Possible Cavity? Please help.
The vet says that sometimes they just have bad teeth, and we plan to start having them cleaned when he's two. Tonight I was cuddling with him- and saw what looks like a cavity on his bottom canine- It looks like a hole- but also like the back has been shaved off, like a slice is missing and it has some dark spots. Can dog's have cavities? Did he chip his tooth? What do I do? Here's a photo- It's hard to see cause the pic is upside down and I can only get the side of the hole. (The bad tooth is the upper tooth in the picture) The part that's shaved off is on the back of the tooth.  |
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could be but more likely a chip?? rub your finger over it. Jack apparently was a wire chewer in his youth and the enamel on the back of his canines is worn off and very stained. Not much can be done short of caps  It's rare for doggie cavities especially if they have chew toys, etc. |
| I felt it- its rough like a slice was chipped off the back, and then there's also a big hole. He just had a check-up a month ago and they didn't say anything. Hank and I cuddle alot and I check his teeth and mouth often- I swear it wasn't there before. Do you think it hurts him? Should he see the vet to rule out a cavity? |
| It's not an emergency visit. Watch him to see if he's avoiding that side when eating or chewing, pawing at his mouth or drooling. If you have a checkup coming due soon, discuss it then. I'd have it looked at sooner rather than later. There are doggie dentists who do fill these booboos, your vet may not be qualified. If you aren't brushing his teeth, start. |
| There is a condition in dogs called "Caries" anyway not urgent but next time your at the vet get them to have a look and refer you to a canine dental specialist. Even if it is that the tooth can be pulled out. Here is some info on "Caries" of a tooth. Caries is the decay or demineralisation of the enamel and dentine in the tooth, or the dentine of the root. It is less common in the dog than in man, but still affects over 10% of all dogs. It is visible and is easily seen when the dog yawns, at first the decay appears as a dull, white, powdery looking area which gradually has a yellow hue to it and finally black as the lesion advances. Sometimes all that is visible is a small black dot on the surface of the tooth, but hiding underneath may be a much larger cavity of the decayed dentine. Eventually the decay will penetrate the pulp and a painfull tooth root abcess can result. The tooth without treatment will gradually disintegrate and will have to be extracted. So if eating OK and not experience any problems there at the moment, next vet visit get them to have a look and possibly refer onto a dental canine specialist if still there or any change in eating rubbing that area etc. |
| Thanks Lisa! Different terminology. Quote: Dental caries, also known as tooth decay |
| If it is a cavity, why would they have to pull it? Can't it just be filled, like a human tooth? |
CamVal1 wrote: If it is a cavity, why would they have to pull it? Can't it just be filled, like a human tooth? Well yes but your also up for a huge amount with a canine dental specialist, possibly a root canal treatment as well as filling the cavity. If it does turn out to be Caries and depending on how far it is in the tooth, pulp and root then choice is tooth extraction or huge specialist expenses including dental x-rays to see how far advanced it is inside the tooth, sometimes the tooth cant be saved because more going on inside then what is showing on the surface.  |
| Pulling a canine takes a super strong vet and often the jaw bone is broken.....lower tooth of course. My vet shuddered when I brought in a rescue. I'm not sure who weighed more, the dog or the vet. "Fortunately" the tooth was not decayed, but probably dead (funny color) but did not bother the dog. So let's hope this can be fixed w/o major distress to dog or pocketbook....or vet. Maybe inset a nice diamond for that extra sparkle  |
| Owwwwwwwwwwwwwww |
| Basset Simon just had both his upper big molars pulled d/t infection about a month ago - they both absessed. They get broken into 3 pieces, then pulled - they have 3 roots. Simon had huge swelling afterwards and needed lots of pain meds for awhile, but he is right as rain now.  He's even gaining weight back  |
| I emailed the picture to the Vet today and he called and said: Looks like a chip with staining. If it chipped to the dentin, I can- 1. Wait and see what happens, either it will remain as it is- or possibly the tooth will die. if it does, it might just be dead- or it could need a root canal or extraction... 2. Have the teeth all cleaned and that tooth "sealed" to block bacteria from getting to the pulp. Any thoughts on this? |
| What does it cost to have the tooth sealed? What will it cost to leave it and then deal with the other worst case scenarios? What risk to your dog if you a) leave it or b) seal it? What is the success rate of having it sealed? for example could the bacteria already be in there so the process will continue even if you seal. I would want these questions answered before I made a decision. I'm sure there will be more posts with other useful questions and maybe someone has had experience of the same thing. |
| It's really hard for a vet to assess by just a photo, he needs to especially on that black dot part on the lower canine to use a dental tool to scrape that area and see what is happening. Me personally it does not look like just staining as it is quite a pronounced dot on that canine. Staining is more brownish like not a prodominat black dot on the tooth enamel. Mim poses some good questions to ask the vet and also I would add do you need to go down the X-ray path if suspected tooth caries (decay) happening. The only way to assess that tooth even if just a chip to the enamel, is to x-ray firstly and that means knocked out for x-raying to see what is happening inside and any damage there with decay or anything else happening there before just maybe filling that tooth. You said his teeth aren't great and no vet can assess that by a picture, an examination is needed and a poke there with a dental instrument to see no rot underneath that black dot or the chipped area behind, crumbling happening or a hole found, a discussion too after as to what options there, noting dental treatment can add up enormously for dogs, to see what is happening there before you decide which way to go as far as x-raying/treatment etc or wether it is just better to have the tooth extracted if it turns out to be damaged with a possibility of infection happening and could possibly affect the pulp and root and bearing in mind too if not treated accordingly can penetrate the jaw bone also causing infection there. So maybe a vet visit is needed to see what is going on there with plenty of questions as to what it is. Sometimes it is only minor surface stuff happening, but a hell of a lot more going on inside the tooth so if the vet is unsure after seeing the tooth you need an x-ray of it or even a referral to a dental canine specialist if you want to save that lower canine. If a problem dogs do OK with missing teeth. Brie after her rare epulis has a missing lower canine and part of the jaw bone underneath and no big deal for her, painfull for about 24 hours after surgery but pain meds helped and you would not know she has a missing canine now, hard bikkes, bones etc no problems with that missing tooth . |
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