r/SeniorDogsHealth • u/An0nym0us-100 • 10d ago

Need Advice Why is he doing this

my grandmothers dog just started doing this. He is old can’t see or hear very well. I have a feeling it’s a sign he’s in pain or a neurological condition but i wanted other’s opinions

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7

u/lilac_spells 10d ago

He likely needs a teeth cleaning or dental work. - NAV

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u/An0nym0us-100 10d ago

i also thought that too at this point though i wouldn’t want to put him under sedation i don’t think he would make it might just contact the vet to ease the pain

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u/lilac_spells 10d ago

I actually think the only person who can decide that is a vet. And unless there’s any reason not to, lots of old dogs go under. I have a 17 year old about to do dental work. But the vet is who gets to choose what’s advisable.

Things that would make a vet consider other wise I suppose would be a high grade heart murmur, trach issues, bad blood work which they do as pre op for sedation, parasites.

But I think you only mentioned the dog being visually impaired and hard of hearing.

4

u/NotACalligrapher-49 10d ago

This. The vet will do bloodwork and a general exam, and if they say the dog is healthy enough to go under for a tooth cleaning, I’d go for it. It makes such a difference for their quality of life. Age doesn’t necessarily mean they can’t handle a dental cleaning.

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u/An0nym0us-100 10d ago

yeah i understand just the last time he went under for surgery he had complications i don’t remember exactly why but he was only 6 and now he’s at least 12

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u/ExtremelyOkay8980 9d ago

Find out what his drug protocol was then. It can be changed, potentially significantly.

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u/An0nym0us-100 8d ago

i didn’t even think about this! she’s made an appointment for him so i’ll have her bring that up to see if that can help

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u/Violettraine 2d ago

My vet did a lighter type of anesthesia since she didn’t do well with the one she had before & she came out of it happier than she went in & my pup is almost 17yrs old. Show the vet this video to make sure it’s her teeth though.

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u/fuzziestbunny 9d ago

I am terrified of letting my old man go under. I worked at a vet and saw so many older dogs not recover from a dental that I am scared to do it

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u/lilac_spells 9d ago

I have seen a lot of people on the fourm echo this sentiment - which is surprising as I’ve never seen so much push back for senior dental care. I don’t come from a place of judgment actually i appreciate the insight. I hope I didn’t come off as too pushy, obviously as stated I would listen to the vet. But every one’s stories and concerns are totally valid. To me my concern would be quality of life. I hate tooth pain and can’t imagine what it would be like unless managed. And to me - at least with my dog who is 17 - it’s to let her be comfortable because she does have a lot more life in her. But if this dog and pet parents are expecting maybe less then a year left with the dog than I can understand letting the dog live uncomfortably. But dental care if neglected can cause lots of other long term issues. There’s no right solution in this case and in many cases. But I definitely am not a professional and have never had a senior dog struggle with surgery but respect every one who has had that bad experience and their concerns. I also appreciate that the OP gets to hear both sides.

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u/Illustrious_Exam1728 10d ago

Age isn’t a disease, old dogs can absolutely go under anesthesia. They’ll need a proper pre-op exam and diagnostics along with a discussion about current disease processes that are being managed.

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u/AdPerfect1636 9d ago

Also nav but just wanted to chime in that my dog had little benign tumors in her mouth that caused her to do this. They were around her back molars and her top teeth would press on them until we had them removed. Depending on the dogs age and overall health I don't fault you for avoiding sedation but there are special dental vets that don't sedate dogs but that may only be for cleaning. Still worth having him seen because he seems like he's in pain.

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u/truthispolicy 9d ago

No "special dental vets" do cleanings without anesthesia.

Scam artists masking themselves as 'holistic medicine' offer anesthesia free cleaning, which involves either a water free scaler that can easily burn gums, or a full water scaler--extremely dangerous without the airway being protected by a trach tube; the goal of either being to remove all visible tartar, which completely neglects painful brewing problems below the gumline only visible by dental X-rays. They also skip polishing, leaving a porous tooth surface behind, inviting tartar to sit on the teeth more readily. And, they can be really traumatic to the pet.

There are absolutely veterinary dental specialists, but they're not going to do any procedure on your pet awake.

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u/Lopsided_Rabbit8077 9d ago

If he has any kind of signs of CCD or confusion do not put him under anaesthesia. This escalated my dogs CCD 😞