry you had to go through this.


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## wolfstraum (May 2, 2003)

Such a sad loss....I am so sorry....

Agree with the posts regarding anesthesia reaction - they should have records of what was administered....I would try to obtain his records if at all possible...but they may have been "completed" after they learned of his passing...


Again, I am so sorry.


Lee


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## CometDog (Aug 22, 2017)

I am so sorry this happened to you and your family. I don't have any input except to say it broke my heart picturing a boy coming home from college for the Holidays only to have his dog pass in his arms. I am furious for you, can't image the loss and anger you are feeling. Glad to hear you files a complaint. 

I also find it very aggravating that you were compelled to do something you were against in order to be allowed to access training. Are you in the UK? Both your writing style, and the circumstance (neuter before training classes) lend me to believe you are. 

So very sorry.


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## delro (Nov 15, 2017)

That was difficult to read - I hope your family recovers quickly and you get the answers you deserve. Such a tragedy.


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## kayek9 (Aug 27, 2002)

I lost one of my girls 10 years ago the night she was spayed. She too acted "drunk" when I picked her up from the vet, I questioned it and the tech said she was having a harder time coming out of the anesthesia. I took her home and about an hour later I was on my way to emergency as she totally collapsed. I left her at the E vet around 11PM as she seemed to be stable. They called me several times during the night for me to ok treatments. They ended up giving her a blood transfusion and finally the last call I got at 4AM, she had passed. I called my regular vet as soon as they opened in the morning. He agreed to pay for a necropsy. Turns out a stitch had slipped on the ovarian pedicle and she bled out. My vet's insurance paid for everything, it was vet error. The reason I am telling you this is you should have gone right back to your vet that did the surgery and have them decide what was what instead of going to a different vet. A necropsy in this instance could have pinpointed why the dog died and your vet should have ordered it and paid for it out of courtesy. Just my opinion.


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## islanddog (Jun 27, 2016)

I am so sorry for your loss. I'm sorry, I don't have anything useful to add, just such a tragedy when it's a young healthy dog and a surgery that you felt was optional. You end up filled with what ifs, but I'm sure you did your best. All my pets have been spayed or neutered, never even second guessed the procedure; in the last case, current dog, it was done before he became mine.


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