NWR: Older Dog Teeth Cleaning/Teeth Pulling

I hate getting my dog's teeth cleaned too. Shes 9 though. It is really cute to see them after all loopy, my baby just wants to snuggle after.

I just started doing some google searches on this and I found an article where all these people were saying don't do it and how their dogs went in for a routine teeth cleaning (most very young) and either died on the table or had a fatal complication from it soon after. I shouldn't have googled!

It will be expensive and vets prices can range quite a bit so call around for some quotes. I'd definitely suggest getting them pulled and other teeth cleaned. You don't want these teeth causing him pain so he stops eating or risk an infection. If he doesn't have any other medical problems, he'll likely do fine under anesthesia.

After the cleaning, make sure you're brushing his teeth to help keep them nice and clean

If you're confident in your vet, it should be fine. Also, is your dog in good health otherwise? When Lilly had to have an emergency dental (5 teeth removed thanks to a doggy sundae - yeah, idk how it happened either....) they did a quick workup on her just in case. I also paid extra for them to have an IV put in in case she needed fluids or anything during or after. Basically I gave them free range and said, if for some reason anything bad happens, do anything/everything you need to do to save my baby. I had them do a cleaning while they had her under. Total cost was about $475 including the round of antibiotics and pain pills for afterwards.

I just did it about 3 weeks ago with my 14.5 year old Jack Russell Terrier. The vet said it should have been done awhile ago, but since she's still very lively she clearly has lots of time left and I should still do it. He said bacteria from teeth can go straight to the heart (which I've heard before).

So I did it. She was a bit loopy afterwards, but not a big deal at all!

I was just talking about this with my aunt yesterday. She had her 10 or 11 year old weenie dog's teeth cleaned (and 4 pulled) yesterday. She did fine.

I on the other hand have an 8 year old pug and 9 year old mutt that I am afraid to put under. I am more worried about the pug. The vet recommends it every time I go in, but they are getting old, and pugs don't respond well to anesthesia.

I am with beachbride, I have read way too many horror stories. I just keep putting the liquid teeth cleaner in their water and giving them bones.

I'm glad to hear positive experiences here! I'm definitely worried about dirty teeth leading to a worse health problem - don't want that at all!

I don't distrust my Vet, but I feel like I don't know them well enough. My dog is in great health so we only go once/year for his annual check-up and blood work for heartworm and his Rx flea meds. We've had 2 extra trips for an ear infection and 1 ER visit for a snapped dewclaw but that's it. So because of that, I just have no idea what the Vet's experience is with dentals.

I would ask the vet. I love mine - mine saved my pittie from distemper and all kinds of health issues in the beginning of his life, and he posts all kinds of pet surgeries on his FB to inform patients. I trusted him with the terrier.

I have had my cat's teeth cleaned twice with extractions each time. Poor thing she's down to the canines in the front lol. She's almost 11 now (cats can live up to 20 years). She did very well both times and each time cost $700-$900. It's important to take care of your pet's teeth. They can't tell you when they're having mouth pain and it really does hurt them to eat.

My vet is awesome, I should trust her. She even lets me email her whenever I want and doesn't try to make me come in unless it's 100% necessary. I have an appt tomorrow for my oldest dog, he has lupus, and is having a flare up. I will talk to her about the teeth cleaning. My biggest issue is the COST! my gah.

I just took my dog to vet 2 weeks ago because she had an abscess tooth (it was infected). She also had her teeth cleaning, she is 9 and a Jack Russell. She has had her teeth cleaned multiple times. Teeth cleaning are generally easy, although your dog may be a little loopy. If your dog needs any teeth removed they may need to have soft food for a few days while their gums heal. If your dog does need any teeth removed they may give an antibiotic. Sometimes the antibiotics cause nausea and vomiting so make sure you watch how your dog responds to any medication.

We try to brush our dog's teeth regularly so hopefully we won't have to deal with this for a while!

I use enzymatic toothpaste - the stuff in the water doesn't do much in my opinion. I'm probably going to get him a dental sometime this year and then do a better job brushing every day. I keep his stuff in my bathroom and try to do it each night; we've been consistent for about a month.

Mine has gotten his teeth cleaned and it went really well. Our other family poodle has gotten multiple cleanings and like 10 teeth pulled, she's aging really really fast for some reason, but overall she's also fine.

Remember with google, people are going to write stories about traumatic experiences. The millions of people that it went fine for are not going to write an article/blog about it lol. Just have a really open discussion with a trusted vet

We know my 16 year old dog SHOULD have a few teeth pulled. But the vet doesn't think she'll make it under anesthesia so we feed her a special diet and special soft teeth cleaning treats right now.

She also has to sleep in the dog run now (room attached to our garage) instead of in the house because she constantly has accidents. So I'm retraining her how to use puppy pads...

PS JRT people unite! While they may be terrors, there is nothing better!

VM hope your pup feels better! I don't know you can because its "pre-existing" but do you have them on pet ins? Its a lifesaver for us. Our dog likes to give us periodic heart attacks that make us rush her to emerg vet. Without the ins there's no way we would have been able to afford those visits.

I've had dogs my whole life (and 2 right now) and have never heard of doggie teeth cleaning! I always just give them the teeth chewie things. And one of them doggie mints because she has terrible breath (she likes to lick the other ones butt blaaah!)