My little Katrina dog lost all his front upper teeth while I was gone

[peacebuzzard]

on my working trip for 3 days.
Poor little baby....I got in late last night from my Amsterdam trip and found the little adopted dog without his teeth.

I wish I knew what happened. His little face has now changed in features with the missing gapping hole where his teeth (that were already bad) used to be.
When I brought him home after volunteer search and rescue work in New Orleans, (Poor little guy had lost one eye and the other is still very impaired due to the toxic floods he suffered through) I knew he had bad teeth from the life he had before, but I was really hoping the good food he was now eating w/ special senior biscuits would have cleared up the tartar damage.

I have been away and what happened? Was there another storm? He hates those and gets so stressed out.
Did he run into anything? sometimes he does when he gets over excited.

I keep him isolated with a pet guard gate where he can watch the other 4 rough rider farm dogs I have and not feel alone. My big dogs have an inside/outside doggy door and the little baby dog uses wee wee pads when I am gone. He is too little to be subjected to the other dogs and the outside when I am not here.

The only human contact they have when I am away is the pet sitter that comes daily to feed them. Because I have so many animals, I suppose the older gentleman pet sitter may not have even noticed this little 15 pound squirt with the now missing teeth.

Now I have to go and feed the critters because I have to go back to work late this afternoon. Wish I didn't have to but I do. As always I will hope for the best until I get another group of days off which now seems so far away.

Any suggestions? What would you guys do? I feel so bad and totally stunned as to what happened. I will feed him some canned food only (he was getting a mix w/ dry and doing well....but that recipe is dashed now.)
:-(
P.S. (on edit) he seems fine now although last night when I arrived he appeared very stressed and even threw up on his blanket. I noticed where he probably threw up in a couple of places. This could have been separation anxiety, the storm, (if there was one...I will find out) or something else I don't know. but last night he slept very calmly and happily. He rolled over many times on his back totally content with life.
At this moment, he is peaceful as I am keyboarding this message and curious trying to locate the cat (I do not let him chase the cat, which is what he wants to do. I fear the kitty may swat him on his one damaged eye--by the way the cat stays in her own room when I am gone)

[Branjor]

1. Poor little guy...

All he has been through and now this :(

Yep - the biscuits do not clean up the damage. He really needed to have a dental done at the vet's for that.

I don't know what to suggest now that he has already lost the teeth, but I have heard that dogs with no teeth do OK. Maybe somebody else knows what to do. Also, you might want to get guidance from a vet on this, esp. as his facial features have changed.

[peacebuzzard]

2. thanks for your rapid response.

I get to thank you before I run off to my errands.

He gets so very stressed at the vets. He hates my personal vet and so far he has been in so many times to an opthamologist with the eye problems that I left the teeth issue on the back burner because I felt the eye needed the immediate attention.

We were just at the vets 4 days ago, for a bordatella because I noticed at times he coughed, gagged, (he does have tracheal collapse, according to one vet he saw). He goes in for regular grooming, and I wanted to protect him from kennel cough.

I feel so bad for him. He is finally calm now, between my leg and the arm of the recliner we are in.

Well I will see what he does at lunch.

Oh..and he looks like your puppy in the picture. Cute puppy.

[LeftyMom]

3. If they came out easily and there isn't blood around

they'd probably died a while back. I can't say whether or not a dental exam with cleaning and repair would have helped to save them, but I know of dogs who get along fine with no teeth. Try not to beat yourself up about it, but keep an eye on him to make sure the mouth wounds heal okay and that he's eating well on his new diet.

In the future though, dental treats are really more for maintainance and any significant cleaning should be done at the vet's office. With an older or unhealthy animal that's somewhat complicated by the risks of anesthesia, but a good vet can help to minimize those risks and determine whether dental work can be done safely.

[peacebuzzard]

4. I have looked around and swept, but do not see the teeth.

and there are some spots that could possibly be blood spots or where he missed the visit to the wee wee pads.

(he sometimes misses but I don't mind at all)

I did manage to look at the missing location and it is not bleeding, this could have happened any time backwards 4 days.

I am sad for him. But now we will see how he adjusts and what I can do when I get time off in a few days.

[LeftyMom]

5. If they came out while eating

He may have swallowed them.

[peacebuzzard]

6. He ate his whole dish of canned food.

I sat on hold w/ the vets office for a few minutes and gave up for now.

He seems fine. happy. feisty.

He just had a shot of antibiotics 4 days ago for his cough/gagging (I suspected kennel cough?--then treated)

so I am reluctant to try to resolve anything further due to time constraints.

Poor pup. I am strongly suspecting it was reactions from the stress of separation anxiety. Every dog wishes they had their special permanent human to go with their sole occupancy forever home. I am not the best option, I guess I am his only option. And now he is my toothless terrified of being left behind rescue dog no. 5.

I will try to post a picture of him later today before I leave again.

[flvegan]

7. If they came out that easily, and he's not painful while eating, then

I agree with LeftyMom...those teeth were dead. Vet just would've pulled them and stitched if needed. They'd have come out sooner or later, and maybe just did so early. Could've been chewing on something, could've been while eating.

Also, if the pet sitter, visiting/feeding everyday can't report that puppy didn't eat a meal, I REALLY wouldn't worry about it. I would, however, have the rest of his teeth checked. He probably needs some additional work. I'd also run my fingers (lightly) along the gum area where the teeth were, and see if you have blood on your fingers. Just to see if there's any open wound there.

How old is this little guy again?

Bless you for taking him in. Sounds like he's found a great place to stay.

[peacebuzzard]

12. This very graphic taken late Oct 05 upon release from ICU and this is why

he is so sensitive for any vet to perform procedures on the face:


The one eye he has left has been grafted, treated intensely in ICU for a month after the storm/toxic flood damage. Many trips to the vets since Katrina with a great deal of anxiety from him. He is circa 6 to 9 years of age. No one knew, not even the owners who I finally contacted. (they gave him up)

Due to the already stress in relation to his injury is why I postponed the focus on the teeth.

But now I will take the issue up with the vet to see if possible further damage control can be avoided.

He did find a great place to stay. I am away from home now, but hope to be back by tomorrow morning at the latest and I promise to post a recent and current picture. Here he is from a 3-4 months ago, I have posted this one before. He is slightly different now with the missing teeth, but maybe that is only something a mother can tell.

[flamingyouth]

8. Poor doggy

:(

I have a cat who had a very serious case of stomatitis (advanced periodontal disease). He lost just about all of his teeth and had to have the rest of them pulled, save two canines. The good news is that he leads a very normal life and even thrives on dry food (he doesn't like canned food, amazingly - obviously, at first I assumed he'd have to live on cans the rest of his life, but he went right back to dry within about 10 days).

Good luck, and all my best to the little guy. :pals:

[peacebuzzard]

13. does the kitty just swallow the dry whole?

that is what it seemed like this pooch was doing.

[flamingyouth]

16. He kind of "gums" the food, actually

The vets say he's fine, but just last night, I noticed he was bleeding again around his top tooth. It's just a matter of time before he loses that one too, apparently. :(

Your doggy is lucky to have you. :pals:

[I Have A Dream]

9. He's a lucky little guy to have you care so much about him...

peacebuzzard. I wish you luck and send good energy to help you to figure out what's best for him.

[CountAllVotes]

10. I'll second that!

A :hug: for you peacebuzzard! I know you really do care! I know what you are going through to some extent. I don't know how you manage to foster five dogs.

Hang in there. I know what you mean about the dreaded vet visits. My pets are the same way.

:dem:

[peacebuzzard]

14. I do not have the best arrangement by a long shot,

since I spend way too much time away from home w/ just a daily pet sitter visit.,
so far.

The expense is up there, but the animals is just what I do. I bought my house with the intention of having as many animals as I wanted.
It is a bigger house than what I originally wanted. 3 bedrooms 2 bath old cottage farm style with a newer studio as an addition, 2 acres, Lots of privacy and huge distances to the closest neighbor. And the dogs have adjusted to their days without me, with the storm days being now the most worrisome.

Thanks for the good wishes, all.

[CrispyQ]

11. I'm glad to hear he's ok.

I don't have any suggestions, but special scratches for the little guy & hugs to you!

[peacebuzzard]

15. will do. can't wait to get home. thanks all for your good wishes.

I don't feel so bad now.....I will give an update again, soon.