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Q: We have a cockapoo with bad breath and, the veterinarian says, rotting teeth and gums. She wants us to put our girl under and remove some teeth and clean the rest. We are worried about the risks of anesthesia at her age, 12. It seems it would be better to take our chances with bad teeth. Cheaper, too. What do you think? -- W.R., via e-mail

A: Would you like to chew with rotting teeth and infected gums? Bet not. It's painful! Not to mention that poor dental health and the shower of bacteria from infections in the mouth deteriorate overall health and can shorten your pet's life span.

In short: Take your vet's advice.

It's true that no anesthetic procedure is without risk. But in the hands of a good veterinarian, anesthesia has become a routine and safe procedure -- with risks so low that you should not be dissuaded from pursuing necessary preventive or other surgical procedures for all pets, even older ones.

Follow your veterinarian's advice on minimizing risks. That may include a complete medical history, physical examination and a few basic tests beforehand, including a laboratory evaluation of blood and urine, and possibly a chest X-ray. Although these tests admittedly add to the cost of a procedure, they enable your veterinarian to fully understand the health status of your pet before anesthetizing her.

During the procedure, placement of an IV catheter and administration of fluids will further add to the safety of the procedure. (We find it interesting that a human anesthesiologist would be sued for malpractice if safety procedures weren't in place, but veterinarians who try to practice good anesthesia protocols are often accused of "padding the bill.")

Be sure to follow your veterinarian's instructions before and after any procedure -- your pet's life may depend on it. If no food is specified, make sure that you deliver your pet with an empty stomach (and 'fess up if you can't so the procedure can be rescheduled if necessary). During anesthesia, the contents of a full stomach can be regurgitated with the unfortunate potential complication of being inhaled into the lungs. In general, you should completely withhold food the night before, but continue to allow free access to water until the morning of the procedure.

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