I took my Shih Tzu in for her first %26quot;annual%26quot; shots, she got the Rabies and Distemper. She%26#039;s 11 months. He asked if I had any other concerns and I told him about her teeth.
Her top row are still all puppy teeth! Then, on her bottom jaw, she has two rows of adult teeth. Like a shark!
I also made an appointment in 2 weeks to get her spayed, and he said while she was still under anesthesia, that her could correct her bottom jaw of teeth.
Now, I have a few questions, any advice/help would be awesome, and nice answers are welcomed completely.
1) I know it%26#039;s common for Shih Tzu%26#039;s to have messed up teeth, but why are her%26#039;s like that? I didn%26#039;t even know that was possible?
2) Is this is a good idea? Should I take the advantage? I won%26#039;t have to make two trips, and the anesthesia is the more costly part, so I%26#039;d only have to do that once!
3) A spay is $40 at my vet%26#039;s, how much (guesstimate) do you think it will cost to have her teeth fixed?
4) Are there any risks with this?
Thanks!
Vet Suggested My Shih Tzu%26#039;s Teeth Being Fixed?
sorry dad....gotta respectfully disagree with you,at least in part. There is a big difference between Pomeranians and Shih Tzu%26#039;s. I also am confused on exactly what this vet wants to do, but it really does not matter. Having the dog spayed is something that needs to be done soon and if you can afford to have teeth done at same time you should consider getting it done, but it is NOT an issue that has to be done in the immediate future. You also need to be aware that the LONGER an animal is asleep under anisthesia the higher the chances are that they can run into some major problems from the anisthesia. You seem to be talking about some MAJOR dental work that will put a MAJOR dent in your bank account irregardless of when it is done. Depending on where you live,you may have another option that will let you get it done at fraction of vet charges if not completely free. Fact that work needed is extensive will help you. Tell the vets office that you need a written statement explaining what needs to be done and why, along with an estimate of cost to show your dad. As long as you really show your dad you will not be lieing. THEY will ASSUME it is to help get the money needed to have the work done. When you have the statement copy everything except cost estimates, send it to the nearest veterinarian schools and ask if they would consider doing this work as part of training their students. My first reaction when I heard about people doing this was fear that it wouldnt be done right and pets would somehow be in more danger due to students doing the work. I have since learned that animals treated by students are actually taken better care of than at the vets. The students have their instructors watching over their shoulders to make sure they are doing things right so they take their time and pay attention to do their very best both for the animals AND their teachers. The teachers MAKE sure it is done right. Most practicing vets have done this so much it is simply routine and a few more dollars in their pockets. I could say ALOT more about what happens behind closed doors in a vets office, but you dont need to hear it. Good Luck !!! proxy
Reply:The teeth are just genetics...something that can happen.
I would definately have it done. All he is doing is pulling baby teeth...that%26#039;s really it.
It shouldn%26#039;t cost you anymore than $100, if that, but get an estimate. There is no way it%26#039;s going to cost you $250-$400 dollars, especially when your SPAY is only $40.
There is always a 1% risk of death when any animal goes under anesthesia. Wow, it%26#039;s not? Because I guess every vet I%26#039;ve worked for who put a healthy animal under anesthesia was a total moron...and so are our estimates, which I had to read and explain to every pet owner that brought a dog in for surgery, which states that every animal that is placed under anesthesia has a 1% risk of dying...even if the pre-op bloods came back normal...I hope VCA attorneys have covered their asses!
Dad...I%26#039;ll be the first one to admit that vets have that uncanny ability to guilt trip people and drain their wallets, but this dog needs to have those teeth pulled now before it is a problem. There is another answer here which explain fully why it is necessary. And although an animal might not need a dental right now, doesn%26#039;t mean it won%26#039;t need it sometime in the course of it%26#039;s life. I%26#039;m shocked that on the news right now there has been so much discussion of how your gums can actually be an indicator for heart disease, because vets have been saying it for the past 10 years! Keep your dog%26#039;s teeth healthy...
I%26#039;ll agree to disagree with you Dad :)
Reply:Her puppy teeth didn%26#039;t fall out like they were suppose to so I%26#039;d go ahead and get it taken care of. He will probably have to extract the baby teeth so depending on how he charges, it could become costly. I%26#039;d guess maybe between $250 to $400. Even if it is expensive in the long run it will be much more healthy and more comfortable for your dog to have the extra teeth removed.
Reply:If the vet has recommended that you have her teeth done, then it is probably for a very good reason. No one on here is qualified enough to say %26#039;no dont do what the vet recommends%26#039;, you know, he did go to uni for at least 5 yrs.
The risks of death under anaesthesia are NOT 1%. Thats like saying, for every 100 dogs the vet spays, 1 will die. That is just ridiculous. Of course there are risks, but they are not that high. And vets and their nursing staff are very switched on, so when there is even the slightest change in the dog while under GA, they pick up on it. Most vets also use a gas anaesthetic, which is very easy to stop if the need arises.
So yes, get ur pups teeth fixed, two birds with one stone so to speak.
Nannyjan,
Just because u have one set of experiences and opinions does not make u right. In Australia, if we had a death rate of 1% people just simply wouldnt have anything done to their dogs that involves a GA. Stop being so nasty to everyone else on here that has a different opinion to you. I am also a Veterinary Technician, but I have a Science Degree, and I graduated with commendations from the Dean of the university, so I also think I know what I am talking about.
Reply:I must be missing something here... you said the top row was the one with the retained baby teeth -- that is what needs to be taken out not the adult teeth on the bottom... Dogs, like people, only get one set of adult teeth and if the baby teeth are retained the occlussion/ way the teeth %26#039;meet up%26#039; when chewing is off and the teeth end up not being able to properly articulate and end up needing extensive often daily intervention to prevent premature rotting and loss of teeth. I agree with doing it while she is under but he needs to remove the baby teeth so the upper adult teeth can come in.
If you mean too that she has two rows of teeth on the bottom jaw, they are not both adult teeth -- one is baby teeth that need to be removed and the rooted adult teeth will be able to better fit in the jaw. So basically he will need to do both remove the upper baby teeth so the others can grow in and remove the lower baby teeth so the already exposed adult teeth can have a chance to not be crooked and prone to disease.
Reply:Yes, get all done at once,.. less stressful for pup and at her young age she%26#039;ll recupe fast.
Take up with vet cost,... less risk if once under general it%26#039;s done.
Gd. luck.
Reply:I think it%26#039;s a good idea as the retained teeth will be causing problems afew years down the line and she will be under anesthsia already.
Reply:Hi Lucy.
I might not write very long. I might not have much to say. But logic is logic, and is always reasonable.
I have a Pomeranian. He is now 3 years old. You said your dog is 11 months old, so I%26#039;ll judge from your information.
My dog had the same dilemma, crooked mouth ( Teeth) and I was suggested by the Vet to have my dog%26#039;s teeth fixed ( yes, so they can leak my pocket. Pssh).
I paid $2,300 USD for my dog at the Mall. It is a Pomeranian officially born in Russia. That%26#039;s why it costs me so much.
Anyway, I never bothered to fix his teeth; I left them the way there were. After 18 months, or maybe close to 2 years, my Dog started to change teeth. Today his crooked mouth is perfect. Teeth are all lined up perfectly well. You cannot tell the difference.
So, I suggest you to leave the dog the way it is. Vets will tell you everything so they can consume your money. They told me to clean my dog teeth, which costs $300. They told me to buy this, buy that, buy crap, buy, buy, buy, pssh. My dog is healthier than me right now.
UPDATE:
To: nannyjankins. I understand what you are saying. However, not having your dog%26#039;s teeth cleaned will necessarily lead to danger. I am from the Island, and I always had more than 13 dogs at home. None of those dogs had their teeth cleaned, and they lived very, very long.
My Aunt in the USA, where I currently live, also has a small dog, about 12 years old, and she has never had her dog teeh cleaned, and there has been no problem.
Vets told me about heart worms and some other craps, which of course is true. However, feeding your dog with the right stuffs will help prevent your dog from having heart worms, although I still take my dog for his occasional shots.
But teeth cleaning? $300 each time? Come on, Dad has better things to do, and I am sure my dog will be fine.
Tips on caring your dog:
#1 Never feed your dog with Human%26#039;s food.
#2 If it is a house dog, always keep him/her inside.
#3 When walking, use this thing they make for dogs that cover their mouth so they won%26#039;t eat stuffs off the ground ( though I remove the thing from his mouth at times, but keep an eye on him).
That%26#039;s what I do, and my Dog is very healthy. Has never gotten sick.
And if I never used my common sense, the Vet would have gotten about $10.000.00 out of me already.
Dad
Reply:Your vet needs your consent in order to carry out any procedure and it sounds as though he were asking for it in order to sort out your dogs teeth at the same time as spaying her.
As to the other questions why don%26#039;t you give the surgery a ring and ask if you can clarify a few things, which you are unsure of before you go ahead, that way you have the full and correct story form a qualified professional.
Reply:Make sure that you definitely get an estimate before getting the procedure done. But yes it is a good idea. It shouldn%26#039;t cost that much. The only risk that I can think of is an uncomfortable mouth for a few days. The techs are very good at monitoring the animals while under anesthesia.
Reply:Yes have the teeth done, just like a human, when you have bad teeth, it can affect the way you eat, and if they get infected they can also affect the heart in humans and dogs alike
I would most certainly take the vets advice
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