DO DOGS SUFFER FROM TOOTHACHES?
The Carnassial Tooth Abscess
Dr Sing Kong Yuen, BVMS (Glasgow)
abscess. The canine carnassial tooth is the upper 4th premolar tooth. When there is chronic gingivitis or tooth fracture, bacteria infects and destroys the tooth. They create a carnassial tooth abscess. An abscess is a collection of pus.
Most owners think this is just a traumatic wound. Home remedies like antibiotic powder and silver spray or antibiotics are ineffective. A case of the 4-year-old Pomeranian seen at Toa Payoh Vets in 2007 is presented in this video.
“I am sick and tired of cleaning this wound for the past many weeks,” Mrs Jaswant Singh pointed to the wound below the Pomeranian’s left eye. “I pour antibiotic powder and also gave antibiotics, but the wound keeps discharging dirty blood daily! My cat could have scratched my naughty baby causing this wound or something sharp had poked into his face!”
“This wound is a result of a tooth root infection,” I took out the Hills’ illustrated drawings of this common dental disease in dogs in Western countries. It is easier to show than to tell.
(Reyna - Take photos of Hills' Vet book showing carnassial tooth abscess. Better if you can video this page and elaborate using pointers)
I lifted the dog’s left upper cheek, but the carnassial tooth showed thick tartar and an inflamed gum. No pus and blood leaking out from the gums. “The permanent cure is to extract the rotten carnassial tooth. Antibiotics will not resolve the problem.”
“Just get on with the tooth extraction,” Mrs Singh showed me her dog’s discharge stain in her silk black sari with big red flowers. “My saris are very expensive as I buy them from New Delhi in India, not from the shops in Little India here! My baby keeps soiling them. I have to clean the soiled bed, sofas and mop the floor to remove her discharges for the past weeks! I have no maid to help me.”
“This doctor is talking nonsense,” Mr Singh whispered, not too softly in his wife’s ear. “The tooth and the wound are so far apart and separated by the sinus bones. How can infection travel so far? He must be nuts and out to make money from us!”
“I can take an X-ray to show you that the root or roots of the carnassial tooth is infected,” I said when Mr Singh turned towards me. “No need to do it,” the husband put up his hand. “Thank you very much. We will let you know if we want you to pull out the tooth.”
ADVICES TO DOG OWNERS: In the blink of an eye, 6 years passed by when Mrs Singh had her Pomeranian treated for bad teeth. “My dog’s facial sore healed within 10 days,” Mrs Singh reminisced. “Hence, I do not see you.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Phone 6254-3326, 9668-6468, judy@toapayohvets.com, www.toapayohvets.com
Reyna -
Try to make an entertaining fun educational video for pet owners and vet students.
you need to narrate the text in the images eg. X ray, in not a monotonous tone
Details
Dialogue
Discovery
All wrapped up in Drama
Selling a product or service
DO DOGS SUFFER FROM TOOTHACHES?
The Carnassial Tooth Abscess
Dr Sing Kong Yuen, BVMS (Glasgow)
Dogs do suffer from toothaches. I will say that the most painful one must be the carnassial tooth
abscess. The canine carnassial tooth is the 4th premolar tooth. When there is chronic gingivitis or tooth fractures, the bacteria destroys the periodontal ligaments attaching the tooth to the gums. Bacteria destroys the tooth and forms a carnassial tooth abscess. An abscess is a collection of pus.
“This wound is a result of a tooth root infection,” I took out the Hills’ illustrated drawings of this common dental disease in dogs in Western countries. It is easier to show than to tell. I lifted the dog’s left upper cheek, but the carnassial tooth showed thick tartar and an inflamed gum. No pus and blood leaking out from the gums. “The permanent cure is to extract the rotten carnassial tooth. Antibiotics will not resolve the problem.”
“Just get on with the tooth extraction,” Mrs Singh showed me her dog’s discharge stain in her silk black sari with big red flowers. “My saris are very expensive as I buy them from New Delhi in India, not from the shops in Little India here! My baby keeps soiling them. I have to clean the soiled bed, sofas and mop the floor to remove her discharges for the past weeks! I have no maid to help me.”
“This doctor is talking nonsense,” Mr Singh whispered, not too softly in his wife’s ear. “The tooth and the wound are so far apart and separated by the sinus bones. How can infection travel so far? He must be nuts and out to make money from us!”
“I can take an X-ray to show you that the root or roots of the carnassial tooth is infected,” I said when Mr Singh turned towards me. “No need to do it,” the husband put up his hand. “Thank you very much. We will let you know if we want you to pull out the tooth.”
ADVICES TO DOG OWNERS: In the blink of an eye, 6 years passed by when Mrs Singh had her Pomeranian treated for bad teeth. “My dog’s facial sore healed within 10 days,” Mrs Singh reminisced. “Hence, I do not see you.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Phone 6254-3326, 9668-6468, judy@toapayohvets.com, www.toapayohvets.com