Get that dental and relax if you can. My babies have had it since I found out they have been doing them and yes, I worry some every time they go under but they have never had a problem to date with the anesthesia or procedure. Then, teach yourself how to brush your dog's teeth. Tibbe was wild when I got him, trusted no one and fought me like a tiger cub when I first tried to brush his teeth but we worked up to it little by little every single day until he would let me touch the brush to a tooth, etc., and for 2 years now, he gets his teeth brushed just about every day and then he gets a treat(a piece of kibble), hugs, screams of joy(yeah, over the top) and a celebration and he dances all over the floor happy that he has just made his dorky momma so happy. It can take a boatload of persistence and determination on your part and the dang thing is, you cannot get tense or emotional while you are trying to do all of this. You have to divorce yourself from them kind of and become the vet nurse and just clinically approach it using an itty bitty kind voice to coach them along as you make each further intrusive move and then coo how goooood they are and don't praise effusively until you are done that session, as you want to keep them calm until all done. Be as gentle as if you were brushing an eyeball or something when you do actually access that tiny sensitive mouth at first and then later you can get somewhat more vigorous brushing as they learn to tolerate it. Don't get me wrong - Tibbe still doesn't like it but he comes to me and let's me brush his teeth if for nothing more than to get his huge payoff and watch me act nutty. My first little Yorkie back in the early 1980's got an abscessed tooth(it burst through the actual skin of his little cheek!) and 2 extractions because I did not know about Yorkie dental disease(no excuse) but after that awful experience, I learned to brush teeth in the tiniest, tenderest mouth. Get the tiniest tooth brush you can. Tibbe's is a cat tooth brush and I change it when the bristles get dried out/worn - about every 3 mos. Best of luck with your dentals. I hope this helps some. |