Sapphire has an abscessed tooth
 

Yesterday I noticed a swollen puffy sore under her left eye. I knew right away that it was an infected tooth because I went through the exact same thing with Shadow many years ago. Today we went to the vet, and they confirmed it was an abscessed tooth. They had to drain out the infection, and now she has this big open bloody sore on her face :(. She has to take antibiotics for 10 days, and we have to keep putting warm compresses on it, and washing it with a diluted Betadine solution. She has to go back for an extraction(s) on the 21st once the infection has cleared up. My poor baby.

My little Scotty had this years ago and I felt so bad that I didn't know about Yorkies tendency to dental problems until he completely abscessed. Learned my lesson and became a Yorkie tooth-brusher and yearly dental cleanings for Scotty after that and then Jilly, now Tibbe. I'm sorry your little one is having so much pain. Be sure she has pain medication as you know how an abscessed tooth can hurt. Ow!

Poor Sapphire, I hope she's not in too much pain. I worry about Momo bc he won't let me brush his teeth for more than a few seconds...would really like to spend more time inside his mouth & not fighting him.:(

Yeah, I've tried brushing her teeth more often, as I know I should, but she really hates it and it stresses her out so bad that she won't eat for days. Sapphire has had bad teeth from day one, so we always knew she would someday have to have a professional cleaning and/or some teeth pulled. They did not give me any pain meds for her, but she seems to be eating okay, and otherwise acting normally.

That's a good that she's eating, that means she's not in too much pain.:thumbup:

Yeah, that's what I figured. She keeps asking for frozen pumpkin treats (she goes to the freezer and dances) so the cold must be helping her.

Just my thoughts for what they might be worth to take or leave, no judgment or anything - just FYI stuff for future reference, etc.

Just because a dog, just like humans in pain, will eat, doesn't mean it's not hurting. We eat when we're in pain and so will many dogs unless they are in severe pain. They have pain receptors and feel pain just like any mammal but because they are, from the beginning of the wolf-to-dog species, genetically programmed not to show pain for fear of being attacked/killed for showing weakness, don't assume they don't feel it. If there is an abscessed, raw, infected, swollen, bruised or cut area on a doggie, it hurts just like on a human but they just cope differently. They just are programmed genetically to try to stay safe and calm by not revealing they are hurt, sick, sore, etc. A dog will a lot of times react more to something trivial that they don't like such as sudden hair-pulling during brushing or lifting him up unexpectedly or against his will by crying out than he will after actual open, cutting surgery. I've seen a dog with a traumatic amputation of a foreleg with a bloody stump wagging its tail and greeting people just as normally as you please. And he ate soon after awakening from surgery.

If a dog didn't feel pain, he would engage in dangerous behavior that led to lots of injury and eventually death, so like any animal that must fend for itself to live, they hurt, even when it's just a sore, swollen, infected tooth and gum.

Here's some more information - kind of a range of opinions, etc.

https://www.google.com/#q=do+dogs+feel+pain

I completely agree with you. I'm not saying she's not feeling any pain at all - of course she is, it is an infection after all. I just agreed with Jenny when she said "if she's eating, she might not be in too much pain". Meaning, that she is chewing hard food, and if it were that bad, she would not be able to chew or eat her food because it would hurt too bad. The vet did not think she was in need of any pain medication.

Maybe you could perhaps consider soaking the food in water to soften it as no doubt the chewing hard food with an infected nerve in the tooth and tissues around it isn't likely all that comfortable. Many dogs will eat whatever they are fed even when they are in very serious medical straits.

Yes, I am doing this for her now, but she will still go to the other dog's dishes and steal a piece or two of the dry food. Sapphire isn't like most dogs, she is very picky with her food, and will not eat anything she is fed no matter what. When she is stressed, upset, or hurting, she will just completely stop eating. She is the "baby" of the family. Now, the other two, they will eat whatever whenever, and they tend to hide their pain, whereas Sapphire will let you know. She likes the attention and special treatment. So it is easy for me to tell if and when she is suffering. She is obviously uncomfortable, but she is doing very well. Thank you for your concern.

Oh, I'm glad she is doing well. She's a pretty little girl, deserves all the best. :)

Thank you very much

She is at the vet's office now awaiting her surgery/dental this morning. I hope all goes well, I am so nervous for her.

Praying for Sapphire that all goes smoothly today. Looking forward to hearing she is back home with you.

Sending (((Hugs))) and goods thoughts to Sapphire. She's in my prayers today.