Radar the dog is getting a dental tomorrow

[chowmama]

And I'm scared to death.

His teeth are shamefully bad. However, he's been fragile since we adopted him. Elderly, heart condition, skinny...He arrived at the humane society emaciated, matted, with his nails grown in circles, not neutered and with bad teeth. When they went to deal with the neutering and the teeth, they listened to his heart and skidded to a stop. No way was he getting anesthesia until he was more stable. Once they achieved that, he did have the bare minimum done, but we knew his remaining teeth were still on borrowed time going in.

Ok, it's years later. We've avoided anesthesia because he's still fragile. His appetite and GI system are still delicate, he's on heart meds, he's got a collapsing trachea and he has intermittent episodes of shaking, from head-only to enough to make him stumble or fall over. But we're at the point where if the teeth don't kill him, the anesthetic might. The anesthetic is better odds, but not by much. I can't even discuss this with DH because they're completely bonded and losing Radar will break him.

I do have the same vet who handled Belle's, a seizure risk, spay doing the procedure. The vet and other personnel are damned good. I'll be at work and available. We have everything we need, equipment and meds, available to make this as safe and successful as possible.

This is going to be an interesting 24 hours.

[AllaN01Bear]

1. ""

[SheltieLover]

2. Good vibes on the way for a successful dental

[MIButterfly]

3. Dear chowmama, I send you my best wishes for a favorable outcome for Radar.

It sounds like he's in good hands. Let us know how it goes. I'll be thinking of you both.

All my best,
MIButterfly

[JMCKUSICK]

4. I wish you the very best of outcomes.

God Speed

[HeartsCanHope]

5. Sending good and healing vibes to you all.

Will be thinking of you all, especially Radar.

[irisblue]

6. All bet best for Radar and his pack

[chowmama]

7. He made it!!!

Radar was stable for the whole procedure and woke up well. He walked to the car under his own steam and it's going to be a trip convincing him to restrict his activity tonight. He only looks like he's been dragged under a bus.

It was a crack team working at their full potential. The tech on his anesthesia began by listening to his heart and said "It sounds like a washing machine in there." He got together everything he might need and did the math ahead of time, in case things went south. He didn't need any of it, but he was ready. (I was hovering whenever my job allowed, checking the monitors and being generally annoying.)

Radar's mouth is so bad that they only kept him under for the extractions on his right side - we'll do the left side in August. At the end, he'll only have a few teeth left, and they won't be in position to 'meet', but he'll be a lot happier and more comfortable. Doing it in two stages means shorter anesthesia, so less risk, and he'll have a less painful side to eat on while he heals each time. They did clean the left side, so it'll be better for the intervening month. Of course, there are antibiotics and pain relief as well.

It's canned food from now on, of course. Fortunately, he loves it. He already had a half meal tonight, with his meds in it and we'll give him the other half nearer to bedtime. He thinks he's being spoiled. Well, he deserves it.

[mwmisses4289]

8. Yay! Good luck and good thought to you and your puppers for

speedy healing, staying healthy, and getting through his next surgery.