I suspect my elderly dog may have a tooth abscess. I’m reading about the treatment (extraction or root canal) and wondering what to do. Dog in question is anywhere from 12-16 but we don’t know for sure. We love him very much and rescued him off of the street about ten years ago. He has a severe heart murmur and our vet said they wouldn’t recommend anesthesia for him, unless they can do blood work and an echocardiogram, which would cost $2000-3000, but even then it may be risky. (Exam fees, dental x-rays, dental procedures, etc. are not included). If it is an abscess, as I suspect, we can no longer do routine tooth maintenance because of his heart, so we may well be developing more of these problems down the line. I also don’t know how we would manage a root canal for him at this age and stage.
Have you had any experience with dental care in older dogs who are no long eligible for anesthesia? What about decision-making with regards to this sort of situation? He was happy on a walk yesterday but now is showing signs of tooth abscess (whimpers when touching face, bad teeth, not interested in food). He is old but generally content but I know there is not much we can do for his heart or his teeth anymore, so I am just trying to think about what the future looks like for him. Thanks for any thoughts or experiences.
Have you had any experience with dental care in older dogs who are no long eligible for anesthesia? What about decision-making with regards to this sort of situation? He was happy on a walk yesterday but now is showing signs of tooth abscess (whimpers when touching face, bad teeth, not interested in food). He is old but generally content but I know there is not much we can do for his heart or his teeth anymore, so I am just trying to think about what the future looks like for him. Thanks for any thoughts or experiences.