Warning: Anesthesia may cause allergic reaction in canines

Madison, Wis. - University of Wisconsin researchers think theymight have the answer to why some dogs die after receiving anesthesia forsurgery.

It appears that some animals may have an allergic reaction. Researcherssay they isolated a defective gene for malignant hyperthermia, which canspeed up metabolism, muscle rigidity and high temperatures.

Anesthetics are known to cause malignant hyperthermia in animals or humanswith a defective gene. Scientists hope to screen people for the condition.

The genetic defect can cause a cell to release too much calcium whenthe anesthesia is administered, which eventually leads to destruction ofmuscle cells.

Scientists also report they found a counterpart of the gene in humans,but do not know how many people have been affected by it, if any.