First, thank you for helping this lady and providing a loving home for her loving little girl, Maggie. I am sorry you are dealing with both a spay, and dental issues, but I would hesitate to lay any kind of blame on the terminally ill previous owner...even if your statements were not meant to do that...having no idea what her situation was, how long she was ill, or even if her vet was good enough to notice. I have heard some stories about 'bad vets' and the aftermath the dog owners had to deal with because the vets ignored issues. I have also known some very loving owners unable to completely prevent dental issues regardless how hard they tried. The dogs had 'bad teeth' bred into them and who know what else went wrong, and these great people ended up having toothless dogs. I would additionally point out that while meds like aspirin may not be routinely given to dogs, I discovered that the serious gum issues I had in my 20's were related to meds prescribed for headaches depleting CoQ10 levels, screwing up calcium absorption, etc., resulting in ME having to have MAJOR oral and foot surgeries! Little Maggie may have ended up in the situation she is in BECAUSE of what was thought to be 'good' care...that's is EXACTLY what happened in my personal situation. You could try giving her CoQ10:
https://www.google.com/#q=CoQ10%20for%20dogs
...it might help...or she might need meds for bacteria...does she have eye tearing/tear stains, too?
Second, you might check to see if there is a 'neuter commuter' or 'humane society' or even a 'pet store' where less expensive procedures are available...some pet stores are affiliated with local veterinary services, and offer 'specials'...even if you think you might not 'qualify' for such services. If there is a monetary qualification, you would want to let them know the circumstances under which you acquired the dog...she is 'technically' a 'rescue'...if you had not taken her, she would have been PTS. Perhaps start with her spay, unless the vet thinks that surgery would be unwise due to the dental condition...and take a little time to get organized.
Finally, if no such services are available, call around to all vet hospitals you'd consider using and compare prices. I have had girls spayed at different vets...all with good reputations, mind you...LOL...because their prices and/or availability was so much more in line with my needs. Don't feel guilty about it either...think of it as establishing a secondary veterinary service for such a time when you might need to switch. Vets do move out of state, too.
Congratulations on having sweet Maggie's love, and bless you for helping her like this.
