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I Feel Like I Don't Deserve Her.


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Lottie's teeth have never been good. Her first dental with us she had to have all her incisors, top and bottom, removed. I've tried to keep them clean, I really have but she hates it. She gets chicken wings and other good for the teeth chewy things. We tried raw but she couldn't tollerate it. Now she has an abcess. We took her to the vet this morning because she has a bump on her face. I was sure I knew what it was when I made the appt. She's on ABs for a week and will be booked in for a dental when the infection has gone down but the vet has warned us there will be "significant treatment". I feel just awful, I've let her down so badly. How is she going to cope if lots of teeth have to come out?

I used to think Dara O'Briain was funny. Now I know better.

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I hope someone here can adjust your attitude about deserving and not deserving.

 

We are only human, and that comes with limitations sad to say. For what it's worth, you did not let her down!

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Missing my little Misty who took a huge piece of my heart with her on 5/2/09, and Ekko, on 6/28/12

 

 

:candle For the sick, the lost, and the homeless

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You didn't let her down. You've taken her to the vet when she needed to go.

 

She'll cope fine if she needs to lose a bunch of teeth. If she loses a lot, you won't want to give her chicken wings, but she'll be able to eat most things once her gums heal. Oh, and if you think a toothless dog can't bite and give you a heck of a bruise if you annoy her? Think again.

 

Hugs and quick healing to your sweetie.

Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in Illinois
We miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10.

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Some dogs just have crappy teeth...that's not your fault. And she will cope fine no matter how many teeth have to come out :grouphug

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Michelle...forever missing her girls, Holly 5/22/99-9/13/10 and Bailey 8/1/93-7/11/05

Religion is the smile on a dog...Edie Brickell

Wag more, bark less :-)

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Guest Greytluv

Some dogs just have crappy teeth...that's not your fault. And she will cope fine no matter how many teeth have to come out :grouphug

:nod Just what she says. It's not your fault. I would probably happen even if you did brush them. She's do fine with no teeth :grouphug

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Guest Swifthounds

The first step is to be able to admit to yourself that there are things about dental health, namely genetics, over which you have no control and never will. Nature deals its own hand.

 

The second step is to stop beating yourself up that you cannot change what you cannot change - genetics.

 

Step three is to realize that no teeth at all is better than a mouth full of rotten ones dumping bacteria and infection into her vital organs. She can live quite happily without teeth; she can't live without vital organs.

 

I have a 10 year old greyhound I raised from 10 weeks. She has 4 canines, and one premolar at this point. She can only chew a bully stick after another of my hounds has chewed it to soften it a bit, so I give a bully to one of them, then remove it and replace with a new bully and give her the softened one. She can eat the dried tracheas still, so sometimes I give those. She is raw fed and can still eat split chicken breasts and chicken leg quarters and other things. Once they have the jaw muscles to chew, they can chew and work through much more than you would think.

 

My almost 5 year old has horrendous gums and we have a fairly complex tooth/gum regimen to keep everything at bay. I do it because his gum health is important to his overall health, not because he needs all his teeth.

 

I have a 4 year old with the whitest teeth you've seen and can chew everything and two old men well in their double digits that have all their teeth and require nothing more than a raw diet to keep their teeth in great shape. Those three hounds all have the same/similar lineage.

 

I wouldn't use wings as they aren't so good for teeth cleaning. I prefer chicken backs for that, as well as a few others. Seriously, though, give yourself the credit you deserve.

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Guest LindsaySF

Don't beat yourself up, some dogs just have bad teeth, it's genetics. Giving them stuff to chew, brushing, and taking them to the vet when needed is all you can really do.

 

My friend's Grey is totally toothless now. She eats and chews treats just fine. She's happier with those rotten teeth gone. :)

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Guest Mom2Shiloh

My daughter, Meri's new greyhound Meri Carol (yes it's confusing) has ONE tooth left.... she's a gift from Michael McCann, aka the Craigs List Dog rescuer :) (thanks Michael)--seriously, she had to have a dental after he rescued her (and That was a rescue) and she lost ALL but one of her teeth. We thought what a huge relief that had to be for her.. in her case, it was pure, simple neglect -- I have no idea what her dental health would have been like if she'd received minimal care, but she didn't. And she is healthy now-- and Very happy (and very sweet) and eats just fine.

 

I am giving chicken necks for one breakfast a week now and think it's helping -- but that being said, some of my hounds have wonderful teeth... some don't. (I happen to have a healthy tooth pack at the moment).

 

Please don't blame yourself -- for one thing, it's completely uncalled for -- for another ----- that's MY thing! and thank you for a reminder that *I* need to knock it off!!!! Seriously... I was moping around this morning about not deserving my greyhounds -- and now, really........

 

she will be fine... and thank you for caring so much :D

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When I adopted Tawny age 7 (bridge baby) the adoption agency had removed all of her teeth except for two eye teeth. She did very well on soft food for five years. Before she went to the bridge those two had been removed and she continued to do well. I am sure your baby will do just fine w/o those teeth.

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Guest Spencers_Greyt

How do you figure you let her down? You take care of her mouth the best you can. Some Greys just have horrible horrible teeth and gum disease. No matter how hard you try it happens. You're taking care of it now and that's what matters. There are plenty of Greys on this board who are toothless and survive just fine on a soft diet! Stop beating yourself up! Give yourself a break! You are a good dog parent!

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Guest shannon252

Harve had one tooth when he passed away. For the last three years of his life he ate kibble with water on it and would have eaten hard cookies if I had let him. As a matter of fact, my vet told me to let him try to eat them because many can break them with their gums but, Harve would just swallow them whole. He still got marrow bones too. He would just lick the insides out. He was SO much happier after that last dental...well, as happy as Harve ever was anyway. ;)

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Guest SusanP

I've always brushed my hounds' teeth, and yet Wizard just had 9 of them pulled this spring, despite a number of dentals over the years we've had him, too. A lot depends on the dog...don't beat yourself up; you're dealing with the abscess, and that's good.

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Guest greyarea

I'll just second what a lot of folks have already said. Truth is, I've felt the same way. Our two girls receive the same treatment: brushing (with electric toothbrush), PetZlife spray and periodic scaling. Our vet has repeatedly complimented me on their teeth. But, Molly's back molars and lower incisors are markedly worse than Lucy's. I know she's going to lose some at some point and it's heartbreaking. But it comes down to her mouth chemistry - it's just different than Lucy's. I've been pretty vigilant (but not perfect). You just do your best - and it sounds like that's what you're doing.

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Guest EmilyandSioux

It is not your fault. We are all human and make huge mistakes and this is not one of them. She will go have a dental, be sore for a few days. Pamper time in a big way. Then we go on from there. The worst thing that can happen is she will have to have canned food. Sher would love the canned food I am sure. You did what you saw was right and when you had a problem you went to the vet to get it fixed. IT WILL BE FINE!!!

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Guest boondog

I agree with what everyone else has said. It's not your fault. I've known greys who, despite their owner's best efforts, have lost most or all of their teeth. The pups do just fine. Best of luck to you!

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Guest UtahCoyote

It sounds like you are doing everything possible to help her. You are a good dog mama. Hang in there, she'll be okay.

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Guest dogdaze

You are doing a great job of caring for your hound. Our Russ, who was nine at the time had 8 teeth extracted shortly after we adopted him and his energy level really increased.

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