# Suki's teeth are loose :(



## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

My baby girl goes in for an emergency dental tomorrow. The poor thing has a horrible gum infection. She had a dental 11 months ago and everything on X-ray was fine. I brush 4-5 times a week, so I'm beside myself on how fast her teeth went downhill.
They are extremely overcrowded and she likes to suck on things nonstop, like she has a pacifier, which can contribute to her loose teeth.
As of right now, all her bottom teeth and a lot of her upper teeth are loose 
I'll know more tomorrow.

Kathleen, I guess I figured out why she has become so fearful after all. All her bloodwork looked good, except in notation it said "Reactive lymphocytes present" which means she is fighting infection. As soon as the antibiotics were started, her fearfulness went away.

Please keep positive thoughts for her tomorrow...it will be one very painful dental.


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## pippersmom (May 21, 2012)

Poor Suki, that sounds painful. Prayers for her tomorrow that everything goes smoothly. When Pipper had his dental last year he had 11 extractions and it was because most of his teeth were loose. I also brushed his teeth everyday so I was totally shocked by this. At least he didn't have any infection though.


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

pippersmom said:


> Poor Suki, that sounds painful. Prayers for her tomorrow that everything goes smoothly. When Pipper had his dental last year he had 11 extractions and it was because most of his teeth were loose. I also brushed his teeth everyday so I was totally shocked by this. At least he didn't have any infection though.


I remember when Pipper had his dental. How bad was the pain?

What baffles me is she has absolutely no tarter on the front teeth and those are the ones that are really loose. The back have some buildup but still not too bad.
I feel totally blindsided by this, I don't remember seeing any movement in her teeth last week and her gums never bleed, so I thought all was good.


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## sherry (Jan 4, 2013)

Joanne, some pups just have bad teeth or gums. I took Sissy in when she was 2 and all was fine. The next year she lost both of her molars! They got bad so fast and her breath was so bad! This year she lost 3 small teeth. I am now scheduling her dental every 6 months and hopefully it will help. It's not your fault. Alot of times the tarter is under the gums which is probably why she has a gum infection. Let us know how she does.


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## wkomorow (Aug 26, 2011)

Poor Suki. Good luck tomorrow. I hope it is not too painful for her. I have no idea how things could escalate so quickly.


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## lydiatug (Feb 21, 2012)

Poor Suki! I know how you feel, I brush Georgie's teeth everyday and they looked perfect. She had to have 8 pulled due to an abscess. Both my vet's were shocked!!! Vet said its not uncommon in these little dogs that their gums are not solid around the teeth and bacteria gets in despite our best efforts


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

sherry said:


> Joanne, some pups just have bad teeth or gums. I took Sissy in when she was 2 and all was fine. The next year she lost both of her molars! They got bad so fast and her breath was so bad! This year she lost 3 small teeth. I am now scheduling her dental every 6 months and hopefully it will help. It's not your fault. Alot of times the tarter is under the gums which is probably why she has a gum infection. Let us know how she does.


I think I should do every 6 months as well. I would have thought her breath would get bad but no signs of anything until her gums looked swollen and infected.


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

wkomorow said:


> Poor Suki. Good luck tomorrow. I hope it is not too painful for her. I have no idea how things could escalate so quickly.


Thanks Walter.


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

lydiatug said:


> Poor Suki! I know how you feel, I brush Georgie's teeth everyday and they looked perfect. She had to have 8 pulled due to an abscess. Both my vet's were shocked!!! Vet said its not uncommon in these little dogs that their gums are not solid around the teeth and bacteria gets in despite our best efforts


Good to know, Lydia. I've been feeling like a bad mom for not noticing sooner but there really were no signs, other than her fearfulness, which must have been all the pain she was in. Her gums and teeth appeared fine a few days earlier. Regardless of pain...she never missed a meal, let me scrub away at her teeth and I'm not the most gentlest when it comes to grooming. 
Just another lesson learned in the life of a Maltese.


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## pippersmom (May 21, 2012)

maddysmom said:


> I remember when Pipper had his dental. How bad was the pain?
> 
> What baffles me is she has absolutely no tarter on the front teeth and those are the ones that are really loose. The back have some buildup but still not too bad.
> I feel totally blindsided by this, I don't remember seeing any movement in her teeth last week and her gums never bleed, so I thought all was good.


Pipper didn't have any tartar either...it was all below the gum line. As for pain, he was sent home on pain meds. He was pretty spaced out when he came home that day but he still managed to eat his dinner with no problem. By the next day he was fine.
Have to add, one of his molars took 2 hours to get it out. I was pretty worried when they called me to keep me updated with him being under anesthesia for that long but they said he was doing fine.


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

pippersmom said:


> Pipper didn't have any tartar either...it was all below the gum line. As for pain, he was sent home on pain meds. He was pretty spaced out when he came home that day but he still managed to eat his dinner with no problem. By the next day he was fine.
> Have to add, one of his molars took 2 hours to get it out. I was pretty worried when they called me to keep me updated with him being under anesthesia for that long but they said he was doing fine.


Omg...2 hours? I worry about SUKI being under so long, she's so tiny, but I worry more about Ling Ling who is up next for her dental. Her teeth are horrible and she can be quite the bi*^h and hard to go near if she's under the weather.
Thankfully, Lacie has pearly whites and still has all her teeth.


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## teacherterry (Jul 12, 2017)

My experience has been that the smaller the dog the sooner their teeth go bad. My 5lb Malt lost all her teeth by 7. The one that passed at 20 had 12 teeth left and my other has 14 teeth at age 13 but the other Malt's were 8 and 10 lbs and not fat.


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## zooeysmom (Aug 1, 2011)

teacherterry, I've noticed this too. That's the problem with breeding Malts too small, imo. I am keeping precious Suki in my prayers. Just a tip, depending on what pain medication you get: make sure if it's one you need to shake first that you do so! I forgot the first night when Zooey had her dental, and she was in a lot of pain. I felt absolutely horrible.


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## Snowball Pie's Mommi (Oct 16, 2008)

Joanne, I have complete empathy with what you are enduring with Suki's emergency dental tomorrow. 

Is Suki's dental surgery being done by a dental specialist? If so, it might not be as painful for Suki after the teeth are extracted and the gums and bone are surgically and appropriately treated. I would find that hard to believe ... except Snowball's surgery for multiple tooth extractions and bone surgery went so beautifully well ... that I still am in awe thinking about all of it. Snowball came home after twelve tooth extractions and bone grafting ... with hardly no pain or discomfort. Yes, he was on Tramadol for a couple of days .. but, he never cried, he slept throughout the night, and he was ready to eat his normal meals the next afternoon after surgery. 

I, too, was in shock that so many teeth needed to be extracted at one time. Snowball had dentals every year and never had to have a tooth extracted until a few years ago. His teeth were (and still are) cleaned every day. 

I always felt as though Snowball's vet gave him the best care during his dentals. I still do. But, I should have caught the first red flag that went up a few years ago when Snowball had to have a few teeth extracted ... and, with one molar in the back that the doctor tried to save. That is the molar, that although treated, became impacted anyway. And, then Snowball had the heart attack ... so, his dental surgery had to be delayed. (He was on antibiotics for months until the surgery could even be considered ... because of the risk factors in relation to his heart.

So, before and during this time period, I was a wreck worrying about Snowball. I knew one thing ... that it was time to consult with the dental specialist. His vet highly recommend the specialist, too. To make a long story short ... it was the best thing we could have done for Snowball. The dental specialist, Dr. Chamberlain, worked closely with Snowball's cardiologist ... right up until the minute Snowball was anesthetized ... and, then kept in touch during the surgery.

Snowball had been under for almost an hour and forty-five minutes ... yes, that long. But, by what I consider a miracle, and the best dental specialist, and his highly trained anesthesiologist, nurses, and techs ... Snowball came out with flying colors.

During this time, a nurse (yes, they have nurses) would come out and update how Snowball was doing and what was being done at that particular time. As I was learning that Snowball's gums were being surgically cut (I forget the medical term for this) I was mentally preparing for many sleepless nights. However, it ended up to be the complete opposite ... Snowball never showed discomfort or pain and recovered completely within a few weeks. I attribute it to the specific dental procedure Dr. Chamberlain uses and practices from his internship with Cornell University. 

Snowball has about twelve teeth left ... but, I am afraid we will have to go back again ... because his molars in the back are almost impossible to clean properly. But, it's a Catch -22 ... because of his heart, it needs to be done. 

I just want to end by saying that, I, too, thought I had to be doing something wrong ... even though his vet visits would say his teeth looked great and very clean. It took a lot of education and time ... reading why so many of our precious fluffs, in the end, lose so many teeth. 

Joanne, if you have pet insurance ... they might cover at least some of the surgical costs on the dental. 

Sorry my post is so long ... but, I hope it helps in some way.

Joanne, my heart and prayers are with you and Suki tomorrow. I am praying that you and Suki will be blessed as much as Snowball has been with the best dental care. Lots of hugs for you and precious Suki.:wub:


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## sherry (Jan 4, 2013)

maddysmom said:


> Omg...2 hours? I worry about SUKI being under so long, she's so tiny, but I worry more about Ling Ling who is up next for her dental. Her teeth are horrible and she can be quite the bi*^h and hard to go near if she's under the weather.
> Thankfully, Lacie has pearly whites and still has all her teeth.


The first year I took Sissy she was 2. The anesthesia really did a job on her. She was a limp rag doll all evening. I shrugged water in her mouth. The next morning she finally came around. Now he just gases her and Riley. They do great. He even took her molars out this way. You may want to speak with your vet about it. But it sounds like Pipper's were really hard to get out, bless his heart.


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## Matilda's mommy (Jun 1, 2005)

Oh Joanne I know how you are feeling, Maddie has terrible teeth she lost 12 last dental 
It breaks my heart little Suki is going through this. I'll be praying for her and you dear friend :wub:


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## Kathleen (Aug 4, 2011)

Oh Joanne! Poor little Suki!
I am so sorry about her teeth. Daisy, Max and Henry were the same way. No visable tartar, but abscesses and bone loss that could only be seen by X-ray. They each had 11 or 12 pulled. They both did fine. A little spacey after surgery, came home the same day, pain medicine for a few days. I am sure Suki will do fine too, and will feel so much better with the teeth out.
Are you having it done at the specialty hospital? I was very nervous about the anesthesia for Henry, because he is so small. The vet dentist at Angel told me he does lots of small dogs and cats, and even pet rats (!), so they are used to anesthesia for little ones. They have someone whose job is to monitor the vital signs during surgery, so they are super careful. 
I am glad you have figured out what was bothering her. So she isn't crazy after all! Poor girl - I wish they could talk and tell us what is wrong.
Sending good thoughts and prayers for tomorrow.


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## Snuggle's Mom (Jan 3, 2008)

I am just reading this now and was so very sorry to see that Suki has to undergo an emergency Dental tomorrow. Our Chrissy had the most perfect teeth and then out of nowhere, her entire mouth was an absolute mess. She had very, very extentive dental work done (3 1/2 hours because her mouth was so small) and was much better. She actually was hungry that evening at 7:15 and got a little bit of plain rice. Fortunately, she recouperated very nicely. However, due to her genetic makeup, she has lost quite a few teeth due to her teeth being so loose. I will be keeping Suki in my thoughts and prayers that she will do well and I am sure that after her dental work, she will feel a whole lot better. I will be watching for your posts as to how she did.


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## priyasutty (Oct 15, 2010)

maddysmom said:


> My baby girl goes in for an emergency dental tomorrow. The poor thing has a horrible gum infection. She had a dental 11 months ago and everything on X-ray was fine. I brush 4-5 times a week, so I'm beside myself on how fast her teeth went downhill.
> They are extremely overcrowded and she likes to suck on things nonstop, like she has a pacifier, which can contribute to her loose teeth.
> As of right now, all her bottom teeth and a lot of her upper teeth are loose
> I'll know more tomorrow.
> ...



Poor baby girl Suki  How is she doing now? Same thing happened to Raya too. I took her for a dental exam 6 months ago, the vet said her teeth looked fine and just needs some cleaning and also said that I need not hurry for the cleaning as her teeth looked good and book appointment after 4-5 months. But when I took her for cleaning last week all her front teeth had become loose and had to be pulled out :blink:


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## jane and addison (Nov 1, 2012)

Poor Suki. I will pray for her. Wish you both the best tomorrow. Hugs


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

Thank you everyone...I'm so nervous about tomorrow. SUKI is such a trooper. Other than her becoming very skittish, I would have never known she was in pain. To think I had been scrubbing away at her mouth and it was so infected.
Marie and Kathleen, to answer your question about a specialist, she is going to one that my vet referred me too. They are the ones who gave her an antibiotic injection a few days ago. They wanted to get the infection down before tomorrow. Her gums were so swollen, reddish purple in color. They look so much better already and her skittish behavior has stopped once it kicked in...she's feeling better.
Marie...I do have insurance but it doesn't cover dental, only if SUKI broke a tooth and it had to have a root canal would it be covered. Suki has double rows, all adult teeth. She needed braces but I honestly couldn't justify the 8000.00 in braces for her. Now looking back, I regret not doing it.
Anyway, again, many thanks to everyone for the well wishes. I dread tomorrow so much. I pray this goes well because I have to work Tuesday and she will be left home. Thankfully, my dog walker comes mid day, so she can check on her.


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## The A Team (Dec 1, 2005)

Hoping for the best for you guys tomorrow. My shih tzu, Chyna, just went through this a few weeks ago. She had been stand-off-ish and wasn't herself for some time. Then my groomer pointed out that her teeth were loose!!!!

I scheduled an appointment right away and they removed ALL except 5 of her teeth! My god, she's only 4 years old!!

But I'm glad to report that she is fine now, loveable again and happy. She eats anything! I was afraid her tongue would hang way out, but it just sticks out a little bit on one side.

I'll be thinking of you. good luck.


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## edelweiss (Apr 23, 2010)

Both of mine had front bottom teeth disappear this yr.---not sure why as we are up w/dentals. They never had extractions. Anyhow. Thoughts/prayers for you & esp. Ling-Ling. Let us know.


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## Madison's Mom (Dec 26, 2007)

I’ll be sending positive thoughts to you tomorrow. My Madison is having to go for dentals every six months now. Scares me to death, but it needs to be done.


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## maggieh (Dec 16, 2007)

Sending you good thoughts for Sufi! Both of my girls lost a lot of teeth this past year. We went to a specialist and they did great! Sweetness bounced right out of there and Tessa was back to herself by the end of the day. 

With these little ones, the bones just don’t hold up well in the jaw. The vet who did the extractions said they were the cleanest teeth he’d ever removed!


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## pippersmom (May 21, 2012)

Thinking of you and Suki today Joanne. She will feel so much better after she's had those infected teeth pulled.


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## Snowball Pie's Mommi (Oct 16, 2008)

Joanne, thinking about you and Suki this morning.


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## sherry (Jan 4, 2013)

Sending hugs and prayers today.


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

Thanks ladies...I'm leaving now to drop her off but I'm even more worried. I woke to her making a rattling noise in her throat or chest when she breathes and it looked like she had something caught in her throat, almost a gag but I don't see nothing there. I thought maybe a hair from her always licking things.
I'll report back when I get home.
Thanks again. xx

Edit:

I just pulled this out of her throat but still making sounds!


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## sherry (Jan 4, 2013)

That looks like hair. I hope you took it with you to show the vet.


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## edelweiss (Apr 23, 2010)

What on earth? Yikes, these little ones make us crazy. 
Prayers for you & Suki today---let us know.


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## pippersmom (May 21, 2012)

Pipper coughed up a hairball before that looked just like that. At first I thought he had thrown up a piece of rubber but I used 2 plastic forks to pull it apart because I was so worried about what he might have eaten and by pulling it apart I found out it was all hair! :w00t:


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

Ok...so I'm about to have a heart attack! 
They will check for more hairballs but upon examining Suki's mouth more (it was too infected and inflamed the other day) she thinks her lower jaw is fractured and will have to stabilize it. This is from the gum disease that can't be seen in the lower jaw. She showed me all the movement SUKI has where those bottom loose teeth are. 
Like Maggie said, "the bones just don't hold up well in the jaw" this is a perfect example of that. 
Suki is not even 4 years old yet...so very young to have such bad gum disease. Again, she has no tarter or plaque buildup, her last dental was the beginning of the year with full X-rays and none of this was visible on film. 
Poor little Suki. She is not a complainer, just goes with the flow, yet she look so scared this morning 

This is going to be such a long day.


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## edelweiss (Apr 23, 2010)

Oh weh, oh weh, oh weh! You poor dears! 
I am so so sorry! You may need a replacement for work this week. Oh God, have mercy.


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

edelweiss said:


> Oh weh, oh weh, oh weh! You poor dears!
> I am so so sorry! You may need a replacement for work this week. Oh God, have mercy.


No way of replacing me, unfortunately, I just started with this company a month ago. They would be totally pi*^ off if I cxled all my clients tomorrow.

I'm going to have to hope for the best...I have no other choice


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## pippersmom (May 21, 2012)

maddysmom said:


> Ok...so I'm about to have a heart attack!
> They will check for more hairballs but upon examining Suki's mouth more (it was too infected and inflamed the other day) she thinks her lower jaw is fractured and will have to stabilize it. This is from the gum disease that can't be seen in the lower jaw. She showed me all the movement SUKI has where those bottom loose teeth are.
> Like Maggie said, "the bones just don't hold up well in the jaw" this is a perfect example of that.
> Suki is not even 4 years old yet...so very young to have such bad gum disease. Again, she has no tarter or plaque buildup, her last dental was the beginning of the year with full X-rays and none of this was visible on film.
> ...


Oh my goodness poor little Suki. I can't even imagine.


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## lydiatug (Feb 21, 2012)

Oh Joanne, what a nightmare! Praying hard for Suki and you today!!!


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## sherry (Jan 4, 2013)

This is horrible news! Hopefully it won't come to that. As far as work goes, can you leave her at the vet for daycare? Hugs and prayers girl.


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## Snuggle's Mom (Jan 3, 2008)

OMG!! that is absolutely incredible news and I feel so very bad about all of this for you as well as poor little Suki!! It was bad enough knowing that she would be losing some teeth but a fractured jaw on top of that??? And yes, four years old is very young indeed to have this issue already.


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

Joanne - I just saw this. I'm in shock. :w00t: Poor Suki and poor you. I can't believe how off her mouth went. When did she go in for the procedure? I know this must feel like the longest day. You're in my thoughts. Tyler just went for his annual dental last Monday. Thankfully he had no extractions but boy I guess you just never know. He'll be 9 in February. Keep us posted. Make sure they don't give you Rimadyl. It's not good for the liver.


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## Pooh's mommy (Aug 31, 2014)

Praying for Suki and you.
Big hugs XXXXOOO and Pooh kisses!


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## Kathleen (Aug 4, 2011)

Joanne - I am so sorry. How scary.
I can't believe that it happened so quickly, so soon after a cleaning. And you take such good care of them at home.
I am glad she is in good hands with a specialist, and they will know what to do.
Sending lots of good thoughts for little Suki. :grouphug:


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## edelweiss (Apr 23, 2010)

Just checking in to get up-dates---you have been on my mind/heart all day----we drove to Delaware to meet friends driving through who lost their young SIL recently. We just got back, collected M & made dinner for him. We leave 0-dark-30 in the morning so hopefully will hear an update before departure. May God hold you in the palm of His hand.


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

Thank you all for checking in and well wishes...it was a long day. I am mentally drained from worry.
Finally home with my girl. She had to have most of her teeth extracted and her jaw wired together where all the bone loss was.
I questioned whether or not my vet missed something on her last dental but of course the doctor didn't say much other than "it can happen very fast in toy breeds." Suki was also missing 5 teeth near that bottom jaw area, so they explained that all it would take is bacteria to get in there and apparently can eat away at the bone quite quickly.
She is young for this to happen and they did biopsy different areas of her gum. Those results won't be in for another day.

As much pain as she's in...she ate a bit of boiled chicken a few minutes ago. She will be spoiled tonight by sleeping with me, which will be a big treat since my girls are not allowed in my bed after Lacie vomited there so many times...and yes, we do blame everything on Lacie, lol.

SUKI all drugged up. That little tongue will always stick out now but it adds to her cuteness.


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## sherry (Jan 4, 2013)

Awww, bless her heart! I'm so glad it's all over and it is what it is. It could have been so much worse!


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## pippersmom (May 21, 2012)

Bless her little heart. I'm so glad she's home and it's over with. What an ordeal. I hope you can get some rest tonight. You must be so exhausted from all the worry.


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

sherry said:


> Awww, bless her heart! I'm so glad it's all over and it is what it is. It could have been so much worse!


Thanks Sherry! I can't imagine it being any worse. There was a half inch gap of bone loss in her jaw that is now wired shut. It's a wait and see now to see if it will close up. If it doesn't, I'm not sure what will happen, I was afraid to ask


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## edelweiss (Apr 23, 2010)

So happy she is home Joanne----it will be a long night. You need your rest---both of you. I am so sorry for this---it can't be easy. Thank God you acted quickly!
You are the best puppy mom----I have learned so much from you. Hang in there & hug them all from me.


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

pippersmom said:


> Bless her little heart. I'm so glad she's home and it's over with. What an ordeal. I hope you can get some rest tonight. You must be so exhausted from all the worry.


Thank you Kathy. I literally fell asleep for most of the day from the overload of stress. I was not expecting this at all. I'm glad she's home with me.


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## Madison's Mom (Dec 26, 2007)

Oh my goodness. You must be exhausted. I hope you both get some good rest tonight, and that tomorrow will be a better day.


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## sherry (Jan 4, 2013)

maddysmom said:


> Thanks Sherry! I can't imagine it being any worse. There was a half inch gap of bone loss in her jaw that is now wired shut. It's a wait and see now to see if it will close up. If it doesn't, I'm not sure what will happen, I was afraid to ask


What happens is you take care of today. Get good nights rest and then you take care of tomorrow. Keep it simple and don't worry about what if until you need to, if you do. Sending love and prayers.


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

edelweiss said:


> So happy she is home Joanne----it will be a long night. You need your rest---both of you. I am so sorry for this---it can't be easy. Thank God you acted quickly!
> You are the best puppy mom----I have learned so much from you. Hang in there & hug them all from me.


Awe...thanks Sandi. I'm not sure I acted as quick as I should have. The guilt I have from not noticing her teeth loose sooner. If I didn't point out to her groomer that her gums looked infected, I wouldn't have known about her loose teeth. I brush but apparently don't look in their mouths, like I should.
I can't imagine what would have happened to her jaw, had she not gone today. A half inch gap of bone missing is a lot for her tiny mouth.
Hopefully, she heals properly and that will be the end of it.


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

sherry said:


> What happens is you take care of today. Get good nights rest and then you take care of tomorrow. Keep it simple and don't worry about what if until you need to, if you do. Sending love and prayers.


So very true, Sherry. Thanks for the great advice. I'm not sure I could have dealt knowing the what-ifs today, which is why I didn't ask any more questions. Hopefully, tonight she will sleep through the night and not be in too much pain.


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

Madison's Mom said:


> Oh my goodness. You must be exhausted. I hope you both get some good rest tonight, and that tomorrow will be a better day.


Thanks Glenda!


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## maggieh (Dec 16, 2007)

Joanne, I’m so glad this is behind you. Praying that her recovery goes smoothly and that you both can relax a bit!


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## Snowball Pie's Mommi (Oct 16, 2008)

Joanne, you and sweet Suki have been on my mind throughout the day ... and, last night, too. I am so glad she is back home with you. I imagine it will still be a long night for you, but, I hope you and Suki get some peaceful rest. 

You were so on top of things with Suki ... please don't even question yourself that you were not. Hugs for you and Suki.


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## Pooh's mommy (Aug 31, 2014)

So glad she is home with you. 
Prayers for a good night's sleep and rest for the two of you.
Big hugs!


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## Kathleen (Aug 4, 2011)

Joanne, this is just so awful. I am so sorry. Poor sweet girl. 
She does look extra cute with her little pink tongue.
Please don't blame yourself. As the doctor said, it can happen so fast.
I hope you both have a quiet night.


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

Joanne - wanted to check in before I went to bed. Glad it's over. So with her jaw wired she can eat? Where is it wired? Is it something they remove after healing? Having trouble picturing it.  I can't even imagine the stress you're under but you got her the help she needed. And believe me, we've seen so many Maltese lose all their teeth. Sending prayers for rest and healing.


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## Matilda's mommy (Jun 1, 2005)

Oh Joanne I'm so sorry, it really makes me wonder about how our babies are being breed. I know this brings up a can of worms, but it's just me wondering. Maddie losing 12 on one side, I mean she could very likely be in the same situation Suki is in. As much as I hate the thought Suki lost almost all her teeth I do have to say she's still as beautiful as before. Looking at her picture reminds me that really this isn't all bad just think if she had a terrible disease and was turmoil. I need to remind myself if or when this happens to Maddie. Your just the best mommy, can only wish I was that good. I love you dear friend, get rest, prayers for you and Suki.


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

maggieh said:


> Joanne, I’m so glad this is behind you. Praying that her recovery goes smoothly and that you both can relax a bit!


Thanks Maggie...appreciate it very much.


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

Snowball Pie's Mommi said:


> Joanne, you and sweet Suki have been on my mind throughout the day ... and, last night, too. I am so glad she is back home with you. I imagine it will still be a long night for you, but, I hope you and Suki get some peaceful rest.
> 
> You were so on top of things with Suki ... please don't even question yourself that you were not. Hugs for you and Suki.


Thank you Marie. xx


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

Thanks Kathleen, Cindy, susan and Paula. It was a long night and I'm rum ing to work now. SUKI was definitely in pain during the night but slept fine after I drugged her. She did bleed from her mouth a bit, yet ate well this morning.
Sue... I'll try to answer your question the best I can. Visualize a hole in the center of your jar, they wired it to the two teeth(thankfully she has 4 left, 2 on top and 2 on the bottom) to stabilize the jaw while the fracture heals. It's not like us, where we need bone grafting, which is what I thought. Her jaw basically crumbled apart. They could have muzzled her to stabilize it but thought a fine wire would be better. It does not affect how she eats, whatsoever. She'll have a recheck in two weeks and I believe in a month they remove the wire.
It happened way too fast, no symptoms, no bad breath, no tarter, nothing. I am overwhelmed but it's done and hopefully she can heal now.
Off to work now...it will get a long day worrying for sure.


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## sherry (Jan 4, 2013)

Bless your heart! I'm just checking in to see how the princess is. I hope she has a speedy recovery and her jaw heals swiftly. Hugs.


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## jane and addison (Nov 1, 2012)

Just now catching up with all of this. Poor Suki pray she gets better soon. Hugs from here.


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

sherry said:


> Bless your heart! I'm just checking in to see how the princess is. I hope she has a speedy recovery and her jaw heals swiftly. Hugs.


Thanks Sherry for checking in. I left work a bit early to care for Suki and what a difference a day makes. She is much more alert considering she is on morphine for the pain. 
Interesting enough, I am realizing now how caved in and floppy her jaw was before compared to being aligned and stable like it is now. Looking back at pictures from these last few months, her chin looks very pointy, normally it was very round. Gosh...if they could only talk or maybe I should pay better attention, rather than go through the motions of brushing her teeth and calling it the day :blush:


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

jane and addison said:


> Just now catching up with all of this. Poor Suki pray she gets better soon. Hugs from here.


Thank you Addison!!


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## Snuggle's Mom (Jan 3, 2008)

So happy to hear that Suki is doing better already after having gone through that yesterday. Sounds very encouraging and I hope that it will be restful night for all of you.


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

Joanne - you can't beat yourself up for this. Hey at least you brush her teeth. I'm not that familiar with a lot of dog physiology so I don't quite know what's going on in Tyler's mouth. I don't know if I'd really realize if it was off. Glad to hear she's doing better. Hoping you will be able to put this behind you as she heals. We had an AMAR foster with a fractured jaw from larger dogs grabbing her face when left unsupervised. Luckily her fracture didn't need wiring but she wan't allowed to eat anything but soft foods and wore a muzzle so that she couldn't yawn. After 4 weeks, at the time she was 12 weeks old, she had healed enough and was fine. Hoping the same for Suki. :grouphug:


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

Snuggle's Mom said:


> So happy to hear that Suki is doing better already after having gone through that yesterday. Sounds very encouraging and I hope that it will be restful night for all of you.


Thank you so much! I think we are all exhausted after yesterday, including Lacie and Ling Ling. We all just took the longest nap together, lol.


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## pippersmom (May 21, 2012)

I'm happy to hear that Suki is doing better today and glad you had a nice long nap too.


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

Snowbody said:


> Joanne - you can't beat yourself up for this. Hey at least you brush her teeth. I'm not that familiar with a lot of dog physiology so I don't quite know what's going on in Tyler's mouth. I don't know if I'd really realize if it was off. Glad to hear she's doing better. Hoping you will be able to put this behind you as she heals. We had an AMAR foster with a fractured jaw from larger dogs grabbing her face when left unsupervised. Luckily her fracture didn't need wiring but she wan't allowed to eat anything but soft foods and wore a muzzle so that she couldn't yawn. After 4 weeks, at the time she was 12 weeks old, she had healed enough and was fine. Hoping the same for Suki. :grouphug:


I wrote a reply but it didn't post...maybe I wrote too much, so I'll try to make it short, lol.
So your absolutely right, soft foods are a must with a fractured jaw. In four weeks, if SUKI doesn't close up, I believe they said she will need reconstructive surgery but I'm hoping that's not the case.
My lesson learned here and to my defense, I did not notice, if a tooth is missing or broke, it needs to be checked by a vet because bacteria quickly collects under the gum and the cycle of gum disease begins and can quickly spread. SUKI lost 5 teeth that were broken off since her last dental which they think was the entryway and start to that lower jaw deteriorating so fast. Had I not already run a thyroid panel for her recent fearful behavior, that would have been something to look at that can contribute to such aggressive bone loss, as well as a few other diseases that they biopsied for.
That said, her blood work was great other than active lymphocytes present, which we knew was the gum infection she was fighting, so I don't believe this was caused by any other disease other than her gum disease.
Thanks again for checking in, Sue. xx


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

pippersmom said:


> I'm happy to hear that Suki is doing better today and glad you had a nice long nap too.


Awe...thanks Kathy for always checking in, your support is very appreciated.


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## Snowball Pie's Mommi (Oct 16, 2008)

Joanne, it's the middle of the night ... and I am sitting here thinking of you and Suki. I hope you both are sleeping peacefully as I write this.


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

Snowball Pie's Mommi said:


> Joanne, it's the middle of the night ... and I am sitting here thinking of you and Suki. I hope you both are sleeping peacefully as I write this.


Marie...the first thing I noticed was the time you posted and I said to myself "either you've been up all night partying :chili: or you just don't sleep, like me". 
I'm happy to say that SUKI slept better than we did. Not once did she wake up and no whimpering sounds from pain like she had been. 
She just went out to pee, still hasn't pooped since her surgery but she ran back in the house with such excitement looking for a piece of chicken, her treat.

Thank you for thinking of us...I hope you were able to fall back to sleep. xx


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## pippersmom (May 21, 2012)

maddysmom said:


> Marie...the first thing I noticed was the time you posted and I said to myself "either you've been up all night partying :chili: or you just don't sleep, like me".
> I'm happy to say that SUKI slept better than we did. Not once did she wake up and no whimpering sounds from pain like she had been.
> She just went out to pee, still hasn't pooped since her surgery but she ran back in the house with such excitement looking for a piece of chicken, her treat.
> 
> Thank you for thinking of us...I hope you were able to fall back to sleep. xx


Fantastic news!!!! :chili:


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## Snowball Pie's Mommi (Oct 16, 2008)

maddysmom said:


> Marie...the first thing I noticed was the time you posted and I said to myself "either you've been up all night partying :chili: or you just don't sleep, like me".
> I'm happy to say that SUKI slept better than we did. Not once did she wake up and no whimpering sounds from pain like she had been.
> She just went out to pee, still hasn't pooped since her surgery but she ran back in the house with such excitement looking for a piece of chicken, her treat.
> 
> Thank you for thinking of us...I hope you were able to fall back to sleep. xx


I'm so happy to read such wonderful news ... and, of course, so happy for you and Suki. I am hoping the rest of the day goes as wonderful for both of you.


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## sherry (Jan 4, 2013)

That's great news! It sounds like she is bouncing back to her normal self!


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## edelweiss (Apr 23, 2010)

Just checking back. We have been traveling & are now home. So happy to hear Suki is sleeping better. Hopefully every day will show improvement. Poor sweetheart & poor mama. 
Kitzi was wired in the knees when he had patella surgery as a young pup---they did that in Vienna instead of pins. Sometimes it seems the best method (only real good option) for healing. His stayed in too long though. I know in the US they will be better about that. Thinking of you & your little team there, Joanne.


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## Snuggle's Mom (Jan 3, 2008)

Very encouraging news that Suki slept so well and hopefully tonight everyone will be able to finally have a good nights sleep.


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## Matilda's mommy (Jun 1, 2005)

Oh Joanne SO happy to hear Suki is doing better, how much does she weigh?, I'm glad she's eating, so important. Your such a good mommy, try and sneak in a nap.


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

pippersmom said:


> Fantastic news!!!! :chili:


Thank you, Kathy!


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

Snowball Pie's Mommi said:


> I'm so happy to read such wonderful news ... and, of course, so happy for you and Suki. I am hoping the rest of the day goes as wonderful for both of you.


THANKYOU so much Marie! I had my dog walker come 3x today, since I had to work a full day. All reports were good, no visible bleeding and she appeared very happy. I came home to the same...thankfully.
Now...it's the waiting game and hopefully, her jaw will close up properly.

I hope you were able to sneak in a nap today


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

sherry said:


> That's great news! It sounds like she is bouncing back to her normal self!


Thanks Sherry...she is definitely more herself...the hardest part is keeping her quiet, no rough housing for a few weeks while she heals a bit.


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

edelweiss said:


> Just checking back. We have been traveling & are now home. So happy to hear Suki is sleeping better. Hopefully every day will show improvement. Poor sweetheart & poor mama.
> Kitzi was wired in the knees when he had patella surgery as a young pup---they did that in Vienna instead of pins. Sometimes it seems the best method (only real good option) for healing. His stayed in too long though. I know in the US they will be better about that. Thinking of you & your little team there, Joanne.


 Thanks for checking in Sandi. It's amazing how fast they can recover from a surgery vs. GI issues, ect. Suki is doing very well considering most of her teeth were pulled. Actually, they said there was no real effort, including her molars. They were pretty much already falling out.

If I didn't buy so much toothpaste from my vet...I don't think they would believe I brushed my girls teeth. Actually, Lacies teeth are excellent...the only healthy gene she got. My two little ones have the absolute worse teeth I have ever seen.


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

Snuggle's Mom said:


> Very encouraging news that Suki slept so well and hopefully tonight everyone will be able to finally have a good nights sleep.


Thanks Linda. Suki is being a little instigator right now to her sisters, which tells me her recovery is on an upswing.
I think I will finally sleep tonight!


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## wkomorow (Aug 26, 2011)

Great she is doing so well. It is amazing how they recover.


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

Matilda's mommy said:


> Oh Joanne SO happy to hear Suki is doing better, how much does she weigh?, I'm glad she's eating, so important. Your such a good mommy, try and sneak in a nap.


Hi sweet Paula! Actually, you would think her weight would be down from all her loose teeth. I'm sure they must have hurt these past few months when eating but her weight was up. She weighed in at 4 lbs exactly on Monday morning at the dentist office. She is usually around 3.6-3.8, so I'm happy to hear her weight was up. She has been getting b12 shots which will be indefinite because she can not retain it once injections stop. If she wasn't getting shots, she would waste away because if a dog is b12 deficient, they can not hold weight, very fatigued and they get muscle wasting, and then other organs start to fail. It's the type of GI issue she has, so, I am very, very pleased with her weight.
Thanks so much for checking in. xx


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

wkomorow said:


> Great she is doing so well. It is amazing how they recover.


Exactly my thoughts! If only we could recover like they do.
Thanks uncle Walter!


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## edelweiss (Apr 23, 2010)

Joanne, wondering about little Suki?


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

edelweiss said:


> Joanne, wondering about little Suki?


She goes in a week from Monday to remove the wire. We will know better then if it is set correctly, otherwise she will need reconstructive surgery.
Thanks Sandi for checking in!


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## Matilda's mommy (Jun 1, 2005)

I've wondered about Suki, Joanne will you keep us updated, this could be Maddie


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## sherry (Jan 4, 2013)

Thinking of Suki...


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## jane and addison (Nov 1, 2012)

Poor baby. I will be thinking of her, pray all works out well.


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## wkomorow (Aug 26, 2011)

Poor Suki. I hope she doesn't need surgery.


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

Matilda's mommy said:


> I've wondered about Suki, Joanne will you keep us updated, this could be Maddie


Paula...I will definitely keep you updated! I hope Maddie doesn't ever have to experience this. I'm sure Suki has been in excruciating pain but she never complains. As infected as her gums were, I would have never known. 
Ling Ling is going for her dental at my vets on that same Monday. I'm sure she will lose a few teeth whereas, her back teeth are pretty brown and her gums have always bled when I brush, unlike Suki whose teeth were white, her gums never bled. Definitely bad teeth genes.


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

sherry said:


> Thinking of Suki...


Thanks Sherry!


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

jane and addison said:


> Poor baby. I will be thinking of her, pray all works out well.


Thank you, Addison!


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

wkomorow said:


> Poor Suki. I hope she doesn't need surgery.


Let's hope not...thanks, Walter.


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## Snowball Pie's Mommi (Oct 16, 2008)

Joanne, I am thinking of you and Suki, too. So hoping and praying she doesn't need surgery.


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## Aviannah's Mom (Apr 28, 2017)

Awwww poor Suki! I hope it worked and she requires no surgery. I sure hope she feels back to par soon and that Ling Ling's dental goes well.


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

Aviannah's Mom said:


> Awwww poor Suki! I hope it worked and she requires no surgery. I sure hope she feels back to par soon and that Ling Ling's dental goes well.


Thanks Denise. She is definitely feeling herself again, being silly and happy.
As far as Ling...I dread the day of her dental. She is a vicious beast if she's feeling a bit off. There is no comforting her, whatsoever.


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## Aviannah's Mom (Apr 28, 2017)

maddysmom said:


> Thanks Denise. She is definitely feeling herself again, being silly and happy.
> As far as Ling...I dread the day of her dental. She is a vicious beast if she's feeling a bit off. There is no comforting her, whatsoever.


:blink: In that case let's hope Ling Ling's dental goes very smoothly! (Cant blame her, I get kind of cranky when I do not feel well or hurting too.) :blush: So fun how they all have such distinct personalities. I love reading on here about all their different little quirks and habits. :wub:


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

Aviannah's Mom said:


> :blink: In that case let's hope Ling Ling's dental goes very smoothly! (Cant blame her, I get kind of cranky when I do not feel well or hurting too.) :blush: So fun how they all have such distinct personalities. I love reading on here about all their different little quirks and habits. :wub:


Exactly...we want everything about Ling Ling's life to be smoothly, lol!


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## lonewolf (Dec 23, 2017)

I've had my Maltese Robby on "Pulse Therapy" since he was 10. He'll be 17 in 2 months. Before he started that, he had all kinds of dental problems and several teeth extracted. But in the past 7 years, he just has his yearly cleaning under anesthesia and the pulse therapy. That's an antibiotic, usually Clindamycin 50 mgs for the first 5 days of every month. It comes in liquid or capsules. I use the liquid but I had to buy flavoring for it thru amazon. I can't believe they didn't flavor it. it tastes horrible. I've never brushed his teeth, although I probably should. He hates it and is old so I don't like to put him thru too much if I don't have to. Anyways, the pulse therapy has sure worked for him. It's all about the gums and the antibiotic keeps the inflammation at bay. Just my 2 cents worth. Ask your vet about it and see if they think it would help.


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

lonewolf said:


> I've had my Maltese Robby on "Pulse Therapy" since he was 10. He'll be 17 in 2 months. Before he started that, he had all kinds of dental problems and several teeth extracted. But in the past 7 years, he just has his yearly cleaning under anesthesia and the pulse therapy. That's an antibiotic, usually Clindamycin 50 mgs for the first 5 days of every month. It comes in liquid or capsules. I use the liquid but I had to buy flavoring for it thru amazon. I can't believe they didn't flavor it. it tastes horrible. I've never brushed his teeth, although I probably should. He hates it and is old so I don't like to put him thru too much if I don't have to. Anyways, the pulse therapy has sure worked for him. It's all about the gums and the antibiotic keeps the inflammation at bay. Just my 2 cents worth. Ask your vet about it and see if they think it would help.


THANKYOU for the suggestion. I try not to give my girls medicine unless I absolutely have to, especially antibiotics because it kills all the good bacteria in the gut and Suki already has IBD, so it can worsen any GI symptoms or trigger a flare.
I wouldn't be surprised that her severe acid reflux was a contributing factor in her teeth/bone loss. She is very young for this to happen, especially where I brush their teeth regularly and she just had a cleaning a year ago.


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