Posted By: Xfilefan
Only have a few minutes...Commander RIker... - 08/20/09 06:06 PM
...has done it again. This is the first time I've heard of THIS particular issue...though dental issues are far from new to me. To those who know Riker...he's a mill bred glider (Flying Fur Ranch)...my first...who against all odds, severe HLP, Self Mutilation, 2 YEARS of recurrent facial/head/bone infections, and a non active thyroid that not only caused him to be the first Glider in the US (possibly anywhere) to undergo a T4 Thyroid panel based on his longstanding symptoms-blood test-results were 'below detectable levels'-and go on L-Thyroxine, thyroid hormone treatment (which is for life once started, but he's doing fantastic with it)...did something quite unexpected.
From one night's meds to the next he was missing his UPPER right front tooth. WHAT??? Well, Riker has cost over $8,000 just in vet bills...and despite everything is turning SEVEN this year
..and I don't take chances with him. Even though it 'looked' like it fell out, he went to the vet-August 1. I learned my lessons with him LONG ago...and he paved the way for the rest of my babies....
Turns out that it DIDN'T fall out...it broke. So I'm thinking...did he bang it on something? Fall on his face? He's been using the wheel finally (enough I finally have to secure his stealth to the floor, lol)...did it have something to do with that? Is there some kind of gum disease starting and will I have to worry about other teeth?
NO
Apparently this tooth has been dying for a LONG time...last xray he had was over 2 years ago. Although the Thyroid meds fixed his chronic overgrooming on his head for a bit, it came back...vet and I thought it was due to the fact I couldn't spend every waking minute with him, and was very, very minor after we started his L-Thyroxine meds....
Since this tooth has come out...his overgrooming is GONE ENTIRELY!!! Despite the fact of my working 7 days a week right now!
Anyway...the reason it "looked" like there was only a socket where the tooth HAD been...is because the part not broken-the root (even though the outside looked beautiful that you could see) was black and necrotic! Vet put him under with an injectable anesthetic (first time for that with him) and since he could still apparently feel it, injected his gums with lidocaine...now THAT made for interesting waking up with his mouth numb, lol....he chewed at the towel for over 45 minutes in the incubator until he finally started to calm down...my poor baby.
18 days of antibiotics and he seems to be feeling great and no more overgrooming at all!! Add to that the ONE joke I just have to make (any Trek the Next Generation watcher's will understand)...
I used to call him 'my little two toofers" every so often...because those upper teeth are SO cute...but now he's only got one....so I can only call him my Number One now....
Anyway...just wanted to get this out, since his overgrooming was apparently caused by a dying tooth, AND because just because you can't SEE it, doesn't mean a vet visit (and/or consult with a glider dental knowledgeable one, or really educated owner) isn't in order.
So now, Commander
From one night's meds to the next he was missing his UPPER right front tooth. WHAT??? Well, Riker has cost over $8,000 just in vet bills...and despite everything is turning SEVEN this year
..and I don't take chances with him. Even though it 'looked' like it fell out, he went to the vet-August 1. I learned my lessons with him LONG ago...and he paved the way for the rest of my babies....Turns out that it DIDN'T fall out...it broke. So I'm thinking...did he bang it on something? Fall on his face? He's been using the wheel finally (enough I finally have to secure his stealth to the floor, lol)...did it have something to do with that? Is there some kind of gum disease starting and will I have to worry about other teeth?
NO
Apparently this tooth has been dying for a LONG time...last xray he had was over 2 years ago. Although the Thyroid meds fixed his chronic overgrooming on his head for a bit, it came back...vet and I thought it was due to the fact I couldn't spend every waking minute with him, and was very, very minor after we started his L-Thyroxine meds....
Since this tooth has come out...his overgrooming is GONE ENTIRELY!!! Despite the fact of my working 7 days a week right now!
Anyway...the reason it "looked" like there was only a socket where the tooth HAD been...is because the part not broken-the root (even though the outside looked beautiful that you could see) was black and necrotic! Vet put him under with an injectable anesthetic (first time for that with him) and since he could still apparently feel it, injected his gums with lidocaine...now THAT made for interesting waking up with his mouth numb, lol....he chewed at the towel for over 45 minutes in the incubator until he finally started to calm down...my poor baby.
18 days of antibiotics and he seems to be feeling great and no more overgrooming at all!! Add to that the ONE joke I just have to make (any Trek the Next Generation watcher's will understand)...
I used to call him 'my little two toofers" every so often...because those upper teeth are SO cute...but now he's only got one....so I can only call him my Number One now....
Anyway...just wanted to get this out, since his overgrooming was apparently caused by a dying tooth, AND because just because you can't SEE it, doesn't mean a vet visit (and/or consult with a glider dental knowledgeable one, or really educated owner) isn't in order.
So now, Commander
