Years ago our Dalmatian had to have his spine x-rayed and the vet wanted to sedate him. Obviously any patient (canine or human)has to be perfectly still for the procedure or the picture won't be good. He was in pain and anxious (so were we) but we felt the same way as you about having him sedated and left there. We'd known that vet for a long time and my DH refused to leave Toby, said he could keep him perfectly still if he was allowed to be in the room and in eye sight of our dog. They put a lead apron on him and let him stay - he stood by Toby till just before they took the pictures, stepped away, told him to stay and he did. Would your dog cooperate?

He'll be fine, mom. :) He'll be a bit groggy from being sedated but once he's home all is forgotten unless he has a boo boo and they had to do something to the foot.

The vet had to sedate my Pointer (super anxious!) just to stitch her up one time and she is SUCH a mama's girl and she was just fine.

I had a cat who pulled a leg joint out of place and they even put a cast on her, and she was just fine too. But she didn't like the cast. lol.

What I would do is ask the doctor if she'll start working on him immediately after you leave so he won't be in the cage for very long by himself.

It'll take a bit for him to come out of the sedation though so you wouldn't need to be there just in case.

But hey, if he cooperates that would be great!

In order to get good xrays of joints not only does the dog need to be perfectly still,sometimes they manipulate the legs in such ways that would be uncomfortable or painful to the dog if it was awake. ( like for hip dysplasia)
It is normal to leave your animal at the vet and pick him up later. Much like humans, they schedule their procedures so it is probably not possible to request a specific time.
Cooper and Bailey have been in several times- for xrays and surgeries.

DISCLAIMER: Not a vet- just have kept several in Porsches!

My dogs have been digitally x rayed and I did not leave them overnight. One was x rayed without sedation - she had an enlarged heart.

If it were me, I would be there while the vet looks at the x rays and then they will want to keep the dog a few hours to watch her as she comes out of the sedation. I would be fine leaving her there for a few hours but NOT overnight. Of course, the x rays may indicate a different step if she has a broken bone.
This is hard to go through and I hope it's nothing serious.

DLM, my boy is no Toby! He is very good on the table, but I seriously doubt he could sit "x-ray still" from a distance. He is just not that calm. We have trained him to stay but it is not 100% reliable.

Oakley, I am thinking my dog may end up in a cast. That's what my DH thinks he needs...a way to hold the toe in place and let it heal. We are going first thing tomorrow, and it is a very small country vet, so they will probably look at him as soon as we get there. I'll also take his crate so he will at least wake up surrounded by familiar smells.

CB, thanks for letting me know this is SOP. I have so little experience with veterinary stuff. My childhood dog had epilepsy, but that always involved emergency visits. Porsches...yup...I know about those!

Thanks bumbblebeez. Leaving him overnight will definitely freak me out. I also hope it is nothing serious. I have had these terrible thoughts about him losing the use of his leg or something. Today, he was actually running in the yard on three legs. Disturbing. But, he's in good spirits and lively. I'll keep you posted...

I don't think it's going to be an overnight stay, just for a while.

I usually have clients drop off for stuff like that because my day is typically booked with appointments and surgeries. The time I get to perform such procedures is very short and occurs at random, so I need the patient available immediately. But it may be a while before I get to them. So rather than have client wait for who knows how long for me to have time, they just run some errands or go to work and come back later. Of course, I try to get a phone # so if I need to perform further diagnostics or treatments, I can get authorization and have it done by the time owner returns.

It's very normal for busy, well-run hospitals to do drop offs like this.

My younger lab is having a problem with his right front leg. Vet needs to sedate in order to get a good x-ray. Having it done on Monday.

Years ago (20 or so), our first lab had a set of films done, for what I cannot for the life of me remember why the original film was taken. Any event, after the films, our then vet was freaking out, diagnosing our dog as having an enlarged heart. Immediately referred us to the large well known university animal hospital in our area. $1,500 later, the heart specialist explained that because the dog was not sedated, the x-ray gave the appearance of an enlarged heart.

In our case, not having been sedated resulted in a less than optimal positioning for the films, the spine and sternum were not correctly lined up, thus the misdiagnosis of an enlarged heart. My dog was healthy as a horse, but due to a poorly taken x-ray, I spent alot of unnecessary $$. Just sayin.

Your dog will come home a bit groggy, but otherwise fine. Having thrown $1,500 out the window 20 yrs ago left a huge impression. I would not hesitate to have the sedation, so long as there are no other known health issues with your pet. You will get a much better picture of what is going on. I don't like to leave my guys at the vet any longer than is absolutely necessary and even visit my pets if/when they have been hospitalized. I don't board my pets either, so I know where you are coming from. I don't think your pet will have any lasting problem from being left at the vet for a few hours for a procedure. If your vet isn't already aware of the anxiety, make sure to point it out. Also, I am a huge believer that our pets pick up on our emotions as well.

Hope things improve quickly.

Your furbaby is absolutely adorable!

The one thing I've learned during the past three weeks, is that I think it's worse for the humans than our furbabies. I had to leave my almost 15 year old at the Vet for three nights for iodine radiation treatment to cure hyperthyroidism. My "kid" had never been away from home except to get his teeth cleaned.

When he came home 14 days ago, we had to semi-isolate him because of the residue radiation. I can't believe how well he adjusted to his "sleepover" at the Vet and his subsequent semi-isolation. Today was the first day of being back to normal and he is acting as though the prior 17 days never happened....and this is the most needy and nervous kitty I've ever known. So your baby will be fine too!

Meghane...just wanted to tell you that I was doing research on the I-131 and found many posts by you which were very informative....thank you for taking the time to educate us!

I do so understand and seems you've gotten good and comforting advice. I'm just wondering if...as a while- you're- at- it kind of thing....if he could get his teeth cleaned while he's still under...two birds!

Work in progress, I think things were different when using the films. I already knew she had a heart condition but the x ray confirmed it. The vet only suggested it but because it was expensive it was optional but he also was delighted to use his brand new fancy digital x ray machine.

Everything was crystal clear and we looked at her joints also and discussed her whole physical condition.
She has been on Enalapril since then, is vigorous and full of energy at 11 and no longer wheezes or coughs like she was doing.

Good morning. Well, T-Shih is at the vet and he's been sedated. As meghane suggested, the Dr. will squeeze him in when he has 20 minutes. Thanks for the professional perspective meghane. Nice to see you around! (long time...)

WIP, my husband read your post and we were both convinced that sedation is the way to go. Gyad, what a story! He also took the boy up while I did carpool this morning. He is the calmer of the two of us. I had planned to zoom over there after carpool but by the time I was close, he was already heading home. Probably just as well.

Marlene, thanks for the sweet words of encouragement. I am glad to hear your little one dealt well with the trauma. Hopefully my boy will do as well.

Leahcate, I called the Dr. right away and he said it was a good idea to at least do a better dental exam and perhaps a and scaling while he's snoozy. Apparently, the anesthesia they use for dental work is more extensive, including intubation, so he won;t do that today. The Dr. actually got on the phone to discuss this with me. We drive a long way to go to this place, but so far, I like the responsiveness of the small practice.

Bbeez, glad t hear your dog is so healthy and happy now!

So, the exam showed up a white patch on his black pad...the main one. Might be a infection/pus. Don't know a thing yet. I have a job this am, so I am off...good to keep my mind elsewhere. I am glad I didn't have to hear him crying. DH said it was pretty bad. :( I don't think I would have been able to get that out of my head.

Sounds like furbaby is in good hands and is on his way to feeling better! Hoping all goes well. :)

Amy, why was he crying? Out of fright or pain? I do hope it's a simple infection. Let us know.

I just adore our country vet! He's only a few miles from my house, and he's surrounded by pasture and wheat fields. and he's cheaper than going to the City.

Just last Wednesday morning before Thanksgiving, I noticed my Lizzie (cat) had a lot of pus coming from her ear lobe. I called the vet and he said come right over. He cleaned it and put her on antibiotics and she's great. We think our other cat (male) bit her..but they always get along usually.

Now if it was something very serious like eye's, then we go to the city which is about 20 min. from us.

Good luck to all of you!

Thanks funcolors! I appreciate the kind words.

Oakley, he was crying from the pain. We haven't been able to touch that foot for the last day or so without a yelp.

It's funny, we drive out of the city to the country to see this vet.

I just got off the phone with him and he found something inside the pad, which was expelled along with pus, when he squeezed hard enough. (This was after the x-ray, of course...wish he had prodded before the x-ray, but I don't know what that cost.) He is calling it an abscess. Ta-Shih will have a bandage for two days and then we will give him Epsom Salts soaks for five days. Antibiotics as well.

Now I am thinking about probiotics. Or maybe pre biotics, something I just saw at Whole Dog Journal.

Oh, and leahcate, the vet did scale his teeth. We think we may take him back in for a full cleaning in a couple months. Thanks!

That is so strange Amy. One of my cats had a swollen paw last weekend. I took her to the vet right away and they said it was infected but could not do an Xray (she can't be sedated.) So they gave her antibiotics and said to soak it in Epsom salts if it does not get better. I think it is only slightly better. I am planning to get the epsom salts on the way home today. How I am going to get a siamese cat to let me soak her foot is beyond me. :)

They said it is either a tumor or an infection. Nice, right? Poor thing. She just can't ever be under so we have to wait and see.

I hope Ta-Shih is feeling better soon.

Ta-Shih is a real cutie! Glad they found the problem, and hope she heals quickly!!!

So glad Ta-Shih is done with the x-ray, and that there's nothing super serious going on. Also, the vet having had the ability to drain what he thinks is an abcess, should accelerate the healing.

I can't imagine how you can do the soaks. Just mentally trying to picture how I would get one of my guys to cooperate for a soak, is daunting. However, having done some pretty crazy medical stuff between DD and all of our pets over the years, I am sure you'll figure a way to accomplish the soaks. What is the old saying - where there's a will, there's a way? The vet may have some suggestions as well.

Good luck with the soaks, and I hope your gorgeous pup is feeling better very soon!

What?? Meghane may have something to say that would explain this to me but I can't believe they had to put that poor dog under in order to determine she had a foreign object inside the pad of her foot.

Anyway, I'm glad it's all turning out well. She is a cutie, for sure!

Boop, I can;t imagine getting a cat to submit to soaks. That's just crazy! Hope the antibiotics work.

Thanks homebodymom. He is doing better already. He was pretty loopy when he came home, almost looked like he was favoring his whole right side, trying to walk on two legs. And kind of limp like a noodle. Funny but sad. And he was whimpering a lot for the first 30 minutes or so. But, he seems quite back to normal now.

WIP, the funny thing is that Ta-Shih is getting very good about baths. He rolled in something yesterday and when we said the B word, he actually climbed up onto the stool he sits on when we shower him. It was kind of amazing. He just knew. So, I am feeling optimistic about the soaks in light of that behavior.

Golddust, he wasn't completely anesthetized, just sedated. The idea was that they would give him a mild sedative and see if they could do what was needed under those conditions. If it wasn't enough, they'd give him more. But it's not like the full dose they use for surgery or dental work. There is only one line item for anesthesia on the bill, so I guess one shot was enough.

He is back home now with a soft cast-like bandage. Thump thump thump he goes around the house. We have to put a plastic bag on it when he goes out so that the cast stays dry. He is happy again and being very docile with the grandchildren who were here for dinner tonight. My sweet boy. :-)

Thanks for the kind words and wishes, everyone. I appreciate your technical advice very much. Leaving him wasn't as bad as I though it would be. I didn't realize he would be sedated right away. Knowing he was sleeping most of the time was comforting.

I'm glad to hear it wasn't anything worse and hope he heals up fast! He's very cute. :)

Thanks shee!

Amy, how is your baby doing?

Marlene, thanks for remembering us and asking. The boy is still favoring his foot a bit, but not hurting. We have been giving him epsom salt soaks and when we squeeze his foot to "wring him out" he obviously is completely free of pain. So that's a relief. I assume the limp will go away after a while.

Hope your babies are well, too.

Here's a pic of my little Peg Leg Pete, posing with the stuffed animal I bought for our granddaughter. She is just 7 months old and quite in love with the doggie, so I had to get this for her. Ta-Shih is not amused, by the baby or the toy! :-)

Oh, what a great picture! The stuffed toy looks so real.

I am so glad Peg Leg is doing so well. He is so adorable and his coat is gorgeous.

It is amazing how much we love our non human children (in my case, my only children). People think I'm nuts because I won't travel anywhere that I can't get home the same day in the event something happens to one of them. They are older and both have health issues and I want to make certain that I am there for them during the worst case scenario. I truly had a life before these two...I just can't remember it!

Cute pics, BTW.

Glad it wasn't anything too serious and he feels better already. Popping the abscess and cleaning it out probably would have been too painful for him do awake anyway. I usually sedate for abscess popping and cleaning too. He'll probably stop limping once the bandage is off. My Nunyette cut the high paw pad (the one they don't actually walk on) this weekend and I just wrapped her wrist to keep the blood from spraying all over my house. She acted like I broke her arm! Took the bandage off a couple hours later and she was perfectly fine, and glad to be able to lick the wound finally.

However I have to comment on the fact that they scaled the teeth and didn't polish! ARGH! Those non-anesthesia dentals do more harm than good. Once the teeth are scratched by the scaler, bacteria and plaque build up even more quickly because it's easier to grip on a rough surface than a smooth (ie just polished) surface. I'd say get the real dental done ASAP just so he gets polished.

Marlene- glad your cat got the I-131 and did so well with it. I just LOVE that treatment. It's so easy on the cat and they're actually cured. For cats nervous at the vet office, it's much better to get the I-131 and be done with it than to do repeated vet visits trying to regulate the medication.

Hey Meghane, I don't actually know if they polished or not. But, what you're saying makes sense. I appreciate the advice and will not let them do one without the other again.

The vet runs a special in Jan/Feb for a full dental treatment. Ta-Shih also has a benign fatty lump on his shoulder they'd like to remove. So, they are suggesting we do the whole thing after the first of the year. We'll take your advice on that, too!

I am dismayed to report that my boy seems to be favoring his right foot again, ever so slightly. I'm going to keep an eye on it. :(