Trixie has a Broken Molar : (

[Pam & Trixie]

I was looking at Trixies teeth last night...She has been chewing her bones alot in the last month & I thought- I bet her teeth are looking good. Was I ever wrong!

Her back Molar- Not sure what it is called. But its her biggest tooth : (
Its brown & part of the side is gone.

I checked her teeth about 3.5 months ago...Right before I bought her Antlers.
They were fine then...She was getting tarter on her molars that I was concerend about (her other side is cleaner then it was before)

I have no idea which bone is the culprit...Not that it really matters. She chewed her antlers a fair amount the 1st week we had them...then less...Then I put them away as my Grand dog came to live with us for a couple months...They both chewed Her Nyla bones alot during that time...And also she chewed his big treated Dinosaur bones (the Dino bones when he first moved here- then I put them away & recently they some how appeared again)

I assume if the tooth is brown it is not real recent? (like in the last week..?)

I need to make a vet appt...Want dh to come with so he can hear the options & Pick me up off the floor when I see the Estimate (her spay cost us about $650)

So my Options I am guessing will be extract it. That great chewing tooth...Is that wise? And she is not even 2.

Or a root canal & a cap..?

Anyone been here & have advice.

Also she loves chewing- So I am very upset about her not being able to do this...What will I be able to give her now to chew on.
She got sick on Bully sticks when she was a puppy...And it seems like you always risk Salmonella with them....

 

UPDATE #1

Ouch

Saw our vet last night.  It is a slab fracture...And he will be pulling it on Thursday. (was scheduled for next Wednesday- then I remembered we go out of town for the day on Saturday & I didnt want to leave her for the day-with just the neighbor coming in to feed & let her out...So they were able to move it up to this week.

 

My appt yesterday was a fortune- $114.    $63 for the office call- last I went in the spring it was $50...maybe $59 it had gone up to.  Antibiotics that we will start the day before her extraction were $48.

The cost to pull her tooth & have her teeth cleaned while she is under is...Drum roll...$806 ($271 is for Ultrasonic teeth cleaning)

If I add in a full mouth xray it is an Additional  $147...I will be just xraying the broken tooth : )

If I decide to have them remove a cyst on her back...not the one that popped last August...it is an Additional $71.  I think I will skip that ...its very small & hasnt been a problem (yet- lets hope I dont Jinx it)

 

Wish Trixie & Me luck on Thursday...I dont like putting her under : (

[Pam & Trixie]

I looked them up too.  I also didnt like that alot of dogs almost choked on them. 

Although I might still consider them & give them to her once or twice a week while I sit next to her while she chews...Watch & take it when it gets too small.   It would still give her some chewing time & help keep her teeth clean. 

But I didnt see a whole lot of difference inthe Virbac to a rawhide

[F, Calla & Luca]

I think these may be ground up rawhide with some additives. I know some contain chlorhexidine.

[Jen and Annie]

We had to have 2 teeth pulled from our other dog - but not molars - and it cost just over $400..  I don't know if molars are harder to pull, but if it's a slab fracture -yes you will probably need to pull it. :(

I think that anything dogs chew on could cause a risk of choking.  If our dog is near us when she's chewing on something, there is less risk - only because we would be supervising her.  I don't leave Annie with chews - other than her black kong - when we are crating her - for this reason.. she is able to get small pieces of the nylabone off.. The black kong has been the most durable for her, and she hasn't even been able to make a mark on it, so I think it's going to probably be with her for life....it's extremely tough.

As far as the salmonella risk with bully chews - I dont know the statistics on that, but my dogs are fed raw, which also gives them additional chewing activity while they are eating - and I know salmonella is a big concern with raw fed dogs too.  But I think their stomach acids are much stronger than ours because they are technically carnivores..designed to be able to handle raw meats, and the 'ickies' that come along with it.  

[Heather]

WOW, We never had this problem. They do come in different sizes. We get the largest size!!! I never leave Ellie unattended chewing!!!

[Sue & Lily Grace]

My vet also told me if you hit your knee with the chew and it hurts the puppy should not have it.  I took away all the Nyla Bones but Lily Grace needed some release and was not happy with the soft plastic chews she had when she was smaller.  I pulled out a split antler and she loved it.  She really went to town on it and I was afraid that the marrow was too much for her so I gave her a whole antler.  I watch her and if she is really going crazy on it I switch it out with something else.  It is not easy to find something universally recommended.  

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

Heather, just an aside.....does your vets office sell Virbac? They are pretty pricey and last about all of 5 minutes at my house. My two are very active hard chewers too Pam. I like West Paw products. They are soft enough to not break teeth but durable enough to survive my too monster jaws. I gave them Himalayan Chews this week. They chewed for most of the evening. Broke off about 1/2 pieces and little chips were left behind. Murphy did vomit up some of it the next evening, but he does with bully sticks too, so this was a trial run. No more Himalayans either now. But you might look at those two options.

[Heather]

Yes, my vet does sell the Virbac chews. For Ellie they are fine. They don't bother her stomach and they satisfy her. I like that it doesn't take her forever to chew them, since I never leave her unattended while enjoying one!!! Thanks for the tip!!! ;)

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Trixie I messaged you but then saw this and want to address the other questions.  Ned does chew bones, antlers, nylabones.  I have no idea what might have caused the fracture - could he have soft teeth, is it just an accident, is it because he chewed hard things????  For a long time after, I restricted him from chewing hard objects but have gradually eased back into it - especially because he steels things to chew anyway so...... In our research, we found that repairing the tooth is costly and most likely temporary - even the specialist said this.  Perhaps repair or implants or whatever for front teeth?????  but not back molars.

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

I'm so sorry about Trixie's tooth! I would be very upset too!  Tara's vet is a dental specialist and she is always on us about what Tara chews. She said to drop the item on your knee and if it is hard enough to bounce off then it is too hard for her to chew.  Well that is all well and good in theory but in practice...not so much. I still let Tara chew bully sticks which are definitely knee bouncers.  She is a DOG after all and dogs like to chew. The vet never offers any viable alternative other than those dental chews that last about 2 minutes.

Do you have insurance for Trixie? I think that it might cover damage to teeth. I think most of them don't cover cleanings and routine procedures but I would think a broken tooth might be covered???

[Pam & Trixie]

Thanks for all your replies...I dont have an appt for her yet...I will update you after we go

[BG and Gavin]

Sorry to hear about Trixie - hopefully the financial aspect will not be too terrible :(

[Laurie, Wally & Charlotte]

About six months ago, I discovered a bit of blood-stained saliva on the toothbrush that I was using to brush Wally's teeth.  When I looked for the source, I found that one of his upper right molars was broken - the one that's next to the last tooth.  The broken piece was still attached under the gum.  It was definitely a slab fracture.  Our regular vet extracted the tooth and stitched up the area perfectly.  Wally took took a pain-killer and an antibiotic, and ate soft food for a while afterwards during the time that the area healed.  I found it interesting to learn that, unlike people's teeth, dogs' teeth do not shift to fill in the open space left from the removal of a tooth.

I will never know how Wally broke his tooth, as I discovered it after the fact.  He chews on bully sticks, but not on antlers and not on Nylabones.  I had had been told that antlers are too hard and that the rigid Nylabones can break teeth.  He also chews on some (very limited) thick, rolled rawhide.  I was advised to give chews into which you can press a fingernail.  

I hope that Trixie's dental situation is easily corrected and that she's back to her happy, chewing self in no time!