One day I was assisting with an ear laceration surgery on a dog (note: this is not the same thing as ear cropping.. this is a more medically necessary surgery to repair damage). My job was to hold the dog's ear and the gas mask (since we couldn't tie it around his head like we normally would), so naturally, my face was pretty close to the dog's face.
Everything was going fine, but then I started sweating profusely. Then I got really, really cold. Then I was overcome with dizziness. Then I thought I was going to throw up all over the surgery table. I had to get out of there.
I asked to be excused (one of the techs took over for me) and ran straight to the bathroom. Amazingly, I didn't vomit. I probably should have, but god, I hate vomiting. I'll hold it in as long as I possibly can. After my stomach calmed down a bit, I stumbled over to one of the waiting room benches. Then everything went dark.
I woke up a few minutes later, my brain still really foggy and my entire body drenched from sweat. One of the techs asked me if I was okay. I said I was, but I mean, they just watched me pass out on the bench so I'm pretty sure they saw straight through that one. I tried to stand up, but I was still a bit too dizzy for that. It was a good two hours before I started to feel normal again.
Later that day, the vet asked me what happened. I had no idea. It couldn't have been the blood. That has never bothered me in the slightest. And I didn't think I was sick because I would still be feeling bad, wouldn't I? Then the vet said, "Well, you had your face pretty close to that gas mask. I bet you were breathing in the anesthesia."
And yes, that was exactly what happened. So yeah.. breathing in drugs that are not meant for you is a very bad idea with very unpleasant consequences. That lesson has been learned.
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