I'm Really Nervous

[MerlinsMum]

I need your advice...

 

I am pretty sure Merlin needs a dental. He had a dental shortly before we adopted him, I'd say it was probably just under a year and a half ago. He has quite a lot of tartar and really bad breath. We brush his teeth several times a week, although we're not as diligent as we should be and don't do this every day.

 

I made an appointment with the vet to talk about a possible dental for Merlin. I am nervous, as it's my very first time taking him for a dental, and I know that greyhounds don't always do very well under anaesthetic. I decided to make a pre-dental appointment to go through the process with my vet, although now I am wondering whether I should just not bother with this and just make the appointment for the actual dental. My vet is, of course, grey savvy (I wouldn't trust a vet who wasn't).

 

Please can I have some advice from people who have been through this process before? What should I expect? Will I have to leave Merlin at the vet overnight? He is a tendency to get very anxious, so I'd rather not. Will I need to take the whole day off work - I don't care if I do, I'm just asking because I don't know how long this process takes..? Is there anything I should definitely be aware about as I prepare for this?

 

Any suggestions/advice is REALLY appreciated!

 

:(

Thank you so much!

[turbotaina]

First: Deep breath! He'll do just fine

 

Honestly, anesthesia isn't an issue for 99.9% of greyhounds given the more modern anesthesia protocols used today (i.e., no barbituate anesthesia, that's where greyhounds had problems). Your vet does need to be aware of and prepared for malignant hyperthermia, but again, not likely to be an issue, and considering your vet is greyhound savvy, he'll likely know the drill.

 

The normal protocol is that you drop your pup off in the morning and pick him up in the afternoon. No overnight stay is warranted. He'll likely be a little groggy/whiney when you pick him up and he may not be able to stand or walk without looking drunk. This is normal. He may also have horrendous gas, normal also. By morning, he'll be right as rain, with nice sparkly teeth to boot!

Edited April 15, 2008 by turbotaina

[Guest KennelMom]

Our vet has the standard no food/water after midnight the day before the dental. I drop them off in the morning and our vet always meets with us and the dog before I leave. We typically opt for the presurgery bloodwork (unless the dog has had blood run in the very recent history). If anything in the bloodwork comes back wanky, our vet will call and discuss it with us. In one case, we had to postpone a spay due to some weirdo liver values (non-grey).

 

They call us when the dental is done and let us know when we can pick our pup up. I've never had a dog need to stay overnight. I'm usually picking them up around 3pm or so that same day.

[Guest boondog]

First: Deep breath! He'll do just fine

 

Honestly, anesthesia isn't an issue for 99.9% of greyhounds given the more modern anesthesia protocols used today (i.e., no barbituate anesthesia, that's where greyhounds had problems). Your vet does need to be aware of and prepared for malignant hyperthermia, but again, not likely to be an issue, and considering your vet is greyhound savvy, he'll likely know the drill.

 

The normal protocol is that you drop your pup off in the morning and pick him up in the afternoon. No overnight stay is warranted. He'll likely be a little groggy/whiney when you pick him up and he may not be able to stand or walk without looking drunk. This is normal. He may also have horrendous gas, normal also. By morning, he'll be right as rain, with nice sparkly teeth to boot!

 

 

Yep. He'll do just fine. If he requires any extractions, there might be a little bit of blood in his saliva. Good luck!

[CaliforniaGreys]

What they said...Merlin will do just great. I know it's always easy to say, but try not to be nervous. And this is coming from someone who is a wreck every time!!

[Guest paulamariez]

I know I always get a little stressed out whenever any of my hounds have to go in for dentals. But just to ease your mind, I've had five greyhounds through the years, all of which had undergone dentals numerous times and not once did we ever have an incidence of anesthesia problems. (or any other problems at all!) I've never had one need to stay overnight. We've always brought them in in the morning and usually we've picked them up just after 2:00pm. Usually they're a little dopey and tired, but certainly glad to go home. Then they're right back to their normal eating and drinking and routine by the next day, feeling much better, if they were having any tooth issues! Oh and the normal protocol from my vet was for them to be on an antibiotic for about a week to keep all the nasty bugs at bay! Hope that helps you feel a bit better!

[Guest tricolorhounds]

Savannah just had one last month, she lost 24 teeth.

 

Because she's 7, our Vet did not require the blood work... we had a pre-dental exam though. The morning of the dental, we dropped her off between 8 and 9... Surgeries scheduled for that day start at noon and we picked her up between 5 and 6. She was a little subdued but not too groggy. She had some bloody discharge/drool, but that was gone by the next morning when she was up trying to get her brothers to run with her in the yard.

 

It's hard not to worry, but he'll do just fine.

[zimsmom]

I drove an hour each way for Patches recent dental; so yes I took the day off (I made good use of my time though; shampooed all my rugs ) She needed antibiotics before & after which is no big deal. They told me she may or may not need teeth pulled; turned out she did NOT. She had more gas driving there in the morning than after the procedure. She was groggy for 2 hours after but fine after that. Merlin will be fine too!!

Edited April 15, 2008 by zimsmom

[Guest BigPercyInMa]

Our Percy didn't have any problems at all with his dental. Of course I was worried, like you, but everything turned out just fine

[nyGreys]

I felt the same way the first time mine went. I thought after the first time

I wouldn't worry, but I do, every time. They never had any problems.

Merlin will be fine, it's mama's that have the problem.

[BootsyCollins]

Repeat after me...Merlin will be fine. Merlin will be fine. Merlin will be fine.

 

Argos has been under anesthesia 5 times since we got him 2 years ago. I've never said word one to the vet about the grey-anesthesia wackiness, so it sounds like you're already one step ahead of me. Two surgeries were major, one was minor, and the other two were dentals.

 

He had 4 teeth extracted at his first dental and was right as rain the next morning. We do have to keep him off the stairs for the evening & night after we pick him up, which is not easy when you live in a row house, but you get through it. He is always very whiny and very out of sorts that first evening and night. Be prepared for him to not sleep well and to need to wee a lot (I think that's how they flush the drugs from their systems).

 

Merlin will be fine...Merlin will be fine...Merlin will be fine...

[LadyBailey]

Andy had a dental just over a week ago and we were really nervous because he is terrified of the vet. He hasn't gone under since we had him, so we never knew what we were going to be in store for. Considering that we had to sedate him before hand and then were able to hold him (literally) while he was being anesthetized, helped him a lot. He went under at 9:30 and by noon he was coming out of it. we were able to pick him up by 2:30. They told us not to feed him until the next day. Which we thought was going to be a problem since he is very food driven, but he came home and was really, really tired and slept the evening away. we gave him small snack (soft food) at around 9pm and he was fine throughout the night. good luck, i know the feeling, but it sounds like you are taking all the precautions for your boy. the smell of fresh breath is worth it

[Jackandgrey]

When Jack had his dental oh about 2 years ago I think, I dropped him off in the morning and picked him up in the afternoon. He wasn't even groggy. You wouldn't have known anything had happened except his teeth sparkled and he was so glad to get the heck out of there.

He gets raw meaty bones now and hasn't needed a dental since. Merlin will be fine. I know you will worry anyway.

[CleosMom]

Merlin will be fine. Merlin's Mom may be a basket of nerves...but it's only one day.

 

Our previous vet did require an overnight stay the night before the visit. I spoke with the vet because Cleo gets really stressed at the clinic now & I didn't want to stress her out any more than absolutely necessary. Given Cleo's fear, the overnight stay was not required and her pre-surgery blood work was completed at an appointment.

 

Dentals are typically scheduled in the early morning and the hounds are ready to come home early afternoon. We haven't had any problems...just some really dopey dogs for a few hours.

 

Merlin will be fine.

[RobinM]

Kerry- deep breath.

 

Merlin will do just fine.

 

Your vet is grey savvy so he will be in good hands. For him you have to relax because he is upset enough about the vet, if he gets your vibes that you are upset, it will only make it worse for him.

 

He will need PAT (pre admission testing) which consists of blood work. The vet will either do it a few days before OR the morning of.

He will need to be NPO (nothing to eat after midnight the night before). Some vets allow water, not a lot.

He will have the procedure and when he is able to stand and not be wobbly from anethesia, he will be alllowed to come home. Chloe and Teddy were home by 2PM and Polli (8.5 at the time) couldn't come home till 7pm. The anesethia was harder on her.

Bring a smelly shirt of yours for his crate at the vet and a favorite stuffy so he has some comfort.

 

YOU- go get a manicure and pedicure and know that he will be fine. We are here to support you!!!

 

Hugs!

[MerlinsMum]

OMG - Thank you SO much for all your responses!!!!!!! You have no idea (or maybe you do?) how much better this makes me feel. Thank you for the suggestions about the bloodwork etc, I am glad now that I made an appointment for a pre-dental exam (I thought I was being neurotic ), so I can go through any issues with the vet and so that they can run some blood tests on Merlin before the actual dental.

 

I will try not to be nervous... for Merlin's sake. He does not do well when he's away from home and especially if I am not there, so picking him up the same day is important for me. I will try to make an appointment for a Friday, so that if there are any issues I will be home the next day.

 

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

 

kerry

[Guest vahoundlover]

Merlin will be just fine! I don't know anyone who doesn't at least get the jitters when it comes to dentals. Good advice above from everyone else. Of course you know, we will all want an update.

[JeaniesMom]

It will be 2 weeks on this Friday that Elly had her dental . She had 9 teeth taken out mostly molars . Yesterday was the first day that she ate a hard dog biscuit . I dropped her off in the morning and picked her up at 4 . She is doing great now . Try not to worry , I know it hard not to but Merlin will do great .

[MP_the4pack]

My Pearl is very high risk anesthesia, and my regular vets won't touch her. She's got heart disease, kidney disease and hypertension. The hypertension was caused by the kidney disease which was cause by...............BAD TEETH!

 

So, I am definitely in favor of getting dentals done.

 

But, she still did very well under anesthesia last year to remove the abscessed tooth that caused all her problems.

 

And because of that and because she has a couple of other bad (not abscessed) teeth, she's going for a dental May 23. Since my regular vets won't touch her, she does go to a specialist. She's seeing a dentist in Brick, NJ.

 

I'm nervous as well, but after what I went through with the abscessed tooth, I think this is the best option for her.

 

So...........if she could survive anesthesia last year...........your baby can too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[NeylasMom]

Or you could avoid the dental by feeding some RMBs.

 

I know, people must be so sick of me saying this, but neither of my dogs have required a dental in the time I've had them, including Neyla, who is 9 years old now (was 4 1/2 with crappy teeth when I got her).

 

It would depend on the state of Merlin's teeth right now, and how feeding him RMBs would go, but I bet if you replaced even a meal or two a week with chicken backs you might be able to avoid the dental.

 

Maybe go ahead with this one, but think about the RMBs to avoid future dentals? I know feeding raw foods isn't for everyone though.

 

[Jackandgrey]

Or you could avoid the dental by feeding some RMBs.

 

I know, people must be so sick of me saying this, but neither of my dogs have required a dental in the time I've had them, including Neyla, who is 9 years old now (was 4 1/2 with crappy teeth when I got her).

 

It would depend on the state of Merlin's teeth right now, and how feeding him RMBs would go, but I bet if you replaced even a meal or two a week with chicken backs you might be able to avoid the dental.

 

Maybe go ahead with this one, but think about the RMBs to avoid future dentals? I know feeding raw foods isn't for everyone though.

 

It has worked for us. Two meals a week and no dentals needed so far! after Jack's one.