While the age of a pet helps guide care, it is not considered an independent risk for anesthesia. All pets, regardless of age, especially those with medical illness, require careful consideration of the risk and benefits of anesthesia. Quite often, due to a pets’ pain, distress or lack of cooperation, the risks of attempting treatment awake outweigh the risk of utilizing sedation or anesthesia. In certain instances, full general anesthesia can be safer than light sedation. A thorough physical exam and diagnostic evaluation can greatly minimize the potential untoward effects of sedation and general anesthesia.