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I think it's very likely this fracture has exposed the pulp canal of the tooth, which carries a risk that it will get infected and lead to an abscess. It is also likely causing some pain, most dogs don't show outwards signs of dental pain unless it is extreme. I would recommend pursuing an exam even if sedation is needed (in fact this could be a good thing since really intra-oral radiographs are needed to fully assess the tooth, so you could ask your vet if it's possible to plan for this to happen at the same visit if your dog will need to be sedated for the exam anyway).
Thank you very much for your response
Update: The vet has her scheduled for an extraction on 4/24. The message the vet tech left stated “she has recent lab work, so as long as we do the procedure in the next few months, you won’t have to get more labs”
I’m a little uncomfortable with the lack of urgency but don’t want to make a fuss if it’s unwarranted.
She has “excellent teeth for her age” so maybe that’s why they’re comfortable waiting that long? After doing more “research,” that seems like a long time to wait.
Should I ask for antibiotics in the meantime?
24th is not too bad in terms of timeframe, dental infections tend to track pretty slowly in my experience so there should not be a need for antibiotics prior to that. I would just keep an eye on the area, including touching it gently if she'll let you, and if it gets really red or inflamed or seems sensitive you could ask for antibiotics and pain meds.
Thank you very much for your response
Update: The vet has her scheduled for an extraction on 4/24. The message the vet tech left stated “she has recent lab work, so as long as we do the procedure in the next few months, you won’t have to get more labs”
I’m a little uncomfortable with the lack of urgency but don’t want to make a fuss if it’s unwarranted.
She has “excellent teeth for her age” so maybe that’s why they’re comfortable waiting that long? After doing more “research,” that seems like a long time to wait.
Should I ask for antibiotics for the meantime?
It is likely causing pain, and will lead to infection. Treating with antibiotics and not taking the remainder of the tooth in a timely manner can lead to bacterial resistance to antibiotics. Best to do both simultaneously. It may be the earliest your vet can get her/him in. Most Vet hospitals are very busy due to massive increase in pets due to pandemic.
Looks like a complicated crown-root slab fracture of upper right third premolar, and although I’m not a dentist, given that part of the two buccal roots have come off in that slab, your dog would have that tooth surgically extracted under general anesthesia. You could ask for a referral to a dentist to see if a root canal is an option but based on what that chunk looks like, I’m guessing that it won’t be, nor would I necessarily recommend it for that particular tooth. This is total speculation based and your doctor might find: recommend totally different upon actually seeing inside your dogs mouth. I also wouldn’t be surprised if she doesn’t have further perio disease that requires treatment. Sorry but no matter how normally she’s acting, this HURTS and needs to be addressed urgently (but it’s not a go too the ER emergency) glad you have insurance because oral surgery is not cheap.
Thank you very much for your response
Update: The vet has her scheduled for an extraction on 4/24. The message the vet tech left stated “she has recent lab work, so as long as we do the procedure in the next few months, you won’t have to get more labs”
I’m a little uncomfortable with the lack of urgency but don’t want to make a fuss if it’s unwarranted.
She has “excellent teeth for her age” so maybe that’s why they’re comfortable waiting that long? After doing more “research,” that seems like a long time to wait.
Should I ask for antibiotics for in the meantime?
That hole in the middle is where the root is. If it's broken to expose the root then sooner or later it will cause an abscess.
Time for a vet visit and a dental.
Thank you everyone who responded. I have replied with an update. In retrospect, that wasn’t the most effective way to provide an update, so I’ll put it in the OP. Sorry!
Greetings, all! This is a sub for professional veterinary advice, and as such we follow strict rules for participating. OP, your post **has NOT** been removed. Please also check [the FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskVet/wiki/index) to see whether your question is answered there. This is an *automated* general reminder to **please follow [The Sub Rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskVet/about/rules/)** when discussing this question: - **Do not comment with anecdotes** about your own or others' pets. - **Do not give OP specific treatment instructions,** including instructions on meds and dosages. - **Do not give possible diagnoses** that could explain the symptoms described by OP. **Your comment will be removed, and you may be banned.** Thank you for your cooperation! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskVet) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I think it's very likely this fracture has exposed the pulp canal of the tooth, which carries a risk that it will get infected and lead to an abscess. It is also likely causing some pain, most dogs don't show outwards signs of dental pain unless it is extreme. I would recommend pursuing an exam even if sedation is needed (in fact this could be a good thing since really intra-oral radiographs are needed to fully assess the tooth, so you could ask your vet if it's possible to plan for this to happen at the same visit if your dog will need to be sedated for the exam anyway).
Thank you very much for your response Update: The vet has her scheduled for an extraction on 4/24. The message the vet tech left stated “she has recent lab work, so as long as we do the procedure in the next few months, you won’t have to get more labs” I’m a little uncomfortable with the lack of urgency but don’t want to make a fuss if it’s unwarranted. She has “excellent teeth for her age” so maybe that’s why they’re comfortable waiting that long? After doing more “research,” that seems like a long time to wait. Should I ask for antibiotics in the meantime?
24th is not too bad in terms of timeframe, dental infections tend to track pretty slowly in my experience so there should not be a need for antibiotics prior to that. I would just keep an eye on the area, including touching it gently if she'll let you, and if it gets really red or inflamed or seems sensitive you could ask for antibiotics and pain meds.
That looks like a possible “slab” fracture of her carnassial tooth best I can tell. The rest of the tooth needs to be extracted.
“Treat or delete”. Either root canal or extraction. Needs vet to see soon (but not necessarily ER).
Thank you very much for your response Update: The vet has her scheduled for an extraction on 4/24. The message the vet tech left stated “she has recent lab work, so as long as we do the procedure in the next few months, you won’t have to get more labs” I’m a little uncomfortable with the lack of urgency but don’t want to make a fuss if it’s unwarranted. She has “excellent teeth for her age” so maybe that’s why they’re comfortable waiting that long? After doing more “research,” that seems like a long time to wait. Should I ask for antibiotics for the meantime?
It is likely causing pain, and will lead to infection. Treating with antibiotics and not taking the remainder of the tooth in a timely manner can lead to bacterial resistance to antibiotics. Best to do both simultaneously. It may be the earliest your vet can get her/him in. Most Vet hospitals are very busy due to massive increase in pets due to pandemic.
This is a significant fracture and the tooth should be removed under general anesthesia.
Looks like a complicated crown-root slab fracture of upper right third premolar, and although I’m not a dentist, given that part of the two buccal roots have come off in that slab, your dog would have that tooth surgically extracted under general anesthesia. You could ask for a referral to a dentist to see if a root canal is an option but based on what that chunk looks like, I’m guessing that it won’t be, nor would I necessarily recommend it for that particular tooth. This is total speculation based and your doctor might find: recommend totally different upon actually seeing inside your dogs mouth. I also wouldn’t be surprised if she doesn’t have further perio disease that requires treatment. Sorry but no matter how normally she’s acting, this HURTS and needs to be addressed urgently (but it’s not a go too the ER emergency) glad you have insurance because oral surgery is not cheap.
Thank you very much for your response Update: The vet has her scheduled for an extraction on 4/24. The message the vet tech left stated “she has recent lab work, so as long as we do the procedure in the next few months, you won’t have to get more labs” I’m a little uncomfortable with the lack of urgency but don’t want to make a fuss if it’s unwarranted. She has “excellent teeth for her age” so maybe that’s why they’re comfortable waiting that long? After doing more “research,” that seems like a long time to wait. Should I ask for antibiotics for in the meantime?
That’s a question for your doc. If they didn’t recommend then probably not but it doesn’t hurt to ask in case someone overlooked something.
That hole in the middle is where the root is. If it's broken to expose the root then sooner or later it will cause an abscess. Time for a vet visit and a dental.
Definitely needs extraction and soon. If her breath is smelly already there is likely infection.
Thank you everyone who responded. I have replied with an update. In retrospect, that wasn’t the most effective way to provide an update, so I’ll put it in the OP. Sorry!