Perianesthetic death in dogs and cats: a scoping review.

ABSTRACT: Perianesthetic death (PAD) is an uncommon yet devastating outcome in veterinary medicine, with incidence rates consistently higher than those reported in human anesthesia. In our scoping review, we summarize the current literature on PAD in dogs and cats and discuss definitions, risk factors, species-specific challenges, and the role of postmortem examinations. Although advances in veterinary anesthesia have occurred, inconsistencies in PAD definitions and follow-up periods have limited the ability to compare PAD incidence over time. Risk factors consistently associated with PAD include high American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status classification, age and weight extremes, species-specific traits, and procedural urgency. PAD risk is consistently higher in cats than dogs. Most s

SUBMITTER: Rose N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12916337 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature