Wedding Etiquette Forum

Question for doggie people

So our pup is two years old and has been fairly healthy so far. He's going to be boarded at the vet in two weeks and we're going to have him get his yearly shots and all of that jazz while he's there.

However, he has the worst doggie breath I've ever smelled. Ever. I mean it's rank. It seems to be a recent development within the past month or two. When I called to make the reservation to board him, I asked if they do teeth cleaning as well. They said they do, but the vet will most likely want to look at him first and they only do it on certain days of the week. They also have to put him to sleep to do it, which is kind of a big deal.

Have any of you ever had your dog put under to do a teeth cleaning? Was it a big deal or hard for them to wake up from the anesthesia?  I know it needs to be done (and he wont let us try to brush his teeth) but it scares me having him be put under.

We're also worried that he might have some type of tooth infection which could be causing the bad smell. If that's the case, I feel bad waiting until next weekend (the 13th) to have him seen. He doesn't seem to be pawing at his teeth or anything, but it makes us wonder.

Re: Question for doggie people

  • I've heard of that being needed for teeth cleaning, but our dog chills out when Hubs calms her down, so we haven't had that problem. I HAVE however, had dogs put under for surgery, etc. They came out just fine. My first dog threw up on dad's car phone (yes, it was that long ago) after he was released after being neutered, but the rest of my dogs since have been just fine.

    Has your dog been eating normally? If not, I'd worry about a tooth infection, but I think everything sounds okay. Have you changed the food recently? Do you ever brush your dogs teeth? There are treats called Dentabites that we gave our lab when her breath got stinky...I think they just cleaned up some excess plaque.

    I hope the doggy breath gets under control soon!
  • I don't think we've ever had a dog put under for a teeth cleaning.  I can remember my dad brushing our family dog's teeth with an actual toothbrush, though.  Having him put under would make me nervous, too.  I would probably wait if it doesn't seem to be bothering him; if he's eating his food OK, his teeth probably aren't hurting, but I would definitely get him checked out at the vet while he's there.
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  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_question-doggie-people?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:c0e2bc70-5397-49f7-b723-e6637e310e87Post:5e730357-0ea6-48b9-b7a5-ab6ac09c3a4b">Re: Question for doggie people</a>:
    [QUOTE]It is very normal to put the dog under for teeth cleaning. Teeth cleaning is normal every few years.  When we first got wuddles, he needed to be put under to clip his nails. (no joke) Edit/add: I view it this way, if it needs to be done it needs to be done. If the dog is going to get upset/ cause emotional or physical trauma, it is better for all involved for a little anesthesia.
    Posted by redheadfsu[/QUOTE]

    hahaha... our dog is like that.  We usually do a bunch of stuff.  It takes 3 ppl to hold him down for a shot.  The vet loves him!  75lb lab.  Yes, we can't clip his nails if he's not under.  Still, and he's 6.
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  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_question-doggie-people?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:c0e2bc70-5397-49f7-b723-e6637e310e87Post:15bc42f9-e180-4868-ad0b-dbce0434ce4b">Re: Question for doggie people</a>:
    [QUOTE]In Response to Re: Question for doggie people : hahaha... our dog is like that.  We usually do a bunch of stuff.  It takes 3 ppl to hold him down for a shot.  The vet loves him!  75lb lab.  Yes, we can't clip his nails if he's not under.  Still, and he's 6.
    Posted by Habs2Hart[/QUOTE]


    My lab is 9 and she's still super hyper. We have to knock her out to clip her nails too...gotta love labs!
  • edited November 2010
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_question-doggie-people?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:c0e2bc70-5397-49f7-b723-e6637e310e87Post:b169bfca-297a-4cae-bd06-840cca10a9b2">Question for doggie people</a>:
    [QUOTE]So our pup is two years old and has been fairly healthy so far. He's going to be boarded at the vet in two weeks and we're going to have him get his yearly shots and all of that jazz while he's there. However, he has the worst doggie breath I've ever smelled. Ever . I mean it's rank. It seems to be a recent development within the past month or two. When I called to make the reservation to board him, I asked if they do teeth cleaning as well. They said they do, but the vet will most likely want to look at him first and they only do it on certain days of the week. They also have to put him to sleep to do it, which is kind of a big deal. Have any of you ever had your dog put under to do a teeth cleaning? Was it a big deal or hard for them to wake up from the anesthesia?  I know it needs to be done (and he wont let us try to brush his teeth) but it scares me having him be put under.<strong> We're also worried that he might have some type of tooth infection which could be causing the bad smell. If that's the case, I feel bad waiting until next weekend (the 13th) to have him seen. He doesn't seem to be pawing at his teeth or anything, but it makes us wonder.</strong>
    Posted by Birdie1483[/QUOTE]

    <div>Before I go and put the dog under I would check his/her teeth first. It's pretty common for bad breath as a result of some sort of infection in the mouth, which in that case he/she will prob need an antibiotic. However, if you want to get the teeth cleaned anyway, then yeah, it's normal to get a dog under for the teeth cleaning... anything that the dog needs to sit remotely still for {xrays, etc}, usually the dog gets put under. If the dog has some sort of infection teeth cleaning MAY hurt it since it;s direct contact. Def. get the mouth checked out because mouth infections can spread and lead to your dog needing to get teeth pulled, etc... so the sooner you have it looked at the better :)... and the doggie will be more comfortable. </div><div>
    </div><div>It's amazing how teeth play such a role in how the dog feels. When we rescued our yorkie he had barely any teeth left... we always thought just let him keep what he has... he constantly got infections in his mouth and about a year later the vet suggested we just pull the rest. He turned into a completely different dog - he ate more, was more active, etc, I guess we never realized how much pain he was in from it! </div><div>
    </div><div>It's cute because now that he has no teeth his tongue sticks out all the time since nothing is holding it back <3... my poor little boy</div><div>
    </div><div><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_r7As0K__l5g/TCgLubHmsWI/AAAAAAAACg0/Qv9Yo-ELPO8/s400/36995_659851205992_26102598_37066218_7373220_n.jpg" alt="" /></div>

  • My chihuahua has been put under for teeth cleaning three times now. His breath is also EXTREMELY disgusting. You can smell it from him just licking himself. But, he's getting older, and he's a runt, so the vet said that he wouldn't recommend doing it for him anymore because the risk of complications with the anesthesia is greater than the risk of an oral infection for him. But, we haven't talked to a different vet about it yet, and it's been about 3 years since his last one, so we might ask our new vet about it. He's 10 now, in case you're wondering. Our vet is surprised he's lived this long because he's so tiny. (No, I didn't buy a teacup from a breeder, he just happened to be the runt of a litter my uncle had.) I think he needs to get some teeth pulled again too, some of them feel loose.
  • I spy a dachshund!  I have one also. :)  Try the raw hide bones, they help a lot with the tarter buildup on the teeth, which is probably the casue of the breath odor.  Also, since they are a nervous breed, it really took us a long time to get ours used to the toothbrushing.  Try every day to get him/her used to you touching his teeth.  After a couple of weeks, try one of the toothbrushes that slips over your forefinger.  Just get him used to it being in his mouth.  After about a month of that, try the brushing motion.  Then, eventually, add in the grosstastic meat toothpaste.  It seriously took me about 3 months, every day.  But!  After that, no more yearly dental cleanings under anesthesia.  Totally worth it.
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  • I have had both my dogs done because their breathe became super stinky. My little one stopped eating and we couldn't figure out was wrong until a week passed. Finally figure out is was a rotten tooth. He was in heaven when he got out. He was put under - no problems.  I believe they did a blood test first.  Second dog, big and old one, developed an abcess the size of a golf ball under her eye. We had to get her on antibiotics first to get that under control and then they did a cleaning and tooth removal.  Both of the stinky mouths improved immensely afterwards. I was told with my little one that we should probably do it every 3-4 years since his are impossible to get to to clean. My big one will probably not live long enough to have to do it again.

    Really, it wasn't too big of a deal.  They were both eating normal the next day.
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  • I can actually give a little perspective, my mom rescued a Toy Poodle about 6 years ago, this little guy was 6 years old and not really taken care of well by the previous owner (my mom's friend). His teeth were never taken care and were basically rotten causing for really bad breath (I mean you couldn't let him sit on your lap for very long because it was just that bad). So when my mom took him to the vet, he basically recommended removing the teeth because not only was it causing the bad breath but the teeth themselves hurt the dog since they were never properly taken care of. So he had a good number of teeth removed and ever since then my mom brushes his teeth every few months but his breath has drastically improved and he seems a lot more peppy when it comes to eating. So yeah, its quite common for little dogs to get their teeth cleaned because they have a bigger chance of getting bad teeth to the point of where my mom's dog was, so definitely keep on the ball when it comes to your dog's teeth. 
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_question-doggie-people?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:c0e2bc70-5397-49f7-b723-e6637e310e87Post:5e730357-0ea6-48b9-b7a5-ab6ac09c3a4b">Re: Question for doggie people</a>:
    [QUOTE]It is very normal to put the dog under for teeth cleaning. Teeth cleaning is normal every few years.  When we first got wuddles, he needed to be put under to clip his nails. (no joke) Edit/add: I view it this way, if it needs to be done it needs to be done. If the dog is going to get upset/ cause emotional or physical trauma, it is better for all involved for a little anesthesia.
    Posted by redheadfsu[/QUOTE]
    Same here.  My sis is a vet & a very good friend is a vet tech, and I don't think I've ever heard of a dog not being put under anesthesia for it.<div>
    </div><div>At any rate, with our dog, it's part of her normal routine when the vet says it's time.  And she needs more expensive anesthesia due to a liver issue.  So the bill is FUN.</div>
    You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough. ~Mae West
  • I am late to this as well but I want to add to what everyone else has said.


    Yes dogs (and cats) are put under anesthesia for a routine cleaning.  Its for their safety and ours.  I know anesthesia is very scary and no it should not be taken lightly.  But typically dentals are done on otherwise healthy animals and very VERY rarely have complications. 

    Before a vet does the teeth cleaning (or the tech) a vet should do a full oral examination.  If there is an infection in the mouth than profilactic antibiotics may be reccomended so prevent him from becoming systemically ill. 


    I would ask if they do dental radiographs.  They can tell us a lot about the health of the teeth that you can't see by looking in the mouth. 

    IF you have any specific questions about anethe anesthesia or the actual dental process or questions about what to ask the vet, etc feel free to PM me or ask on here and I will do my best to explain/ give you questions to ask. 

    Image and video hosting by TinyPic Love is like infinity: You can't have more or less infinity, and you can't compare two things to see if they're "equally infinite." Infinity just is, and that's the way I think love is, too.
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  • Katie went under for a dental last summer and it went very well. Initially I was very cautious because she is old and was very overweight but the vets had her on many machines monitering her vitals which made me feel better. Her teeth were incredible when she came out and it was definitely worth it.
    She was still very groggy and drugged up when we brought her home but was able to move around, pee, and drink some water.

    I also highly recommend talking to Aggie :)
  • ahh katie I was actually just looking for you.  How is your parents kitty doing?
    Image and video hosting by TinyPic Love is like infinity: You can't have more or less infinity, and you can't compare two things to see if they're "equally infinite." Infinity just is, and that's the way I think love is, too.
    Fred Rogers
  • OK thanks! I was hoping Aggie would pop in at some point! :) I think the anesthesia just freaks me out because we used to have Boston Terriers who had problems being put under. I was planning on just dropping him off to have his shots while he's being boarded, but now I'm thinking I want to be there when they do the exam. It makes me feel like a bad mommy because he's only 2 and might have a tooth problem. :(
  • Bostons are much more prone to problems with anesthesia than Daschaunds.  Smushed faced dogs have shorter mouths but their soft pallets (the roof of their mouth) are the same length as a dog with a longer nose.  This extra soft pallet means that is can close of the air way (this is also why they snore everyday)  So when they wake up and are in between being asleep and aware of everything it can cause problems. 

    I don't want to scare smushed faced dog owners because it is very manageable as long as we are aware of the potential problems (and trust me we are made well aware of it!)

    And like Katie mentioned there are a lot of monitoring systems that we can use to monitor your puppy during anesthesia and recovery to make sure it is all going smoothly. 



    As far as being there for the exam, I would reccomend it.  Since you described the bad breath starting very recently it could be something more than needing a dental. and the vet may have questions to ask you to help narrow down why he has bad breath.  Could you take her the day you planned on dropping her off? then they could do the dental while you are gone but can still have the office visit to get to the bottom of the problem.
    Image and video hosting by TinyPic Love is like infinity: You can't have more or less infinity, and you can't compare two things to see if they're "equally infinite." Infinity just is, and that's the way I think love is, too.
    Fred Rogers
  • It's interesting that you guys think he looks like a dauchsand, because he's very much Beagle, but we're not sure else what he's mixed with. We've suspected dauchsand since he's kind of a stretch Beagle and whenever I see Dauchsands I think they look like him. :) We might do a DNA test someday.

    Aggie, we're planning on taking him in on a Saturday morning to board, so I think I'm going to call tomorrow to see if the vet will be in then or if I should schedule an exam on that Friday beforehand or the Monday morning that I pick him up. I think they said they do the dentals on Tuesdays, so we'll have to schedule that anyways.
  • haha I think its the angle of that picture.  since he is looking over his back and has a costume he looks smaller than a beagle to me. Oh and don't do that DNA bs its totally a crock.  But I know he is 100% cuteness! Thats all that really matters :o)


    That sounds like a good plan birdie and don't worry you are a good mommy to a very cute beagle puppy :)

    Image and video hosting by TinyPic Love is like infinity: You can't have more or less infinity, and you can't compare two things to see if they're "equally infinite." Infinity just is, and that's the way I think love is, too.
    Fred Rogers
  • Haha thanks! :) He also has these white spots on his chest that make us wonder where they came from. They're almost an Australian Shepard type of spotting, but he has short hair like a Beagle.
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