My dog got his teeth cleaned AGAIN

Yes - last week my dog, Brett had his teeth cleaned again.  I say again because the last time I did the procedure was only 3 months ago.  This dog has a natural plaque-building rate that nearly equals the rate that weeds grow in our yard.  Every time he has his teeth cleaned, it is the full monty.  He is under general anesthesia, has his teeth hand-scaled, then ultrasonic scaled.  After that, they are polished and we apply fluoride.  Most dogs after having this procedure done can go over 12 months before having to repeat.  Even longer when they are getting oral care at home.  Not my Brett.  I have tried it all and he just has bad teeth.  Why am I telling you this?

Many people are concerned about repeated anesthetic procedures (surgeries).  Brett is living proof that this fear is quite unwarranted.  He has been having surgery at least once a year ever since he was four years old.  He is now thirteen years old and acts like he is a five year old dog.

Many people put off teeth cleaning procedures for a variety of reasons, but waiting to do it will only make the disease worse.  It is best to get teeth cleanings done early to prevent having to extract teeth.  It has been two years since Brett's last extraction and the teeth are looking good because we continue to remove the plaque as it is formed.

Many people are concerned that their pet is too old for anesthesia.  Remember that I mentioned Brett is now 13.  I have modified his anesthetic protocol over the years and based on his most recent lab work, but age is not a reason to put off needed surgery.  When it is done, it can add years to a pet's life.

Anesthesia and surgical techniques continue to improve year after year.  There is inherent risk involved, but the entire process can be safely managed, especially in a stable patient.  The benefits certainly outweigh the dangers.

Dr. Amy Hellard
West Chester Veterinary Care
www.westchesterveterinarycare.com

Back Pain In Dogs

I wanted to share some information with you about Intervertebral Disk Disease in dogs.  The disease can occur in cats, but it is more common in dogs.  I recently attended a lecture on this topic and wanted to summarize some key points for you.  First, this disease is most common in dog breeds that have long backs.  Namely, Daschshunds but also Beagles, Corgis, Basset Hounds, Cocker Spaniels, and others.  These breeds have a genetic predisposition to developing disk herniation, but it can also occur after trauma such as a car accident.  Disk herniation is literally movement of the intervertebral disk into the space normally occupied by the spinal cord.  The disk normally serves as a  cushion between the vertebrae, but it can move upwards and impinge on the spinal cord with this disease.  When the disk herniates in the mid to lower back it can cause paralysis and/or the inability to properly urinate and defecate.  If the disk herniates in the neck, it can cause neck pain, lameness in a front leg, or even paralysis of all four limbs.  The herniation can occur suddenly, or can happen slowly over a long period of time.  Definitive diagnosis frequently requires specialized imaging.

The key point to remember is that if your dog is experiencing neck or back pain, this can be a significant medical problem.  Furthermore, if your pet is losing the ability to move his or her legs or is paralyzed, this is a medical emergency.  This condition is one of the few that I have experienced dogs' vocalizing in pain.  Besides vocalization, dogs will demonstrate pain when certain spots on the back or neck are touched, they sometimes cannot feel sensations such as pinching of the toes, and they can experience wobbling of the limbs, crossing the feet, or the inability to stand.  With paralysis comes the question of whether or not to move forward with back surgery.  This can be an expensive proposition and the cost alone is frequently the determining factor in the pet's treatment.  If you are worried about this disease or suspect that your dog may be predisposed, please consider purchasing a pet insurance policy.  I have met many beloved family pets who's treatment decision would have been different if an insurance policy had been in place.  Keep in mind that your vet will work with any pet insurance company you choose.  Please ask your vet if you would like to learn more.

Dr. Amy Hellard
West Chester Veterinary Care (WCVC)
www.westchesterveterinarycare.com

Feeling Great!

Nothing justifies your decision to perform a procedure like the hapiness evident in your pet after it has been completed.  It's tough to know how much a recommended procedure will help your pet until after you have gone ahead and done it!  That's hard medicine to swallow, I realize.  Nonetheless I see this phenomenon time and again.  Case in point: I recently removed retained deciduous teeth (baby teeth) from a dog and now he is acting great, is less moody, and seems like a different dog according to the owner.  That's music to my ears!

Extreme disease

Yesterday I saw the worst mouth in a dog that I have ever seen.  I have truly seen some rotten teeth in my practice.  I won't describe how nasty some dog and cat mouths can get and I will attempt to provide an adequate description here without completely grossing you out...  This dog had it all - loose teeth, recessed gums, inflamed gums, tartar galore, halitosis to beat the band, obvious abscessed tooth roots, food stuck in places it shouldn't be due to pocket formation in the gums, and caked on plaque.  When I looked at the upper canine tooth (the fang) - I knew I had seen it all.  There was a HOLE in the dog's gum.  This hole was above the gum line and exposed the side of the tooth root (if it hadn't been packed full of food, pus, hair, and whatever else you can imagine).  You see, this dog had an untreated tooth root abscess that had progressed so far that the only outlet for the abscess was through the side of the gum.  Painful does not describe it.  My heart went out to this dog.
Why am I telling you this?  Sometimes we all need to be reminded of consequences.  More than anything, I wish this dog had never had to experience the pain and discomfort that I know must have been excruciating.  Dogs do not complain about daily pain.  They live very much in the moment.  They do not think to themselves... "hmmm... I never used to hurt this bad, I think I'll cry about it..."  We do not know what our dogs and cats experience in the realm of pain, but we do know that they exhibit the same behaviors as we would if we were trying to hide our pain from others.  I realize we often don't watch our dogs so closely when they eat that we know when they stop chewing on one side of the mouth, but please keep this in mind the next time your dog opts not to chew that bone, hesitates to climb the stairs, shakes his head a lot, or is slow to get up.  There could be pain and we need to be paying attention.

I'm supposed to look in THERE?

Most of us don't make a habit of looking at our pet's teeth on a regular basis.  This is unfortunate, since our pet's mouths can be a true source of discomfort and disease when not cared for properly.  Even my own dog's mouth can get worse than I imagine it is.  I cleaned my dog's teeth yesterday.  They were... you guessed it... worse than I imagined.  I knew my dog had bad breath and some tartar build up, but it wasn't until I cleaned his teeth that I realized how dirty they really were.  My technician and I spent a great deal of time scaling, scraping, and polishing until we finally cleared away the harmful tartar that had built up and addressed the gingivitis that would lead to horrible abscessed roots if left for much longer.  I'm pleased to report that we were able to avoid extractions this time, but in the future I'll be quicker to address the problem!  I encourage everyone to check their pet's mouth frequently and report to their veterinarian if they notice red gums or tartar building up.  Early intervention will save your pet pain and discomfort in the future.