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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

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Original poster

Dental treatment on older dog - advice v much needed

14 replies

BellaMagnificat · 11/04/2011 22:33

Hello

I need to make a decision. My dear one's teeth need at least a scale and polish, perhaps more. She is 12 and will need a GA. She is in very good health, strong heart, perfect weight, no health problems bar a fatty lump in her armpit.

Should I go ahead? vet advises to do so as if problems develop later on might mean traumatic emergency dental treatment and a GA anyway.

She is a terrier mix. I adore her. I would not easily forgive myself if I put her through an elective proceedure and it went wrong - but I am certinaly not right to allow her to live with potential discomfort and maybe a major emergency op when she is older and frail.

I need to grow a pair of spherical objects, I think, and get it done, don't I?

What do you all think and has anyone any experience? And Val, dog Goddess, what do you think please?

OP posts:

chickchickchicken · 11/04/2011 22:41

at Val, dog goddess. i always seem to be recommending people ask her for help in the doghouse and hope she doesnt get fed up with me!

do you trust your vet? i have a 14yr old terrier and understand your dilemna. i will only take her to one particular vet as i trust him to advise treatment bearing in mind her age. if my vet recommended this op then i would as i know he would never endanger my dog without very good reason

i love my dog more than i ever thought i could love a dog so can understand how you are feeling. i cannot advise what you do but i know i would follow my vet's advice

chickchickchicken · 11/04/2011 22:45

btw was discussing GA with my vet not long ago as my dog has lots of skin tags. they dont need to removed but i was asking what if ....

he said same as yours. my dog is older than yours but like yours is in good health

washnomore · 11/04/2011 22:48

I would be astonished if you don't see a noticeable improvement in her general demeanour following the dental. It's surprising how much discomfort only becomes apparent once we remove the source and the dog feels better. Your vet will only recommend what's in your dog's best interest, and no vet wants a bad outcome on their hands either. 12 isn't desperately ancient in terrier terms anyway :)

hellymelly · 11/04/2011 22:49

My terrier had this at 11 ish,he was fine. He did have a few teeth extracted but recovered quickly.I think that leaving him to possibly get an abcess etc would have been an equal risk to his health. And he also has a spinal problem and is in pain so really didn't want his teeth hurting too.I think they are very gentle with the anaesthetic and take care to put them under for the shortest time.It is stressful i know,but probably worth doing for a more comfortable old age.(if it really is just a scale issue however then you can do it at home with a descaling tool,if your doggie is a tollerant type!)What sort of terrier mix is she?

Original poster

BellaMagnificat · 11/04/2011 23:02

Well, here's the thing. I have never had a problem with my vet - quite the reverse - but I know several people who have, and one who lost their healthy dog under a GA. This really weighs on my mind. I do know the practice is geared towards the ££££. But is this unusual? Probably not.

Also, there is nothing wrong with her general demeanour - she chews a fraction more carefully than she used to, but not so you'd notice. She has a wee bit of doggy breath but again nothing serious.

Perhaps I should get a second opinion?

As for her breed, who knows what unwise night of passion resulted in my lovely girl? My previous vet who was nearing retirement and from Edinburgh looked at me over his glasses when I asked and said 'Madam - she's a wee black dog.'

Best guess is terrier crossed with some kind of whippet or lurcher. She is black and has long legs like a patterdale, does the swerving thing when running, but is narrower in body, and not mad.

OP posts:

chickchickchicken · 11/04/2011 23:16

in view of your last post i would get a second opinion. chewing a bit more carefully and bit of doggy breath dont seem serious to me (have yet to encounter any dental problems though so dont know a lot about it)

i think most vets are geared towards £££. my vets are too except for one of the original partners

Original poster

BellaMagnificat · 11/04/2011 23:59

And some discolouration on her teeth I should have said.

OP posts:

chickchickchicken · 12/04/2011 00:22

my dog has some discolouration but vet has said they are in great condition for her age. though i suppose discolouration must vary so much so cant compare

it sounds as if you would feel better getting a second opinion. you dont have to change vets or get her records moved over such as we do with gp. just go to another vet and ask opinion on her teeth. you dont need to say who you are registered with even

it may be worth it if it gives you peace of mind

Scuttlebutter · 12/04/2011 01:01

I think it's insulting to imply that they are recommending potentially dangerous elective treatments just to get some ££s through the door. If you really have so little trust in their professional judgement then you should probably change vets.

If your vet has advised this procedure, and believes your dog is healthy enough to support going through a GA, then why wouldn't you? If your dog has dental problems, not only could they be in pain, but infections in the mouth and gum, if left untreated, can spread into the rest of the body and cause problems for heart, kidneys and other organs. We have some elderly dogs - greyhounds are very prone to needing dental work - if our vet believed they were up to it, I wouldn't hesitate. It's worth remembering that old age in NOT a disease - the risks for GA include age, but are also about a whole range of other factors, which your vet will have assessed thoroughly.

I have seen a number of older dogs get a fantastic lease of life after having dental surgery - it's amazing the difference it can make, and is sobering to think about the pain/discomfort/health effects they must have been enduring stoically prior to the surgery.

washnomore · 12/04/2011 07:43

Scuttle's right. It's common for owners to think that dental treatment can't possibly be necessary because their dog is still eating. I tend to make the point to them that the dog doesn't have much choice in this! The problem is usually pretty severe before it impacts on eating and of course as a progressive disease it's much better to deal with it before that stage. It's also very common for owners to think their dog is simply slowing down due to old age, then after their teeth have been sorted out it becomes clear that the dog was bothered by its teeth. Hopefully this won't be the case for your dog OP, and it's simply a case of preventative scaling, but I can't over-emphasise how frequently owners express surprise at how much brighter their dog seems following treatment.

It's also not just a problem of bad breath and a sore mouth - dental disease can lead to poor nutrition, heart and kidney disease and its presence means an elderly animal is having to fight infection 24/7.

Original poster

BellaMagnificat · 12/04/2011 17:02

I understand you jumping to defence of fellow professionals- it's just that I have heard three separate stories about my vet recently, along with another set of issues from a rescue they work with.

I absolutely understand the importance of good dental health -and will do what is best for my dog. This issue has brought to head my niggling concerns and I will certainly get a second opinion and possibly change vets permanently.

She keeps up well on a five hour hike bouncing ahead of my border collie half her age, so doG knows what a 'new lease of life' might entail!

OP posts:

chickchickchicken · 12/04/2011 20:35

we fostered a dog for the dogs trust. he came to live with us to have a major operation. dogs trust was paying the bill. vet knew this. after the op and aftercare i asked to see the bill they were sending dogs trust. vet tried to deny i had any right to see it, i insisted and they had claimed for bandages, appointments and meds he hadnt been given. i found it very odd that they didnt want to show me the bill and i insisted they show it to me before i left.

i was when i rung the dogs trust fostering scheme to let them know i didnt agree with the bill they told me that they have a dedicated person who checks every vets bill they receive and any suspicious ones are passed to their vet for a second opinion. they told me that it wasnt uncommon for vets to add on extras that hadnt been given

needless to say i changed vet and told them why
i do have a fantastic vet now and i trust him completely

hellymelly · 12/04/2011 20:57

Bella- that preally made me laugh "Madam-she's a wee black dog..." Brilliant. I do love a wee black terrier type doggie.(aside from my brother's patterdale,who is a bitey beast).
I have a Wire fox Terrier.He is a lovely old chap.
Sounds as though you should ask another vet,and if there are no signs of decay or heavy plaque build up,then you can possibly descale them at home. It is really vital with an older dog that you have a vet you trust I think.Well with any dog,but as they get older they tend to get more things cropping up that need a great vet.

higgle · 13/04/2011 16:31

My old collie cross who lived to be over 17 had her last scale and polish under GA at age 15, and was fine. ( Jumped into the back of the estate car afterwards too) Our new rescue, who is 9 had six teeth out and the rest of his worn down stumps scaled and polished a few weeks back and he is a different dog now - so much happier. The vet discovered that a couple of his teeth were cracked and infected and it must have been very uncomfortable for him. His breath is lovely now too - Staffie kisses very welcome! I really trust our vet, and if you have that sort of relationship with yours I would say go for it.

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