Folks, is a dog ever too old for a dental and tooth extraction?  (Molar).

We have a large breed 12.5yo dog who had a dental and tooth extraction (of a cracked molar) about 2 years ago.  It was quite a long procedure under GA because the molar had deep roots, like most molars.  Her teeth were also cleaned and a general dental.

She is now 2 years older, and I just noticed that her teeth are bad (tartar) and that one molar is literally black at the top and the tooth next to it has a vertical crack running to the gum line   She does not appear to be in pain or any discomfort.  She is an otherwise healthy dog with no known health problems, but has slowed down a bit in her old age.

I'm just a bit reluctant to put her under another long GA for another molar extraction at her age - when she has no symptoms - the stress, the risk of the GA at her age, the pain during recovery afterwards.  But I'm kinda sure this is what the vet will want to do, if we take her there though.  Thoughts??

I think the only answer has to be to let your vet take a look.   No vet would put a dog under general anaesthetic unless he felt it was safe to do so, so it really is a toss up between the risk to your dog re the g/a, and whether leaving it would affect his overall health.    Only your vet knows the dog in question after all.   I always find it 'amusing' having to sign a release form when frankly I'd not expect my vet to go ahead, if he had any worries!

Both my hounds have minor heart murmurs now, so although both could do with a dental, one more than the other, I'm leaving well alone.

Right, that sounds like a good idea MamaBas. 

After her last dental just a few years ago, I'm afraid I did think 'that should see her through' and so I didn't clean teeth regularly and all the rest of it - after all, if she got through 10 years of life not needing one, hopefully she'd be good for a few more after that one!  Now regretting that and feeling I took my eye off the ball and should have got the cleaning etc going after the last one.

I've had a full dental done on a 13 year old large breed (Bearded Collie.)  She'd had good teeth all her life, so I neglected to carry out any cleaning myself.  I felt mortified when the vet told me he'd had to remove 9 teeth!!!

I'm always being told by my vet about how safe anaesthesia is for dogs nowadays, so, although I was naturally worried about her, it didn't cross my mind that I could lose her.  I suppose I always think that they wouldn't do it if they were concerned about the GA themselves.  So just see what your vet  reckons.

OMG, 9 teeth?!  How many teeth does a dog have?!  And were any of them big teeth, with deep roots like molars?  How long was the time under GA, do you know?

Last time it was 1.5 hours for just this one huge molar she had to have out - I dread to think how much longer it would be for more than one tooth....

How many teeth do they have? 42

No,  My Lexi had 22 teeth out at 15 years old.  Sadly she only lived another 6 weeks, but she came through the surgery and recovery really well, continued an hours walk each day.

Her mother had an abscessed molar removed at 14 1/2 nd lived to 15 and 8 months.

She had had one big molar out when younger due to abscess.

She was left with all but one of her top incisors and one bottom one, and various othrs.

Thanks Barbara - how long were these ops?  It's partly the length of time under GA I'm worried about...

The large premolars are the most difficult to remove if the roots are still firmly implanted, and can take some time to get out. Sometimes teeth are only held in place by plaque and tartar, and when that's removed the teeth just fall out by themselves. The dog's invariably much happier and more comfortable afterwards, and of course there's no more poisons getting into the bloodstream and affecting the dog as a whole.

> Sometimes teeth are only held in place by plaque and tartar, and when that's removed the teeth just fall out by themselves.

This happened with my ancient Yorkie boy.  Afterwards the vet said how many teeth do you reckon he has left?  The answer was NONE!  I cringed that they were that bad.  As you state, a lot just fell out.  This was a year ago, and I still feed half wet, half dry, as I always have.  You can hear him crunching his biscuits, although I thought he would have to have soft food for the rest of his life.  He did for quite a while, as his gums were sore, but once they turned from red to pink, he was well away.

And Jeangenie, you are so right.  He is a happy bunny now his teeth have gone.  More comfortable altogether.

> OMG, 9 teeth?!  How many teeth does a dog have?!  And were any of them big teeth, with deep roots like molars?

42 for a dog I  think.  Yes, she lost one molar.  I didn't even ask how long she was under GA as I knew he wouldn't operate if there was a risk of any kind.

Number of teeth is 42 - it's also the answer to Life, The Universe and everything (Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy)

Right, well that's an easy way to remember then. 

>Number of teeth is 42 - it's also the answer to Life, The Universe and everything

As easy to remember as a dog's normal temperature of 101 (dalmatians) degrees fahrenheit!

This makes so much sense. I came looking for some answers and ideas after my 12 year old small terrier had 11 teeth removed yesterday and I'm wondering how to go forward with chew things, maybe antlers, continue with chicken wings perhaps.
Anyhow mostly your post made me realise why I'd taken her along the year before in search of answers. I knew something was amiss but didn't consider teeth the vet suggested a behaviorist but I was right plainly it was dental/medical.

We've always given our dogs a dentastik ( Not Pedigree..the ones in Aldi) at bedtime every night. Our last dog, a Lab, had one daily all her life. I never cleaned her teeth and when she died she had perfect teeth and gums. She never ever had any tartar to remove. I dont know if they remove tartar build up but I thoroughly recommend them for prevention.
If you want to try homeopathy..Fragaria is said to remove tartar. www.Ainsworths.com. Give them a ring about dosage, they have homeopathic trained vets on hand to consult and all are knowledgable and  really friendly. :-)

I have a friend who gave her dog a dentastik (pedigree) every day and she is convinced that it caused pancreatitis due to the fat content.  If you are ok with raw bones then I find a raw chicken wing with skin removed a great way to keep teeth and gums healthy.

Might be a bit late on this but I had concerns about whether to get my staffies teeth cleaned but decided I didn't want to have him in surgery at 13, so I looked for natural remedies.  I put a smudge of coconut oil on his treats after his meals every day fir all his latter years and this kept his gums etc healthy up to the age of 17.  I also gave him a dentastik once a day all his younger days....but the coconut us anti bacterial and so has many good healing properties

I have a medium-sized breed and the oldest one is now 9 and a half yrs.  I have had her get a dental a few years ago, but wasn't very good at keeping her teeth cleaned so last year, I noticed that she had two bottom front teeth which had died - they had turned grey - but no other damage other than a little looseness.  Anyway, off to the vet we went and they removed the teeth plus one more which was loose.   I recently took her back for another dental as her teeth get really bad really quickly, and when I collected her, they had had to take out another seven teeth!!!  Since then, I have been giving all three of them Logic enzymatic chews and applying Logic Oral Gel daily - as well as trying to brush their teeth with Vetzyme toothpaste.  I haven't been successful with the brush as they don't like it, but Logic Oral Gel and the chews have had a very good effect on the plaque which had collected.  Hopefully, I won't need to put any of them under GA for a dental again.

I am also now feeding complete raw as it seems raw fed dogs teeth are the best.
My 4 year old TPs teeth look awful, minimal plaque really but broken fragile as much as anything.

That will depend on how you're doing it, I think.  If by complete you mean a ready-made complete mince with ground bone, it's not going to do any more for the teeth than kibble or wet food IMO.  It's gnawing on bones and other solid things needing chewing on that does the cleaning.  Hooves do the trick well for my guys.  That was the only chew they had for a number of years and their teeth are all good.

That said, if the teeth are fragile, then I'd be avoiding anything like that and I'd be cleaning them myself instead.

I often think I'd like to feed raw but I would be too worried about over/under feeding them.  I noticed today that the top front teeth aren't benefiting from the gel...alyhough the bottom and canines are :/

> If by complete you mean a ready-made complete mince with ground bone, it's not going to do any more for the teeth than kibble or wet food IMO. 

That's not true Nikita.  It is sugar which attacks the teeth, and carbs are converted to sugar - that's all carbs are, sugar, to the body.  (Research ketogenic diets for more info on that.)

Feeding a food which is high in carbs, like kibble, is therefore going to result in way more plaque than feeding a food which is low in carbs, like a raw mince.

> If by complete you mean a ready-made complete mince with ground bone, it's not going to do any more for the teeth than kibble or wet food IMO. 

That's not true Nikita.  It is sugar which attacks the teeth, and carbs are converted to sugar - that's all carbs are, sugar, to the body.  (Research ketogenic diets for more info on that.)

Feeding a food which is high in carbs, like kibble, is therefore going to result in way more plaque than feeding a food which is low in carbs, like a raw mince.

My 10 year old recently had to go into the vets for tooth removal, she had broken one which developed an abscess. The dentist initially said they would do a dental, clean her teeth and remove any other damaged teeth at the same time but after looking in her mouth concluded it wasn't needed. Her teeth are sparkly white.

In the end she had two teeth removed because the one next to the broken one was loose too, but other than that her mouth is amazing for her age, all down to a raw beef knuckle bone once a week I reckon, much easier than brushing every day and more effective too.

Don't mention teeth - my Whippet who is 10, 11 in October, went in for a dental (her breath was disgusting and I could see one of the back teeth was yuck) last week.  At the same time she had 2 corns excised and the bill came to only £30 less than the 'worst possible' estimate - around £550.  Ok, she survived the g/a, with a heart murmur.   And that did include VAT.

As I thought it high time I got in there with a brush (my Basset) when I lifted his lip on one side (unlike the Whippet mouth, I can see his teeth easily in all their 'glory') there was clotted blood from a puffy area above his upper canine.  Yikes.  Having lost the last of my home-breds to oral cancer, I phoned for an appointment and was given one that day at 3.20pm.   When I checked again, blood was flowing so I called back and said I was bringing him straight in (it was only just after 2 pm).  He was dripping blood on the waiting room floor - they kept me waiting despite saying they were ready and waiting for me ......   So he's now on antibiotics, the blood has stopped and is in for a dental this Wednesday.   Another £500+?  He's 9 going on 10 this October.   With a heart murmur.  Which is why the delay really as I hoped he'd not need a dental.  Wrong.  The tooth below the puffiness, looks sound.   Hey ho.   It's only money I suppose.

Happily, my Whippet has bounced back and seems much brighter so her teeth condition must have been affecting her.  On the other hand my Basset has been chewing and licking at one front leg.   I just hope this will stop once his teeth are sorted out ..............

As I started this thread, I'll update...

Sadly the dog I posted about has been diagnosed with a cancerous tumour which in the space of a month has gone from being something we can't even see to this huge bleeding mass.  She will be put to sleep very soon :( This is the kind of reason I asked the question - I could have rushed in and had a dental done on her, only for this to happen.

I've come to the conclusion that it's better to keep on top of teeth and avoid needing dentals in the first place.

With my younger dogs, I am using the EmmiPet toothbrush and paste.  This is brilliant.  It is pricey (like £200 odd) but my younger dog had plaque on her upper molars and with the Emmipet, this has just fallen off and her teeth are pearly white and look great.  I clean them once a week and I'm so pleased with the improvement.  If you want to buy one, there's a woman on Facebook called Angela Rollinson, who sells them.

So sorry to hear about your dog.

Thanks, it's been a bit sudden.

I am so very, very sorry to hear the sad news.  You are in my thoughts.

Oh no :( sorry to read this, and good choice afterall then not to put her through she deserves to enjoy the time left. My thoughts are with you

Yes, she's gone now, peacefully at the vets   I've been crying so much, I've given myself a migraine. 

She was such a sweet dog, and so healthy most of her life - we thought she was going to live to be 15 or 16yo.

Oh that was so fast, so sorry for your loss, well done being brave though and doing the right thing, it's only those left behind who suffer