Doggy Dental Work

The other day, I took the dogs for their regular yearly check ups. After the necessary vaccinations, heartworm tests & Heartguard medicine, I got out the checkbook and braced myself to hear the total.  Apparently, it would be only a subtotal, because the doctor noticed that Buddy's gums were swollen and inflamed, and it was likely he would need to have teeth extracted. She recommended that he come in for a thorough cleaning, which is done under general anesthetic.

Sighing, I realized that it was the right thing to do for dear old Buddy, and I decided to make the appointment for the doggy dental work and get it over with.

On Thursday, I reluctantly delivered him to the vet clinic at the appointed time. Then I watched the clock until they called a few hours later to tell me he was awake from the anesthesia, and doing well. During the procedure, they found that five of his front teeth were extremely loose and had to be pulled. The doctor also removed a mass of some kind from his gums and it was recommended it be sent to a lab for biopsy to determine whether the lump is cancerous. As they tallied the grand total and I got out the check book, I sighed, convincing myself that having the lump tested for cancer was the right thing to do.

So... several hundred dollars later, I drove home with poor Buddy beside me, looking drunk. He leaned precariously on the seat with his eyelids at half-mast, until he finally drooped over and slept the rest of the way home. The poor little guy is a bit funny looking anyway, with no tail and mismatched eyes. Now he is missing the bottom row of front teeth, and eating with his sore mouth requires more effort and tongue visibility than it used to.  He requires soft food for a few days, so I've even been making him scrambled eggs each morning!

Yes, I am a hopeless animal lover, and would do about anything for my pets. I know that part of being a pet owner is spending money on vet care. It's a little depressing, however, to think about the money we've spent on dental care, yet none of the humans in the family have been to the dentist yet this summer!