Is dental cleaning necessary for my senior dog after tough past extractions?

Question

My dacschund is 13.5 years old and in perfect health despite having had IVDD earlier in his life. Our vet is suggesting a dental cleaning and I am concerned about how necessary this is given having to put him under at this age. 2 years ago he had a dental cleaning from the same vet and had 15 extractions - but it was his first cleaning at age 10 because he had no issues we knew of. The vet wants to prevent further poor oral health as he ages, but I feel skeptical given our last experience. Pet's info: Dog | Dachshund | Male | neutered | 12 years and 3 months old | 17 lbs

Daniel Fonza, DVM · Accepted Answer

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Dental cleanings are very important as bacteria in the mouth can lead to many other problems in the body. At 12 years of age, Burt is not too old to have a dental cleaning and being a Dachshund, I would certainly recommend having his teeth cleaned before there are any problems. If you keep up with preventative cleanings, Burt will be under anesthesia less time since there will be less tartar buildup. If you wait and do not have any cleanings done, the dental disease worsens and he may require more extractions leading to more time under anesthesia. It is more beneficial and safer to have him in for multiple preventative dental cleanings to avoid being under anesthesia for long periods of time. My dachshund, when he was still alive, had dental cleanings up until he was 17 years old. He lived to be 20 years old but he was on oral antibiotics for dental disease for the last 3 years and was unable to undergo dental cleanings due to other diseases he was dealing with. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Is dental cleaning necessary for my senior dog after tough past extractions?

Most Helpful Answer

Related Questions

Why is my mouse's eye swollen, cloudy, and has pus?

My pet is breathing hard, not eating, and lethargic. What's wrong?

My pet has red spots all over. What's causing them and what to do?

My small pet is limping and can't bear weight. Should I see a vet?

My dwarf hamster has a shut eye and is limping. What should I do?

My degu lost teeth after an accident. How can I feed him soft foods?

Share