What Do You Do With A Senior

[Guest FastDogsOwnMe]

This dog cannot continue to exist without a dental, but I worry if it's even worth it, or if I should have her put down. She has a number of fatty tumors. She is weak in the rear but is definitely mobile and swimming will improve that so it's not a big concern. She loves to follow me around, wags her tail, and eats her food with a lot of zest.

 

At a guess, all but maybe two of her teeth need to come out. The tarter is actually holding them in place as far as I can tell. She also wheezes a bit. She is heartworm negative, but heart disease is a possibility. Of course I'll be taking her into the vet tomorrow for a work up, but I guess I just wanted some thoughts.

 

She's also got some obvious hermangiosarcoma, but they are just the little blood blister looking skin lesions. My Whippet has had several for over five years- and I have heard that messing with them can actually agitate them. If her teeth get done, I truly believe she has a couple good years in her!

 

And then, where do I get the $600? I have $200 so far, maybe someone would take payments. But am I being selfish? Would it be kinder to put her down?

 

BTW in case it is not obvious, this is not my dog... I took her in a day ago.

Edited July 19, 2010 by FastDogsOwnMe

[galgomum]

If the vet gives the ok, I would go for it, but this sounds more like a money issue here.

[Guest FastDogsOwnMe]

Does she have a good chance of surviving the surgery? Has anyone else had a dental done on a 12 plus year old dog with this magnitude of former neglect?

[kamsmom]

Could you just try a few weeks of raw bones? Maybe she could work some of the plaque off herself. When you say senior, how old?

[Guest FastDogsOwnMe]

12+ with possible heart disease

 

Her mouth is very painful. She chatters her jaw with pain even when she is eating.

[Guest eaglflyt]

I would immediately begin brushing daily with Petzlife Oral Care Gel. I babysat 12 & 11 year old greys for a friend. Both had advanced dental problems and incredible tartar buildup. Neither were physically able to have dentals and anesthesia. Within 10 days the improvement was incredible. Now, months later, she continued their care after being convinced the product worked and their mouths are incredible. They were out early this morning for a play date and if I hadn't seen it myself, I'd never believe the difference.

 

We use this product daily. I have no interest in the company or anything. I just know the product works ... just follow directions. We order the 12 oz. refill for best value.

 

Good Luck!

[Guest FastDogsOwnMe]

Wow!!! Thank you! I will definitely try this. I don't want her to die on the table, poor thing.

[nyGreys]

Is she a foster? Who's dog is she?

[Charlies_Dad]

When we adopted Shelby a few weeks back her teeth were horrid and yes they looked like your picture. She actually had holes in her teeth. She is 11 and a little wobbly in the rear but she is a sweetheart just like you describe, follows us around, eats with gutso, etc. We made a home for her as long as she's healthy and enjoying life. We were concerned about the dental but not really that stressed. In the end she lost 19 teeth and the vet left her canines even though I think she questioned them as well.

Edited July 18, 2010 by Charlies_Dad

[Guest Energy11]

Wow! This is a hard call!

 

When I was with the senior adoption group in Fla., we did have seniors with teeth like this. We'd do a senior blood panel, get an exam for them, and go from there. The vet (one I worked for mostly), did the above, and then, we'd trust his, and his Dad's (**Also a vet/former track vet's) judgement, as to whether the dog could handle the dental.

 

For the dogs who the vets thought couldn't handle the dentals, the vets prescribed a week's worth of antibiotics, once a month, to "zap" the bacteria in the mouth, along with brushing/gel (**whatever you prefer). It usually worked out fine for the seniors.

 

I'd say, if you can afford the exam and bloodwork, get it, and trust the vet for the rest.

 

Good luck! Poor baby! ...p.s. if the dog is happy, wagging it's tail and eating, I, personally, would not put it down.

 

I would immediately begin brushing daily with Petzlife Oral Care Gel. I babysat 12 & 11 year old greys for a friend. Both had advanced dental problems and incredible tartar buildup. Neither were physically able to have dentals and anesthesia. Within 10 days the improvement was incredible. Now, months later, she continued their care after being convinced the product worked and their mouths are incredible. They were out early this morning for a play date and if I hadn't seen it myself, I'd never believe the difference.

 

We use this product daily. I have no interest in the company or anything. I just know the product works ... just follow directions. We order the 12 oz. refill for best value.

 

Good Luck!

 

 

DITTO ON THE PETZLIFE!!!!

Edited July 18, 2010 by Energy11

[Walliered]

Petzlife is great stuff!!!!!!!!! I try to use it every day on my grey.

[Ullaluv]

I would immediately begin brushing daily with Petzlife Oral Care Gel. I babysat 12 & 11 year old greys for a friend. Both had advanced dental problems and incredible tartar buildup. Neither were physically able to have dentals and anesthesia. Within 10 days the improvement was incredible. Now, months later, she continued their care after being convinced the product worked and their mouths are incredible. They were out early this morning for a play date and if I hadn't seen it myself, I'd never believe the difference.

 

We use this product daily. I have no interest in the company or anything. I just know the product works ... just follow directions. We order the 12 oz. refill for best value.

 

Good Luck!

 

I second the Petzlife. I'd also do a course of antibiotics. preferably Clindamycin, for the infection that she certainly has. That will help her mouth and safeguard her overall health. If her mouth is too sore to brush with the gel, you could start with the Petzlife spray and switch to the gel when her mouth doesn't hurt so much.

[Guest ChasesMum]

is she a foster? maybe the adoption group would cover it... or was she a personal rescue?

 

since $$ is an issue, you could/should try the above options first, and see if it makes a difference in her mouth...if it makes a dental faster and easier then it should also cost less. I'd talk to the vet, find out if she is even eligible for anesthetic (which would mean labwork and exam at least), and if they would take payments if she was eligible. one step at a time.

 

would it be kinder to have her pts? no I don't think so... she seems to have some vigor left, and you took her in for a reason.

 

as for the hemangiomas, if you know they are hemangioSARCOMA then they are cancerous - and then the $$ for a dental takes on a different hue. otherwise they likely are just benign hemangiomas.

[Guest cristaron]

I agree with the Petzlife also.

Our boy came to us at two years old and he's going to be

nine in October. Hasn't needed a dental since he came off the

track. His teeth are beautiful. We brush every day with it.

I would try it with her, although, with teeth that badly neglected

she might need extractions.

[Guest FastDogsOwnMe]

Her owner died and a friend had the dog but cannot afford to deal with this so I took her. I just ordered the teeth gel, and she is on Metro. I put her on it yesterday, and also she is on a rimadyl for a couple days.

[CaliforniaGreys]

That's what Ekko's top teeth looked like, and she's 12 and just had her first dental.

 

If the vet thinks she'll do well, I would go for it.

 

ETA: Just a word about the gel. The vet that Ekko saw, not the one who did the dental, but the owner of the practice, told me not to waste the money on the gel, it wouldn't help when the teeth are that bad

Edited July 18, 2010 by cbudshome

[Batmom]

Have seen far, far worse than your picture ... and have known older dogs in worse condition to get thru surgery just fine (and younger ones not wake up :( ). Unless she has a documented terminal disease that's going to kill her in a couple weeks, get the teeth taken care of. You don't want dirty/bad teeth to be what kills her. Do you work with an adoption group that can help?

[Guest FastDogsOwnMe]

Nope. I'm on my own. I will be taking her in tomorrow.

[KF_in_Georgia]

The gel will be helpful for the tartar, but it won't repair rotten/damaged teeth, so she may still need extractions.

 

But the gel is certainly worth a try...

[Guest FastDogsOwnMe]

Knowing me, I will do it all whether I have the money or not

[Guest barkdogs]

Cutaneous hemangiosarcomas are cancer, but not to be confused with the other kind. I had a greyhound who had them when I adopted her and she lived for quite a few years after.

[buddibear]

The group in our area got the call from a demo team that was leveling a trailer that a person died in. The neighbors were throwing food over to an old grey living under the house.It took 4 weeks of raw meat, antibiotics, love and warm baths to get the 11 yo into a recognizable animal. ALL the teeth have been pulled now and a kind soul has stepped up to continue care. The before photos made me ill. Senior blood workup is always in order.....then the hard work begins.

[Guest FastDogsOwnMe]

Wow that's crazy! I guess she is workable. She likes being with her former owners friend, so I think she will live there and I'll help where I can with the care. She is definitely perky on her antibiotics and pain killers.

[Guest PhillyPups]

The oldest I ever had a dental done on was SugarBear, over 14. Sadly, and this is a whole other story, I had her right rear leg x-rayed at the time for a limp that came up the day before. When I picked up Sugs, I was given her dx of osteo. Six weeks later she went to the bridge with the whitest teeth and best breath around. She made it through the dental just fine. He did do a senior blood panel prior to surgery. She was also the oldest greyhound he ever did a dental on, but then she was the oldest greyhound patient he had at the time. (This was quite a few years ago )

[3DogNite]

I have not done my own dogs past 12 yrs old... however have very good friends who have given their dogs dentals at ages 12+ years.

In my mind, it is up to the vet, are they confident ~ then do it!

 

those teeth look bad, Greyhounds are sooo much more resilient than what we give them credit for. I have seen senior greyhounds come back from far worse than bad teeth.

 

Good luck!