Yesterday Sophie our WFT had an operation to make and insert a device  (called a "plane") to move one of her lower canines into the correct position - it had been growing inwards. One or two teeth at the top had to be removed to make space for the canine.

Afterwards the vet (a dental specialist) told us that it was the first operation of its kind that he had performed!!  When poor Sophie came home she was quite sore in the mouth and had to wear a buster collar - we had to take her into our bed last night as she was so miserable,  buster collar and all.  However this morning she is much more herself and we have been able to remove the collar.  I am of course mashing up her food and no chews.  We are having to wash out her mouth with mouth wash regularly and she is on Metacam.  Vet wants to see her weekly while the device is in her mouth (it is a bit of moulded silicone apparently) and it will take about 6 weeks if all goes well.

The insurers surprisingly have agreed to pay for this procedure although we would have paid for it anyway - so fingers crossed for a good outcome!

I was thinking of you and Sophie yesterday, glad all went OK. :)

How is the device secured to keep it in place (are there any photo's?)? I'm so glad Dickie didn't need a brace or device and just the removal of the extra teeth and sculpting of his jaw has sorted his problem.

Very interesting! Hope it works. I would imagine though that you will now have to apply to the KC for permission to show her.

Well as it is a genetic problem I doubt whether the KC would allow me to show her?  I understand that I cannot breed her (obviously) but I had hoped to do a bit of showing.

Pedlee,  the device is apparently made from acrylic material which is secured by being moulded around Sophie's  teeth.  She is managing her food (mashed up) quite well and we are rinsing out her mouth with a special solution after each feed.  The only other solution would have been to have the canine tooth removed - a shame at her age.

>Well as it is a genetic problem I doubt whether the KC would allow me to show her?  I understand that I cannot breed her (obviously) but I had hoped to do a bit of showing.

This is where it gets complicated! The KC is unlikely to grant permission to show her because she's had remedial dental work done - a procedure which 'alters the natural conformation of the dog'. If it hadn't been corrected you could have shown her (and always been placed last because mouth faults are viewed very seriously) but leaving it uncorrected would have been a welfare issue so you're right to have it fixed. So basically she can't be shown or bred from, but will be a superb companion.

Aww poor Sophie, glad she is feeling better now. There's always companion shows, not sure whether technically that would be included in the KC saying she can't be shown, but I can't imagine anyone being petty enough to complain! Perhaps she'd like to try rally..... ;-)

Hi Lucy

Happy New Year!  I would hope to be able to do companion and fun shows eventually ......