Tooth cracked - slab fracture, tooth extraction needed

aprilemari

Well-known member
Community Veteran
Sep 11, 2011
1,853
101
Boston, MA
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Lola & Fox
I heard a crack the other day while Lola was eating an elk antler, but wasn't too worried since she gets bits and pieces off of them when the marrow is gone. This is her millionth antler and we've never had any problems, but I was peeking in Lola's mouth the next day and found that her 4th premolar, also known as the carnassial tooth, or the one that looks like a mountain range on the top, had split into two pieces lengthwise! Took her to a new vet, since the last one said blindly that Lola didn't have an elongated palate without looking carefully, and found that this 'slab fracture' is so common in dogs that it even has a name. I could get her a root canal but it's preferred to just extract it.

Then he told me something I considered a bit silly as a bully owner, that you shouldn't let your dog chew on anything that is hard enough to hurt if you hit yourself on the head with it. Meaning, anything that hard will be able to crack or damage teeth. I don't think i'll be taking away her antlers after this episode, but check your dog's teeth once in a while, they may not let you know they are in pain (Lola doesn't seem to be in any pain), but damage could lead to bacterial infection, abscesses, and eye problems since the roots are deep.

Lola got referred to the emergency vet clinic in toronto (not as an emergency case) but the best surgeon and dentist are there, and they will look at and operate on the palate during the tooth extraction while Lola is under anesthesia. May 14 is the day :( so sad... It's a big long to wait, two weeks, but I hope they do both (if palate is necessary) on the same day and then she'll be up and better for the rest of her life.
 

BulldogMoma

New member
Apr 15, 2013
33
2
South Carolina
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Morgan (born 5-28-2013) Clyde (2004-2012)
Just a suggestion but you may want to have her teeth cleaned while she is under anesthesia, and nails clipped if she is like most bulldogs and hate nail clipping. Clyde had palette surgery and it made all the difference in the world. We took him to the University of Georgia Vet School where they had an anesthesiologist that was very familiar with the breed. UGA mascot is a bulldog!
Good luck to your Lola... she'll be in my prayers.
 

bluesteelapd

New member
May 1, 2010
1,316
56
New Jersey
Bulldog(s) Names
Mona Lisa and Leonardo
This is seriously good advise! Although I'm sorry to hear about what happened to Lola it certainly is a great learning expierence for the rest of us.
We were told by our vet not to give Mona ice cubes, they could chip her teeth, that she's seen it way too many times before.
I don't give her antlers but I do give her raw hides every once in awhile and believe me, if that hit me in the head it certainly would hurt! I'll keep this in mind...thanks again! Hope Lola is ok.
 

Casper

Well-known member
Apr 28, 2013
1,716
215
Slidell, Louisiana, United States
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
"The Stallone Bros"
This is seriously good advise! Although I'm sorry to hear about what happened to Lola it certainly is a great learning expierence for the rest of us.
We were told by our vet not to give Mona ice cubes, they could chip her teeth, that she's seen it way too many times before.
I don't give her antlers but I do give her raw hides every once in awhile and believe me, if that hit me in the head it certainly would hurt! I'll keep this in mind...thanks again! Hope Lola is ok.

When I went to Pet smart, they highly recommended that I NOT give Rocky rawhides, because of the way he breaths, and pieces coming off the rawhides could cause him to choke, Has anyone else got any input to that advice? is it fact or fiction?
 

JAKEISGREAT

.................
Mar 25, 2011
14,802
1,155
Southern California
Bulldog(s) Names
Jake
This is seriously good advise! Although I'm sorry to hear about what happened to Lola it certainly is a great learning expierence for the rest of us.
We were told by our vet not to give Mona ice cubes, they could chip her teeth, that she's seen it way too many times before.
I don't give her antlers but I do give her raw hides every once in awhile and believe me, if that hit me in the head it certainly would hurt! I'll keep this in mind...thanks again! Hope Lola is ok.

When I went to Pet smart, they highly recommended that I NOT give Rocky rawhides, because of the way he breaths, and pieces coming off the rawhides could cause him to choke, Has anyone else got any input to that advice? is it fact or fiction?




No Rawhides.....ever!!!

:eek:

I heard a crack the other day while Lola was eating an elk antler, but wasn't too worried since she gets bits and pieces off of them when the marrow is gone. This is her millionth antler and we've never had any problems, but I was peeking in Lola's mouth the next day and found that her 4th premolar, also known as the carnassial tooth, or the one that looks like a mountain range on the top, had split into two pieces lengthwise! Took her to a new vet, since the last one said blindly that Lola didn't have an elongated palate without looking carefully, and found that this 'slab fracture' is so common in dogs that it even has a name. I could get her a root canal but it's preferred to just extract it.

Then he told me something I considered a bit silly as a bully owner, that you shouldn't let your dog chew on anything that is hard enough to hurt if you hit yourself on the head with it. Meaning, anything that hard will be able to crack or damage teeth. I don't think i'll be taking away her antlers after this episode, but check your dog's teeth once in a while, they may not let you know they are in pain (Lola doesn't seem to be in any pain), but damage could lead to bacterial infection, abscesses, and eye problems since the roots are deep.

Lola got referred to the emergency vet clinic in toronto (not as an emergency case) but the best surgeon and dentist are there, and they will look at and operate on the palate during the tooth extraction while Lola is under anesthesia. May 14 is the day :( so sad... It's a big long to wait, two weeks, but I hope they do both (if palate is necessary) on the same day and then she'll be up and better for the rest of her life.

We have a member [MENTION=1612]Alice Kable[/MENTION] who's vet told her no antlers..I think for this reason?? And pieces might come off.

We actually have them and have had no problems...but the way Jake chomps on them sometimes..I often wonder about the teeth!
 

bluesteelapd

New member
May 1, 2010
1,316
56
New Jersey
Bulldog(s) Names
Mona Lisa and Leonardo
Hold on everyone, didn't mean to get everybody in a tissy here. I understand about the rawhide issue. I give her a bone every once in a while and ONLY when I am completely supervising her. She only gets it for a few minutes at a time because it usually winds up with a little bit of blood on it from being so hard and her teeth trying to bite it. She never gets to chew it down to a small piece, either. Please don't worry.
 

JAKEISGREAT

.................
Mar 25, 2011
14,802
1,155
Southern California
Bulldog(s) Names
Jake
Hold on everyone, didn't mean to get everybody in a tissy here. I understand about the rawhide issue. I give her a bone every once in a while and ONLY when I am completely supervising her. She only gets it for a few minutes at a time because it usually winds up with a little bit of blood on it from being so hard and her teeth trying to bite it. She never gets to chew it down to a small piece, either. Please don't worry.


:hissy: This is a Tissy!


:eek: This is a prelude to a Tissy!



:tease:
 

LariP

..........
Aug 4, 2010
8,293
452
Milwaukee, WI
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
(HRH) Her Royal Highness Princess Gracie & Princess Amelia Pond (Amy)
We stopped giving HRH antlers because she did get chunks off all the time. Mostly she just gets her nylabones or other hard rubber things these days. She keeps her teeth nicely clean with them though, and that's the reason we encouraged her to chew things in the first place. When she first arrived she didn't play with toys or chew on anything. And she had to have her teeth cleaned by the vet. Now they stay nice and clean. Her vet has been impressed.

The other day though we bought these rubber rings for Amy, They seemed like a little softer rubber than the nylabones, but not way too soft, and of course HRH had to get them and she totally chewed chunks off of one of them in no time. So lesson learned. We have to stick to the tough ones for both of them.
 

2BullyMama

I'm not OCD....now who moved my bulldog?
Staff member
Community Veteran
Jul 28, 2011
48,581
3,673
Gilbertsville, PA
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USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Chelios (Frenchie), Nitschke (2004-2011) Banks (2005-2014) and Lambeau (2014-2024)
When I went to Pet smart, they highly recommended that I NOT give Rocky rawhides, because of the way he breaths, and pieces coming off the rawhides could cause him to choke, Has anyone else got any input to that advice? is it fact or fiction?


FACT.... rawhide or bully sticks are not good for Bulldogs - they are choking hazzards
 

2BullyMama

I'm not OCD....now who moved my bulldog?
Staff member
Community Veteran
Jul 28, 2011
48,581
3,673
Gilbertsville, PA
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Chelios (Frenchie), Nitschke (2004-2011) Banks (2005-2014) and Lambeau (2014-2024)
Thank You 2BullyMama, I'm still Bully Protecting the house in lieu of Rocky, If that's possible.
[MENTION=2092]JAKEISGREAT[/MENTION] ^^^^^ is this possible??
 

Alice Kable

New member
Community Veteran
Dec 17, 2010
4,423
281
Joseph, Oregon, United States
Bulldog(s) Names
Ruggles and Buster
Yes, our vet advised us not to let the boys chew antlers. Not only can they damage their teeth, but sharp pieces break off and get lodged in the intestines. We have opted for the safe rather than sorry and took the antlers away. Ruggles is a powerful chewer. [MENTION=1034]BruceP[/MENTION] & [MENTION=983]LariP[/MENTION] I found a soft toy for Buster that Ruggles hasn't destroyed--it's a HARD CORE Fire Hose Dog Toy. It is made out of fire hose material, very tough. I got it at PETCO.
 

FORDE'SMOM

New member
Jun 17, 2011
861
32
Country
United States
Bulldog(s) Names
Forde
I heard a crack the other day while Lola was eating an elk antler, but wasn't too worried since she gets bits and pieces off of them when the marrow is gone. This is her millionth antler and we've never had any problems, but I was peeking in Lola's mouth the next day and found that her 4th premolar, also known as the carnassial tooth, or the one that looks like a mountain range on the top, had split into two pieces lengthwise! Took her to a new vet, since the last one said blindly that Lola didn't have an elongated palate without looking carefully, and found that this 'slab fracture' is so common in dogs that it even has a name. I could get her a root canal but it's preferred to just extract it.

Then he told me something I considered a bit silly as a bully owner, that you shouldn't let your dog chew on anything that is hard enough to hurt if you hit yourself on the head with it. Meaning, anything that hard will be able to crack or damage teeth. I don't think i'll be taking away her antlers after this episode, but check your dog's teeth once in a while, they may not let you know they are in pain (Lola doesn't seem to be in any pain), but damage could lead to bacterial infection, abscesses, and eye problems since the roots are deep.

Lola got referred to the emergency vet clinic in toronto (not as an emergency case) but the best surgeon and dentist are there, and they will look at and operate on the palate during the tooth extraction while Lola is under anesthesia. May 14 is the day :( so sad... It's a big long to wait, two weeks, but I hope they do both (if palate is necessary) on the same day and then she'll be up and better for the rest of her life.

makes me scared to give Forde the antlers now.....i would have never thought of that happening :nope:
 

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