I feel bad

I went to scale Summer's teeth today and realized she has a loose front tooth. It looks normal but it's definitely very loose. I know she's a 9 year old toy breed and that issues like that are common but I feel bad I just now noticed it. I had noticed her breath had gotten bad the last month or so and she had gotten some tartar but her teeth have always been soooo much better than Beau's, Rose's, or Nard's. The vet checked her teeth the last trip in (half a year maybe?) and said she had some tartar but they didn't look too bad.

*sigh*

I have not had to put her under since her eye surgery several years ago and that time she ended up in the emergency vet. I really wanted to avoid having to put her under for another dental.

Also is making me realize that although she looks really young she's not. I feel negligent that I didn't catch that sooner.

Awwee. Poor Summer. Ah. Don't worry about it. We all do stuff like that from time to time. Summer still loves you.

Don't feel bad. At all. Let me tell you, if HALF of our clients took the time you did and actually cared for their pet's teeth, we wouldn't have to do so many, "Well, your 15 year old dog is in horrible pain/can't eat/has a horrible, horrible infection in its entire mouth, but the anesthesia and time it is going to take to extract almost every tooth in its mouth is not going to be the safest procedure..." types of conversations.

Awww, don't feel bad. I find sometimes general vets are kind of lax with teeth, more than they should be. Maybe it's because they know the common owner probably wouldn't consider getting their dogs cleaned, or think it's important, etc.

But FWIW, the anesthesia is less likely to cause issues than the actual bad teeth. I know so many dogs who have disgusting teeth, and it always makes me sad. You're obviously a good owner, and for you to take notice shows that

Good luck, I know it's always nerve wrecking. Jax has been under twice for a dental now and he's not even 5. But he's done great every time. I've been trying really hard to keep up with his teeth now though with brushing at least every other night. I use petzlife too and have noticed a difference. His teeth tend to get gunky real quick if I don't brush for 3+ days.

I just keep thinking of the last time she went under a had seizures and had to be in the emergency vet all night. Of course she was put under twice in 12 or so hours. I just will feel so guilty if that happens again.

Can you try to find a vet who could do a dental without putting her under? I know somebody here was able to find a vet who was willing to use the sonic scaler without anesthesia. It's not going to be quite as effective but it's not like you don't want to have her put under just because it makes you uncomfortable... she actually had an adverse reaction last time.

I think it's worth consulting with your vet and get their opinion on if they would put her under or not.

Wouldn't they have to put her under to pull the loose tooth?

I've been using leba III like crazy and trying to scale her teeth but I think that tooth needs pulling for sure.

I'll have to call them. She's been put under twice at this vet before without incident. It was the other vet (and being put under twice in a day) that was the issue. It just scared the crap out of me though. I wonder if it was a medication difference or what that caused the problem? They used propofol the time she had a seizure.

Agh so torn on it.

Ok so I called the e-vet in Texas and they are reluctant to release the records because my vet listed there was the one in Texas vs the one up here. And I had used my university email address which was disabled a year after I graduated. Grrr. So I faxed something to them and signed saying I was who I said I was and they can release the records to my vet. Im kind of frustrated, this seems more complicated than getting my records transferred to other doctors and I'm pretty sure hippa doesn't apply to dog medical records? I hope they forward them.

My vet doesn't want to decide anything until he has records of the drugs that they gave on the day she had seizures.

HIPPA doesn't apply however you can check the AVMA and in most states they cannot legally withhold your records.

I just am wondering what they are worried that someone will do with the wrong dog's record. Plus my phone number is still the same and everything. But she kept sighing like I was asking for something inpossible.

I'm hoping they send them over soonish. My current vet is supposed to call once they receive them.

Talked to the vet and they haven't received the record yet but we scheduled the dental for Friday thinking surely they will have the records by then. I'm nervous. He's really good though and said they would use anti-seizure medication in her pre-work up. He loves Summer too so I know they will do what is best.

Already anxious though just thinking about it.

When Monty, my Shih Tzu x Maltese, was 8 years old he had a loose front tooth. I booked an appointment but just before I went in I checked and the tooth was gone. A couple of weeks later, he had another loose tooth in front and the same thing, it just came out on it's own. I did end up taking him in just in case he had a tooth farther back that might be loose. The rest of his teeth were fine but they cleaned them at the same time even though they were really not very bad.

Well the vet has the records of what she had given to her before she seized and he said he was going to come up with an alternative route for putting her under. They also usually use propofol so it makes me wonder what was different between the two instances that caused her reaction.

Poor Summer is going to have an eye gash and a missing tooth now.