To alleviate pain and promote healing in your dog's mouth, our vets in Hohenwald explain the necessity of tooth extractions. Gain insights into what to expect during this procedure for your canine companion.
Dog Tooth Extractions
Veterinarians may need to remove one or more teeth from dogs surgically. The extraction process can extend to the roots or may involve removing the dental crown, the visible portion of the tooth above the gums.
Why a Tooth Extraction is Necessary
If a tooth is irreparably damaged, it's crucial to extract it to prevent infection and spare your dog from enduring subsequent pain caused by the dead tooth. Dogs often require tooth extractions to live pain-free and attain optimal oral health.
Following Your Dog's Tooth Extraction
Roots anchor each tooth in your dog's mouth. An individual tooth may be secured in place by up to three roots. Proper extraction of a tooth necessitates the removal of all roots.
During your dog's dental surgery, they will be under anesthesia. Our veterinarians adhere to strict surgical protocols while performing procedures on our patients.
To assess the health of your dog's tooth roots, the vet may conduct an X-ray or a CT scan. High-speed dental drills are employed to split large teeth with multiple roots, ensuring each tooth fragment is attached to only one root. Smaller teeth with a single root can be extracted without this additional step.
Potential Dog Tooth Extraction Complications
Veterinary tooth extractions rarely result in complications. However, if complications do occur, they generally fall into a few categories, including incomplete healing of dental cavities, presence of remnants from removed teeth, and potential damage to the jaw bone. These are the areas where complications may arise during a dog tooth extraction.
Your Dog's Recovery From a 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.
Our Hohenwald vets recommend avoiding feeding your dog hard foods until the area heals. If your dog eats primarily hard kibble, it can be softened in water before you serve it to them. For similar reasons, we recommend avoiding playing tug-of-war until your dog has fully recovered.
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.