I always marveled at my grandparents' "partial plates" soaking at night in the bathroom while I brushed my teeth before bed. I never understood why they didn't keep them in all the time. I always thought you'd want to have your teeth whether you were awake or asleep.
Despite all efforts to keep my girls' teeth brilliant white, my raw-fed youngest now needs two teeth removed. I really don't like the idea of Roxy having teeth pulled, but I know that it is necessary. You see, Roxy never had a dental like most dogs when they are spayed through their adoption group. She had complications during her spay and they didn't have time to fool with her teeth while they were trying to stop the excessive bleeding. Her teeth were gross from day one and we have brushed them, put special stuff in her water, and finally switched to a raw diet to improve both the appearance of her pearly whites and her killer breath.
Ninety percent of her teeth have improved and at first glance you would think she has an excellent set of greyhound choppers. But pull up the corner of her mouth on each side, you will that her premolars on each side (or maybe they are her molars - I'm not a doggie dentist) that have roots exposed. Upon inspection by Dr. Hottie, it has been decided that they must come out sooner rather than later.
So the date has been set: July 29. Until then she is on soft food only - no bones, turkey necks, or chicken backs. We're doing antibiotics twice a day for 14 days before surgery. She'll also need pain meds and a different antibiotic after surgery.
Needless to say, I'm a bit nervous about this whole thing. This will be the first time she is put under after her spay, of which she had a hard time recovering from the anesthesia. I'm nervous about her eating raw food again. I mean how do you chew turkey necks without back teeth? I'm nervous about a secondary infection. I'm nervous about the pain she will be in. I think it may be time to up my anxiety meds.
Maybe she'll need doggie dentures after all. I guess she'll want me to soak them overnight too. Do they make chicken-flavored poligrip?
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7 comments:
She'll be fine. Rest easy.
I'm sure she'll be fine, but I think it's natural that we worry about our pooches.
We haven't had to have any extracted from Sabrina or Apollo yet. They both had dentals when they were retired and were spayed/neutered. Sabrina has two problematic teeth, her upper back ones. I think both dogs could use a cleaning, but we're reluctant to put them under just for that.
We give them frozen soup bones as often as we think to help keep the plaque/tartar down.
Good luck!
I always worry before mine have dentals, too! Even though realistically I know in my head that they are in excellent hands and will be fine, I still worry like crazy! The good news is that every time, it's been fine. That includes my girl who had epilepsy.
I'm not sure about chicken flavored Polident, but peanut butter might be an option!
Everyone uses different anesthesia protocol, maybe whatever drugs they used to spay her with just didn't sit right with her. Your vet likely uses different sedation so she may react totally different. Good luck, I hope the greyt tooth fairy is good to her.
Thanks guys. I worry too much. I know. I'll be glad when it's over and I'm sure she will too. Britt - thank you for that. The anesthesia worries me the most since I had a cat that died after the doc gave her too much for her spay. I was five. It stuck with me :) I have greyt tooth fairy plans for her :)
I had the same issue last year and Nigel came through just fine. A few groggy hours later he was his old self. He had his back upper 2 teeth pulled. I'm sure all will go perfectly...
What does Beth Stern have to say about this in her book? Any helpful hints will ease YOUR anxiety.
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