Care of Teeth/Gums of Old, Small Dog (chihuahua, clean, vet)
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If he has an infection he really needs to see a vet, home remedies will not help an infection that is probably causing him pain. You can let your vet know that you are afraid of anesthesia and surgery, antibiotics may be the first course of action anyways but above all he needs to see a vet.
If he has an infection he really needs to see a vet, home remedies will not help an infection that is probably causing him pain. You can let your vet know that you are afraid of anesthesia and surgery, antibiotics may be the first course of action anyways but above all he needs to see a vet.
This. Without knowing anything about the nature of the "infection" or condition of the dog's teeth or gums all you may do is put an ineffective bandaid on a serious problem. You may just smell it, your dog gets to feel it. Oral infections can travel, become systemic, damage the heart and cause death too. There is risk either way, though one results in more suffering. You dog is probably in pain and may stop eating which will make everything worse. If an infected tooth or tartar (under the gums you can't reach with brushing or rinses) is removed, that goes away.
You COULD clean the dog's teeth yourself - but the dog would have to cooperate. Getting dogs to be that cooperative is at least a few year's worth of working on trust.
You don't have that, so going to the vet and getting the teeth cleaned again is (almost) the only option. Or you could just leave things as they are and let nature take it's course. But gingivitis (gum disease) and tooth decay are serious issues. In addition to losing the teeth, infections of the gum and tooth can lead to abscesses (major infections) in the nerve canals - and ultimately can lead to an early death.
Your dog is already old, although chi's can grow older. There is food for thought.
One other option. Other than getting a vet to clean the teeth, the only SUCCESSFUL method I've found for keeping teeth clean is chewing on bones. Not green sticks, not biscuits, not spray stuff, not sprinkle on their food stuff. Chewing on bones. I prefer raw meaty bones, but cooked bones that are big enough so that the dog can't splinter them are also fine. Given your dog's age, this solution is highly unlikely. His teeth and gums are probably already gone far enough he won't enjoy chewing on bones. If I'm wrong - get him some bones and let him chew.
If I'm right - and he doesn't like chewing so much any more? Get him to the vet and get the teeth cleaned. Don't be afraid to ask a few vets for estimates on cost.
My little old man chi had the last of his teeth pulled a year ago, and he is around 15, with a heart condition. We were worried, but he was so uncomfortable with the bad teeth, and the smell was awful. He made it through and is so much happier now. Always a risk with anesthetics and older dogs, but otherwise he would suffer. Talk to your vet about your worries.
When the vet that did his oral surgery left, I found someone else, but not crazy about him.
Guess it's Yelp time (no pun in the dog forum).
In the meantime, I found a recipe for coconut oil and OnGuard (essential oils), and after one application, the smell lifted . . .
Hmmm. Not sure of the specifics, but the smell is typically because STUFF is in the mouth. Like food particles of some sort - or plaque that is a result of food particles. The bacteria grow in this environment, and create smell.
The mouth needs to be cleaned and kept clean. Plaque needs to be removed. Oils won't do that, I garontee. I don't trust your method of coconut oil, because it could be masking the odors - just covering things up.
I don't like Yelp - it seems wildly inaccurate to me - but you are on the right track. Talk to a few other vet offices. Get a feel for them yourself.
Don't know if it can wait, but I feed my dog raw chicken drumsticks and they naturally clean her teeth and keep her gums healthy. You just need to freeze them for 3 days, then you can feed them raw. When the bones are raw, there isn't any need to worry, like feeding cooked bones.
When the vet that did his oral surgery left, I found someone else, but not crazy about him.
Guess it's Yelp time (no pun in the dog forum).
In the meantime, I found a recipe for coconut oil and OnGuard (essential oils), and after one application, the smell lifted . . .
If the dog has an infection, home remedies — especially those involving essential oils and other junk science based gimmicks — aren't going to fix it. Nether will raw chicken drumsticks.
Last edited by Metlakatla; 02-16-2019 at 10:33 PM..
In the meantime, I found a recipe for coconut oil and OnGuard (essential oils), and after one application, the smell lifted . . .
The problem is still getting whatever substance you care to try where it needs to go most; up under the gumline and into whatever cavities or infectious pockets there are in the dog's teeth now. If your dog doesn't cooperate with brushing now, you won't be successful. Your dog will get more and more stressed out every time you force it. Just wiping, dabbing, or squirting it on the outer surface of the gum or teeth won't do anything.
He's already lost some teeth. We don't know how many of the remaining teeth are weakened or failing. Chances are he can't or won't chew on bones! Pieces would probably bruise or even cut his gums where the teeth are missing.
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