Anesthesia Hangover

[italicana]

I have a 3 year old pug (recently acquired from a friend that was moving) who was neutered 2 weeks ago. Since then, he has periodic and sometimes severe coughing spells, and sometimes just stands there and stares and wobbles a bit (he has actually fallen down twice). Two visits to the emergency clinic, countless tests (which for the most part have not shown any abnormalities or areas of concern) and $700 later, the vet tells me that "Cooper" had a rough time coming out of the anesthesia; that the cough is from the intubation tube; and that the odd behavior "may" in fact be petit mal seizures for which phenobarbital "may" be prescribed. He has had a cycle of antibiotics and cough medicine.
Has anyone experienced this ............. any advice?

[Eliettesmom]

Oh My Im so sorry. How scary for you both. I know last time Ellie had anesthesia she coughed very hoarsely but it was only for one day. Those other symtoms are very scary. I sure hope your little boy will be OK. I have one Pug on Pheno now for seizures and he is doing fine. Maybe the cough medicine is making him spacy?? Just a thought, or maybe the combo of cough meds and antibiotics.

[ViralMD]

Endotracheal tubes (the tubes used for intubation to administer inhalant anaesthesia) are, indeed, quite irritating. Many people are hoarse afterwards for weeks, not to mention what it does to dogs. This sounds like a very reasonable explanation.