Three Reasons That Your Dog May Need A Tooth Extraction

Posted on: 25 March 2022

When you take your dog for its annual checkup at a local animal hospital, you can expect that the veterinarian will spend some time assessing the pet's dental health. The vet will tell you whether the dog's teeth and gums are healthy or if there are any issues present. In some cases — particularly as a dog gets older — the vet may bring up the topic of tooth extraction. This means that the vet will need to remove one or more of the teeth. Tooth extraction can be essential for maintaining proper dental health for your pet. Here are three reasons that this procedure may need to take place.

Infection

A dog's teeth can get infected for all sorts of reasons. For example, if the animal's tooth sustains a crack while the dog chews a bone or a stick, bacteria can enter the crack and eventually travel to the tooth's root. Over time, an infection will occur. Sometimes, the infection will be evident because the smell of your dog's breath may have worsened, but it's highly possible that you may not have been aware that anything was wrong. An infection can lead to various gum issues for your pet, so your veterinarian may advocate pulling the problematic tooth.

Break 

Tooth extraction may also be necessary for instances where your pet has a broken tooth. Like humans, dogs can break teeth in various ways, especially as they age. For example, a canine tooth could snap in half or a piece of a molar could break off. If your vet is concerned that the breakage could cause future complications, they might wish to extract the tooth in question.

Discomfort

There can be scenarios in which a tooth is causing discomfort to your pet. This can sometimes occur when a dog's teeth are very crooked. For example, if the teeth are so crowded that one tooth points outward, it might rub on the animal's gum and cause inflammation. If such an issue is present, your vet will likely be able to show you the affected spot on the animal's gum — which you probably hadn't seen prior. In the case of this problem, the vet may feel that extraction is the best course of action. Removing the tooth will allow the gum to heal and not cause any more pain for your dog. Talk to your local vet if you wish to learn more about tooth extraction for dogs.

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