Removing a dog's teeth may be necessary to relieve pain and allow your dog's mouth to heal. Today, our Clarksville vets provide some information about tooth extractions in dogs so owners can know what to expect.
Dog Tooth Extractions
A veterinarian may occasionally need to surgically extract one or more teeth from dogs. The dental crown, or the part of the tooth that is visible above the gums, can be extracted all the way down to the tooth's roots.
Why a Tooth Extraction is Necessary
In order to avoid infection and to spare your dog pain from a dead tooth, it's crucial to remove teeth that have suffered irreparable damage. In order for the animal to live pain-free and achieve ideal oral health, dog tooth extractions are frequently required.
Following Your Dog's Tooth Extraction
Each of your dog's teeth is held in his or her mouth by roots. As many as three roots may be holding an individual tooth in place. All roots must be removed to correctly fully extract a tooth.
Your dog will be under the effects of anesthesia during his or her dental surgery. Our veterinarians practice stringent surgical protocols while operating on our patients.
To check how healthy the roots of your dog's teeth are, the vet may need to take an X-ray. Large teeth - those with multiple roots - are split using a high-speed dental drill so that every fragment of the tooth has only one root attached to it. Smaller teeth that have a single tooth root can be removed in their entirety without this extra step.
Potential Dog Tooth Extraction Complications
The removal of a veterinary patient's tooth rarely causes complications. When complications do arise, they typically fall into one of three categories: unhealed dental cavities, tooth remnants from previous extractions, and jaw bone damage. All of these complications are possible during a dog tooth extraction.
What to Expect After Your Dog's Tooth Extraction
Recovery following a tooth extraction procedure should be relatively quick, and you should be able to take your pet home on the same day as the procedure. While there may be traces of blood in their saliva, no significant bleeding should occur. If there is, contact your vet immediately.
For a while, until the area heals, our Clarksville veterinarians advise against giving your dog hard foods. If your dog prefers to eat hard kibble, you can first soften it in water before giving it to them. We also advise against playing tug-of-war until your dog is fully recovered for similar reasons.
Note: The advice provided in this post is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice regarding pets. For an accurate diagnosis of your pet's condition, please make an appointment with your vet.