UPDATE ON NED'S Slab Fracture on Back Molar

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

We took the dogs to the vet today for their annual checkups and immunizations.  The vet found that Ned has a slab fracture on his back molar.  He said it is quite a common occurance - NOT at my house! His suggestion is to watch it and when it starts to get infected, have it removed.  I did a search on dk and what I found seems to bear out that repair is not always successful as well as bring very costly.   Ned chews on bones, antlers, Nylabones. I have always worried that since we use larger and strong chewer ones because of the bigger dogs it might be bad for Ned's smaller jaw/teeth.  Maybe this is not a good idea or maybe his tooth would do this anyway? Does anyone have any updated information they can share? Opinions on waiting until it bothers him?  Having the vet do the procedure rather than seeking a doggy dentist?  We are still paying for Gordie's CCL surgery........ sigh.

UPDATE. NED GOT HIS TOOTH PULLED

We had a phone consultation with a specialist and were told that pulling Ned's tooth was a relatively simple procedure.  So we decided to have our regular vet do it.  Since we were concerned that if we waited until it was infected ( allowing him to keep the tooth longer), there might be more complications, so we had it pulled last week. 

Ned had nothing to eat or drink after midnight and was dropped off  at 8 a.m.  I  called periodically all day only to be told that they hadn't gotten to him yet.  We called at 4:00 and he still hadn't been worked on, so we decided that we would pick him up and bring him back. But when we got there they were just finishing him up and they said we would have to leave him overnight!  I was quite upset about that because Ned has never been away from  us at night,  he doesn't eat in public and doesn't pee or poo for others or on-leash very well at all.  I was there when they opened the next morning expecting a mad, pouty Ned.  However, a cheerful good-smelling, happy-to-see-me Ned pranced out to greet me the next morning. As soon as we got outside to the grass, he peed for about an hour! 

He is taking 50 mg of Rimadyl once a day and the antibiotic, Clindamycin, 75 mg twice a day.  He was starving for a couple of days and even ate as soon as I set the dish down, but now has settled back into his old habit of night eating - but with an improved appetite.  I was told I didn't need to, but I have been softening his kibble and will continue to do so until he runs out of meds.  He had a few disolving stitches to close the gum and my logic tells me that he shouldn't irritate it with hard kibble. Because he is eating every meal, I wonder if his tooth had been bothering him for a long, long time (perhaps a crack that was not noticed by the groomer or at other check ups)

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Glad he's doing well!  I keep going back and forth on the antler use - my vet doesn't seem to have an issue with it...

[GBK]

I missed this too Nancy!!!!  So glad he is home and doing well :P 

 I really can't believe that the other vet told you to wait until it started to get infected????  My first dog cracked his back tooth at 13 years old.  I didn't know until his whole sinus cavity blew up like a balloon and of course it was late evening when he scratched at it and had it oozing all over.  He and I slept on the couch together so I could make sure he didn't open it up more, of course I didn't have a collar at home to snap on him.  They pulled it and lot's of antibiotic later he was fine.  Of course I found out later that any infection that close to the brain is really, really dangerous and could have killed him easily. 

I hope that any of you out there that comes across this problem with their doodles and other dogs attends to it immediately, there is no good thing that can come from waiting.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I am so glad that we didn't wait either, Gina, especially since he is eating more.  I just know he has been uncomfortable and I am so sad that I didn't realized it sooner.

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

I just saw this post and I am so happy you had the tooth pulled. My Granddog had an incisor pulled last year that was cracked. Vet didn't even think twice about doing it as it makes an infection likely. Oh and of course it wasn't cheap - if memory serves it was around $1000.

I am glad he is eating and feeling better - poor guy.

[Bonnie and Kona]

I'm so glad that Ned has had this taken care of and is mending well. Give him an extra hug from us. 

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

My goodness, just reading this now and I'm very glad it's all over and that Ned is over the operation and eating well.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Thank you all for wishing Ned well.  It is a relief to know that I don't have to watch closely for infection.  I am sure Gina watched her little cocker closely and still missed it until it was bad.  That was my fear also. 

Jeanne and Allyson, It is such a dilemma - to let them chew or not to chew. If it was a fluke then chewing hard things won't make it happen again, but if I let him chew and another tooth cracks - what a guilt trip.

Lisa, thanks for sharing about your granddog. I have heard that incisors are much harder on the dog. I am glad  he is better.

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

whoa, I had no idea this could happen. I'm so glad everything turned out well with Ned.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Thanks, Sherri. I haven't ever had a dog with a broken tooth before and hope I never see another one.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

My DIL called me today and said that when she was having her whippet's teeth cleaned, they found that he had a slab fracture on the same tooth as Ned's fracture!  Poor whippet's was still attached by a tiny bit so I am sure he was in a lot of pain.  My DIL noticed that he was losing weight but thought the other whippet was eating it.  Poor Welby.  According to the person cleaning his teeth, it was not into the gum or whatever.  I advised my DIL to take him to the vet for a follow-up because I'll bet another little doggie will be needing a tooth extraction soon.

What are the odds - not one of our family's dogs has EVER broken or lost a tooth, and now two! Same tooth even!

[Bonnie and Kona]

Oh my goodness, Nancy! I'm so sorry your dog and grand-dog have been suffering with this condition. I can certainly see why it could go undiagnosed though.. who knew!

[F, Calla & Luca]

That is sad and scary. I hope the whippet can escape extraction. I will make sure the vet takes an extra good look when we go in soon although my two are eating well.