Results 1 to 10 of 10

Thread: Purple tooth

  1. #1
    Puppy MomtoMolly's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Location
    Toronto, Canada
    Posts
    23
    Thanked: 4

    Purple tooth

    Because having the TPLO to start the year just wasn't enough (!!!), Molly has a purple right upper fang. We went to the vet who told us pretty much what we already knew, that they tooth needed to be extracted. We have an appt July 6. Since they sedate her for it, I've also asked them to do a dental cleaning to polish up her other teeth - she's 6 now, so I guess a middle aged dental check-up makes sense. She hasn't ever had dental work before.

    Does anyone have any experiences with teeth extractions aftercare or tips? Trying to plan out the recovery - soft foods, etc.

  2. #2
    Senior Dog POPTOP's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Illinois
    Posts
    10,985
    Thanked: 6722
    Tooth extractions - many times with the seniors. The latest was Archie who joined us with horrible dental problems. Nine teeth had to be extracted. Potion, Melody and Mardi all had extraction in their later years and did very well. Potion had a root canal done on a canine.

    I always plan ahead and have enough canned food to last a week. Archie needed it with multiple extractions at a time, over three surgeries. Just equated it to when I had to have a tooth pulled and how tender my mouth was. However, the dogs seem to get over it very fast. They really don't chew kibble, more gulping it down. I've also taken kibble and ground it up in the blender and added water to make a mush. I'm sure I went overboard but we had no problems. Your vet will give you more detailed feeding instructions. I just wanted to be prepared ahead of time. The extra cans Archie got treats in his meals.

    Sending mojo.
    Hidden Content
    Kissing Bandit

  3. #3
    Chief Pooper Scooper JenC's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Colorado
    Posts
    2,598
    Thanked: 2588
    Is it just dead? Sometimes they die, but if the gums look OK they don't necessarily HAVE to be extracted. I suppose the vet is sure. Extractions are pretty easy. We've had several molars removed and they bounce back immediately.

  4. #4
    Senior Dog
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Ellicott City, MD
    Posts
    6,626
    Thanked: 3641
    Like Jen said, if the tooth is "just" dead and not infected or giving a problem, it may not need to be extracted. Also, the canine is a tougher tooth for extractions (per our vet and our vet dentist....in discussion with a cat but I think dog would be the same...sometimes they actually want to save that tooth if at all possible).

    Me? If the vet can't say for sure exactly what is wrong with the tooth (x-rays at least), I'd go to a vet dentist for a second opinion. I would not just yank the tooth.

  5. The Following User Says Thank You to SunDance For This Useful Post:

    Annette47 (06-28-2017)

  6. #5
    Senior Dog smartrock's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Carolina in my mind..
    Posts
    6,391
    Thanked: 4178
    Chase had a large premolar extracted a few years ago and the recovery went well. Our general vet cleaned his teeth because of really, really foul breath and found the tooth was cracked but said we could give him some antibiotics and take a wait and see approach. Not being able to imagine that a tooth that huge wouldn't be painful if it was cracked, we went to a dental specialty vet who said it needed to be taken out. When it was extracted, she said it had been cracked long enough and badly enough for some crud, like hair and debris to work its way up into the tooth and root and it could have been pretty bad. So, going to a dental specialist would be a good idea if you want to get a second opinion. They could at least confirm or dispute the need for an extraction, of course, with the cost of the consultation.

    I actually saw a child one time who had a tooth turn purple following some blunt force trauma on the playground. She was taken immediately to her dentist who said to watch it and over time it actually turned back to a normal looking tooth. She was probably very lucky. Is this purple canine tooth a new thing or has it been like that for a while? Do you know of any recent trauma?

  7. #6
    Senior Dog Snowshoe's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    8,136
    Thanked: 5108
    I didn't have Jet's out. The Vet told me it could hurt her a lot but I figured if it started to hurt I'd see signs, like drooling, not wanting to eat or picking food and other things up in strange ways.
    Hidden Content

    Castilleja's Dubhgall Oban, the Black Stranger of The Little Bay
    Oct. 15, 2007 - June 13, 2021
    Oxtongue Rapids Park. Oct. 2019 Hidden Content

  8. #7
    Senior Dog janedoe's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    New England
    Posts
    5,095
    Thanked: 1922
    Pain meds. Soft foods. They get past it pretty quickly. All good thoughts for the procedure.

  9. #8
    House Broken
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Location
    Pacific Northwest
    Posts
    174
    Thanked: 41
    Our 8 year old Gibbs has a gray tooth that the Vet noticed. I don't remember if he wanted to extract it but he was more worried about it spreading to his jaw...has anyone had issues with bad teeth spreading?

  10. #9
    Senior Dog
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Ellicott City, MD
    Posts
    6,626
    Thanked: 3641
    Quote Originally Posted by shelly View Post
    Our 8 year old Gibbs has a gray tooth that the Vet noticed. I don't remember if he wanted to extract it but he was more worried about it spreading to his jaw...has anyone had issues with bad teeth spreading?
    No. Hershey had a gray tooth for quite a few years before he died (he was 10 1/2)...and the tooth never gave him any problems. Our vet...and then the vet dentist that we were visiting for someone else...never indicated that pulling it was the preferred way to go. We did have x-rays initially (it was discovered during a dental).

  11. #10
    Senior Dog Snowshoe's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    8,136
    Thanked: 5108
    I forgot, Oban has one too. We were at the Vet today and she took a look at it. Great one I will be for monitoring it if I forget it's even there. But Vet just wants to watch it too.

    Bad teeth spreading. It can happen with people so I guess with dogs too? I had two with black marks, my top front two. I'm one of only two patients my Dentist had who had no pain. He says it usually hurts a lot Anyway, mine were infected, which can spread, and were treated like any tooth with a cavity. Filled from the back so as not to destroy the front. With dogs we just yank them out but with people, especially the front teeth, they are preserved if possible. Now, instead of black, they're yellow because they're dead
    Hidden Content

    Castilleja's Dubhgall Oban, the Black Stranger of The Little Bay
    Oct. 15, 2007 - June 13, 2021
    Oxtongue Rapids Park. Oct. 2019 Hidden Content

 



Not a Member of the Labrador Retriever Chat Forums Yet?
Register for Free and Share Your Labrador Retriever Photos

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •