Vet saying baby teeth need removing...is this correct?

[shinecrazydiamond]

Posting on behalf of my friend- she has a Cav [ I own his sister ] and he is a year old.

He had his booster jab last week and the vet looked in his mouth and said he still had the odd baby tooth that would need removing as it would go rotten and affect the other teeth. He showed my friend where it was slightly brown [ plaque? ] and said that soon it would rot the tooth. best way forward would be to remove the teeth - cost of £180

Now, these teeth are causing him no problems at all... is this advice totally correct?

Many thanks

[Vaffanculo]

Is it covered by the insurance?

[shinecrazydiamond]

Possibly yes - but only if there has been a dental check up within the last 12 months.. even so it would still mean shelling out over £100

And that is fine - providing it is necessary

[yesbutnobut]

Get a second opinion? Extractions require a general anaesthetic so not something to be entered into lightly. I would Google it first to see if this is common. [I have a 4 month cavalier btw - she's gorgeous!]

[clam]

My 11 mo pup has just had a tooth removed last week. It's a baby tooth that just hasn't come out, and the new adult tooth has come through slap bang next to it. Vet said that if it hasn't come out of its own accord by now it wont, and to leave it could give rise to decay inbetween and so on.
So, 160 quid later...... I hadn't even thought of claiming on insurance. Is it too late at this point, do you think?

[aerynsun]

My dog didn't lose his last 2 puppy teeth (both in front of his biggest teeth) until he was 3 - they came out by themselves.

Insurance doesn't usually cover dental unless they've been in accident.

[beautifulgirls]

Yes retained baby teeth usually are pressed up against the adult tooth and the area becomes a trap for food particles and bacteria. It can lead to both teeth rotting. Less commonly it can affect the position of the adult tooth too which may or not be a problem. It is sensible therefore to get these teeth taken out otherwise it is a high risk in the future the adult teeth will also need to be removed. Dental work with insurance is a grey area but worth contacting the insurer and explaining the situation that the vet has recommended removing due to the potential damage they are causing and see what they say. This is not the same things as a routine dental scale and polish which would not usually be covered under an insurance policy.

[AllOverIt]

I pulled a couple out myself, but only when they were really wobbly and she kept fussing with them. Made me feel a bit

[bananaistheanswer]

My ex's dog had this and was due to get the loose baby tooth that she had taken out as her gum/mouth had got infected. She was in a lot of pain and wouldn't eat because of it. Sadly the infection got worse before the op, and she died last night. She was 2 yrs 3 mths old. I think right now it might not seem like a big issue but there is the chance that if left too long, it might not be a good thing for your dog. Worth getting a second opinion though, just to be certain. Or maybe just keep a close eye on things so that if anything does happen, it's dealt with quickly.

[clam]

Oh how bananas Really sorry to hear that.

[bananaistheanswer]

Thanks clam, I am actually surprised how upset I am about this. I'd posted a while ago about the dog, I was a bit concerned about how she was with me and I didn't really see her that often. But, I got some good advice on here, and I managed to actually bond with her the last time I saw her. And I felt less afraid/worried as a result. She was a stunning dog, and I'm just really sad that she died at such a young age. The ex dropped the dog off at the vet in the morning, they said they'd try as much as they could to give her the best chance as she was so young, but she was too ill. She held on until the ex finished work to go and see her (as vet told him she might not last the night) and when she saw him, she went to him, cuddled into him and then died. I'm welling up just thinking about it, she just wanted to see him before she went.