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Canine Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia (AIHA & IMHA) - Dental Cleanings with AIHA
| I was wondering if anyone could give me suggestions or advice on what to do regarding dental cleanings for dogs with AIHA?? Tipsi, my minature dachshund, is way past due for one and her vet tells me it is completely necessary to have done. But of course, I am terrified of what the consequences could be. Tipsi has been med free for 8 months now with a PCV continuing to stay in the low 50's. So she is doing extremely well in her fight against this horrible disease and I would be overcome with guilt if having her teeth cleaned caused her to relapse. Has anyone had their dogs teeth cleaned since they were diagnosed AIHA/IMHA?? And did you have positive results? Layla & Tipsi |
| Layla Raleigh |
| Layla: Yes, we had Sheba's teeth cleaned this fall/winter. She was diagnosed with IMHA in April 2008 and has been med free since mid December. If I remember correctly, she was still on Atopica when we had her teeth cleaned but I think we just skipped that morning's dose. We were more concerned about putting her out because of her age (12) then we were about any problems because of her IMHA status. (We were also having x-rays done of her back legs so she needed to be fully sedated.) She came through with flying colors. We'll keep you and Tipsi in our thoughts and hope all goes well! Rita, Mike and Sheba |
| Rita IA |
| there are dentists that clean teeth without putting the dog under... i had sways teeth cleaned last year by a lady that did this and she just did it with sway fully awake and not using any anesthesia. this would be the way to go- |
| Josh California |
| Josh, I had no idea that teeth cleaning could be done without anesthesia. My little Ren had her last dental about four years ago. She was very slow in coming out of the anesthesia so the vet said no more. Can you give us more details on how that teeth cleaning was done? Was Sway given any relaxation medication? Was it stressful for her? Thanks and I think of Sway each and every day, praying for her recovery. SUE |
| Susie Delaware |
| Layla, I would be cautious about doing any aggressive teeth cleaning while a dog is under treatment for AIHA. The immune system is being suppressed by prednisone. The reason has to do with bacteria and how it can be released into the blood stream during a cleaning. Human heart patients have to take prophylactic antibiotics prior to dental work. An AIHA dog could be exposed to bacteria and become very sick. Since Tipsi has been off of meds now for a period of time and is doing better, I would start with doing a full checkup, including blood work, to make sure all things are truly normal. Age is a factor and I would be hesitant to anesthetize an older dog just for a cleaning. When Chance was very sick I used doggie toothpaste and brushed his teeth. Now he is back to eating his raw bones at meals and doesn't need to have his teeth cleaned. I would sure try a what folks have suggested here. Are they really so bad that they wouldn't respond to some of the dental bones on the market? Patrice |
| Patrice NYS |
| Patrice, I am terrified to have Tipsi's teeth cleaned, but they do look like they need it pretty bad. Our vet told me that since she is a small dog, their teeth build up more plaque than a larger dog and if we don't have them cleaned, then she is at a risk of developing gum disease and having tooth loss down the road. So I'm at a loss.... I would love to have her teeth cleaned without any anesthesia, but I don't know of any vets around here who would perform the procedure that way. And a full work up will definately be ordered before she would ever have her teeth cleaned. She is 5 years old. Is that considered too old to go under anesthesia??? |
| Layla Raleigh |
| Layla, About a year after Murray got through his crisis, I took him to a board-certified veterinary dentist because I was concerned about his teeth (he was an older rescue dog when I adopted him and clearly had no dental care in his prior life). She was very concerned about putting an IMHA dog under anesthesia for a cleaning (and I concured - trying to avoid anesthesia if possible). So we tried scaling his teeth (perhaps this is what Josh was referring to in his thread). It worked very well - not as thorough as a full cleaning but I was surprised at the amount of tartar they were able to get off and they were able to do a cursory exam for any major problems. It was relatively quick and he handled it very well and he is not a "model patient" due to his past abuse. It may be worth checking with your doctor to see if it is an option with Tipsi. Bonnie |
| Bonnie Chicago |
This thread was discussed between 18/03/2009 and 19/03/2009
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