Guest sanforkl Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 Hi Everyone! I am new here and didn't even know this forum existed! What a great resource for us greyhound owners. So excited to find this! Anyway, on to the issue... Our 6 yr old girl, Willow, was adopted back in 2009 from GPA Indy. Last night when I was brushing her teeth I found a very small chip on her top left molar near her gum line. It is so small, maybe the size of 2 or 3 poppy seeds lined up. But it concerns me because we have never had an issue like this and I know the root is exposed now. In general, even with regular tooth care at home (brushing & plaque scraping) we have had difficulty in maintaining her teeth...it is a constant uphill battle! We try to stay on top of it but her teeth are a challenge. At this point, they need professional cleaning anyway. With that said, have any of you experienced a chip in a tooth at the gum line in your greyhound? We live in small Indiana town and we do not have a vet close to us that I would trust with anesthesia on our girl. I know she will need anesthesia for a cleaning anyway and I have several emails out to contacts of mine for a recommendation for who they would trust but in the meantime, how serious is a chip like this? Is this an emergency...as in, does it have to be fixed right away? And do you know the options for "fixing" it? I have done a little reading saying that it may be a root canal with a crown or an extraction. Anyone with experience with sort of thing, please chime in! I do not want to panic about it but I also not want her to be in pain or get an infection. We are keeping a close eye on it! Thank you for any help! Kendra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy_3131 Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 Which side of Indianapolis do you live on. I may be able to rec. a vet closer to you...Also, your vet should be able to tell you if it needs immediate care, even if you don't trust them to do the dental. Quote Katy....Mom to Retired Racers Hinder, John Carter, Hobsen, and Kodama, Galgo Espanol Gichin, and the Village Idiot...Teko Missing terribly my fawn dog with the pretty ears Chance (Ale Seeyoulater) 6/21/05-6/23/15 Gotcha day 4/6/08 and my fuzzy baby boy Snacker (Tyville Snacker) 7/4/04-10/23/15, and all three of my IG babies, Isen, Tien, and Java. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blaidd49 Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 Unless it is bleeding or there is a piece of tooth semi-detached it is not an emergency. Continue to keep it as clean as possible until you find a vet you are comfortable with. I have more experience with slab fractures than I care to remember having extremely avid chewers and removal was not recommended for any of them as long as the gum remained healthy and the tooth was firmly in place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedHead Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 Is there any way you can post a photo? Are you sure that this chip is down to the root? Almost all of my dogs have gotten small chips out of their teeth during their lifetime. Usually it is nothing serious, and I just leave it. If it is more like a slab fracture or has exposed the root, you should see a vet though. Dogs are pretty good about disguising tooth pain. Plaque along the gumline can also cause little grooves in the dogs teeth if it is chipped or brushed off. Either way, your vet (even if you don't trust with surgery) would better be able to diagnose. There are a lot of knowledgeable people on the board here as well though, so like I said, a picture might help Welcome BTW! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbhounds Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 Dental radiographs will be needed to determine if an extraction is necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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