Dog dental problems

[Babyroobs]

Had to take my 11 year old dog to the vets yesterday due to a putrid smell coming from her mouth. She brought a hedgehog into the house a few days ago ( hedgehog was ok thankfully ! ) and I thought she may have been spiked and got a mouth infection from that. However it turns out her teeth are rotten. I feel bad we hadn't noticed how bad they were before now. She has been eating and drinking fine though and this awful smell only started a couple of days ok. Anyway she needs to have at least ten teeth out asap poor girl. The vets have said they can't fit her in for this for another ten days, although they are going to try their other branches. She does not seem to be distressed but I just wonder if we do have to wait this long does anyone have any suggestions as to anything that might help the odour in the meantime ? Sorry to sound selfish but the smell is making me feel sick and she always likes to be close to me. I don't want to push her away or not let her sleep on my bed when she's already going through this.
Just wondered if there is any kid of mouthspray or anything that would help?

I should add I do have a really acute sense of smell and can often smell odours that others can't .

Did they advise you to brush her teeth, that might help short term.

If they're that bad I would have thought she would be given a course of antibiotics before the dental surgery, that would help with the smell. Unfortunately no there are no mouth sprays etc you can use in dogs.

Judging by how wobbly the front ones were yestersay, I don't think they would withstand brushing, but maybe the back ones would. Not sure she would tolerate it right now if she is sore.

That's what I thought, it smell so bad like an infection. Vet said they need to come out asap but then receptionist said they can't fit her in. Think I need to clarify tomorrow when they are open again if the vet was aware how long the receptionist said she would have to wait. i was convinced they would prescribe some kind of antibiotics yesterday,

Poor dog!
Routine dental care from puppyhood really helps, or if a rescue dog, get them a dental if they have plaque, and then brushing with a veterinary paste twice weekly or more.
Certain breeds have poor teeth-
Teeth can make them very ill, so assuming she has s serious infection.
Eleven bad teeth didn’t happen overnight- it will be too late to clean them before het surgery, as the plaque and gums will be affected .

Edit: She must have an infection if smell is that bad, and so “ Sudden”.

I’d call them tomorrow to see if they will prescribe antibiotics and painkillers until her op. Poor thing must be feeling quite sore.

She doesn't seem in any discomfort. She has jumped up at the garden table this evening and stolen and eaten my 85 year old dad's cream cake. Not sure that will do her teeth much good ! I will call them tomorrow though. The smell seems slightly less today.

You can use hexarinse, available from animed direct, it's recommended pre and post surgery.

If they've suddenly started smelling horrific, there's probably an infection somewhere - either in the teeth or the gums. Dog breath really shouldn't smell of anything much except their food.

Going forward you can buy a product called PlaqueOff - it's just a powder you add to their food. Mine has it daily and I've really notice a difference!

When my dog was really old and unable to have an anaesthetic for a dental, the vet suggested daily use of Dentisept to control the bacterial burden. It’s a gel like substance that sticks to the teeth and gums and gets more sticky on contact with their saliva.

It smells a bit like vanilla and if your dog has a beard it will turn it brown, but we found it worked really well, alongside daily brushing for our boy.

Dentisept

I have used Hexarinse in the past for another geriatric dog, but she really hated it and it was messy because she would spit most of it out as we applied it.

Thanks Coffee. I will get some of that. She has had her surgery today - a different branch of our vets managed to get her in earlier so they have been removed, she is much better than expected, doesn't seem fazed by it all, and we paid half of what our regular vets estimated, so that's good. The staff were truly lovely and we are so glad that she will hopefully be feeling better soon.

Ask your vet if there is anything you can give your dog.

If they’re that bad I wouldn’t do anything without running it past the vet.

Just check it’s nothing to do with her kidneys. My dog had very bad breathe a very putrid strong smell and one vet missed it and said it was all plaque and needed teeth out and an older vet on a different occasion immediately said dog has kidney failure it’s not teeth smelling