Dog - dental

Twolittlebears

Hi all,

My two 8 year old dogs are booked in to have a dental cleaning & extractions in 3 weeks time. This was the soonest I could get them both booked in together. I am worrying myself sick about the anaesthetic and looking for some reassurance that everything will be fine.

I remember this worry 15 years ago when my last dog had teeth extracted. I feared the worst, as I always do. It's so hard to think positive when its your own.

I am also worried about how anxious one of my dogs will be. Charlie has separation anxiety from me. He is not very confident, he see's everyone and every dog as a threat so he tries to scare them off first with a nasty bark and chase. He doesn't bite but he can become very angry when stressed. If a dog comes darting for him, he is petrified, even of playful puppies. However he turns into this strong dog when bigger dogs pass, he chases them away with an angry bark and a lot do run away from him so he does it all the more. This is how he feels in control. He reacts out of fear but I have no idea why he is like this, however he is totally harmless and all the regular dogs and walkers at the beach where we walk regularly know him so know he is not a bad lad, just timid and acting out of fear.

My other dog (brother from same litter) is the total opposite, he loves every dog. He is so confident and everyone/dogs friend so I am sure he will be more relaxed at the vet.

I had them both at the vets last week for a check over and when the vet tried to walk Charlie out the back to weigh him he was horrified. He would walk, he sat down and pulled back, looking up at me in fear. I felt like crying so I will be worse when I have to drop him off for his dental. I will feel like a bad mam!

Charlie has been to vet for an over night stay back in Sept (suspected poisoning) and since then he is petrified of the vets. He became very stressed and confused so turned angry. I know he will be the same again when he goes for his dental so I am worried about that as well as the anaesthetic.

GreenQueen

Although there is a slight risk with any anaesthetic, vets do hundreds of dentals each year, and are used to the anxiety of their patients and their patients' humans. Tell the vet how you are all feeling, and see if they will let you stay with your dogs for the check in process.

On the day of the procedure, make sure you keep busy - don't know whether you work or are at home, but find something to keep your mind occupied.

Just try to think forward to when their mouths feel so much more comfortable and you have two happy, healthy dogs.

Good luck to you all.

sheramber

The vet can give a pre op injection before taking him through to the kennels. If he is very bad ask if you can put him in the kennel.

When I collected my rescue the first time she was in I was asked to come through to the kennel to get her. Normally, the animal is brought out to you.
I was surprised to see a sheet pegged across the front of the kennel. When the nurse drew it back my dog was happy and friendly.
The nurse remarked' oh, she is quite friendly'.

Apparently, she had been showing another side of her character so they had covered the kennel and weren't risking getting her out.

teddysmum

sheramber wrote: »

The vet can give a pre op injection before taking him through to the kennels. If he is very bad ask if you can put him in the kennel.

When I collected my rescue the first time she was in I was asked to come through to the kennel to get her. Normally, the animal is brought out to you.
I was surprised to see a sheet pegged across the front of the kennel. When the nurse drew it back my dog was happy and friendly.
The nurse remarked' oh, she is quite friendly'.

Apparently, she had been showing another side of her character so they had covered the kennel and weren't risking getting her out.

We had the same problem with our soppy springer spaniel, many years ago, after she had a spay.


I have had two dogs with high grade heart murmurs have dentals, as the vets said the dental problem was a worse risk than the anaesthetic.


The first one had his done under sedation and was normal within half an hour ad the second was done by a different vet, who preferred full GA instead of sedation, because of the latter's choking risk. He said that the beauty of modern anaesthetics is that they can instantly be reversed should there be a problem. (No use for an invasive op,though)

SensibleSarah

My dog was nearly 10 when she had a dental last year. Physically there were not any problems at all with her undergoing a general (although I was a basket case all day worrying) but psycologically the whole experience was tough on her. She's a rescue dog with some serious mistrust of people issues - which is fair enough considering her background - and is easy to manage with our normal routine but makes things like this really hard to deal with.

My suggestion to the OP would be to ask the vets if the anxious dog can be done as early in the day as poss - so there is less time for him to get stressed before he gets his pre-med. After the anaesthetic he'll hopefully be too sleepy to get too anxious until you can go get him.

Twolittlebears

Thank you all for the replies and suggestions.

I will have to let the vet know about Charlie becoming angry when anxious. He can turn it to a little gremlin. He has been socialised since a very young pup and always had his brother by his side (from the same littler) so I am unsure why he sees other dogs and people as a threat.

He is the same whether he is off the lead or on the lead. He is absolutely terrified of dogs that are playful or ones that come running over to him so he jumps up at me to pick him up. However when a dog passes which is minding it's own business, Charlie turns into a Rottweiler and chases them away. He's got to be in control. What i have noticed is he has to scare dogs/people off first before they scare him. He's so loving and friendly but he doesn't trust anyone at first so the vet will need to be very patient with him. He doesn't like to be approached, he's got to be the one that goes to you as he just thinks everyone's going to get him and take him away from me. He's a funny one. I think he will need something to calm him at the vets.

This time in two weeks it will all be over so I will update to how it went.

Katiehound

I wonder if Charlie would behave the same way if someone else took him in. (not you)

The reason I say is that a dog I had always went ballistic when he had his booster. He had to wear a muzzle, there were 3 of us holding him: myself, vet nurse, receptionist (all wearing plastic aprons!)plus the vet trying to administer the vaccine!

Someone at a rescue said he was playing up- send him in with the receptionist or the vet nurse. That's just what I did and he was perfectly fine, no more tantrums! Seems he was saving tantrums just for me!! So ever after that I would just hand him over..........;) (oh, and pay the bill!)