Why is my dog's nose still dripping after dental fistula surgery?

Hello, I am sorry to hear about a Brookie. Based on what you are describing it sounds like she could have something called an oronasal fistula, which is an abnormal connection between the mouth and nasal cavity. Dog’s tooth roots are quite long and if there is abnormal or lack of healing after removal of a tooth a fistula can form. I would recommend having Brookie evaluated sooner than next week as fistulas can become infected. Depending on the severity and what the site looks like Brookie may need to have this area flushed and closed to prevent food material from lodging in there or reinfection. Hope this helps, good luck!

Hello. Yes, an oronasal fistula, which often occurs from severe dental abscessation, can also result in bone erosion. Once the underlying problem is addressed, such as an infection, some bone may heal, but fistulas can remain for a very long time. Make sure you stay on top of this with your veterinarian & follow all recommendations. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

The only way to know is via radiographs of the maxilla. Ths can be a simple dental radiograph and of course it would also show on a CT scan of the maxillary bone. I think MRI is probably not necessary to find a root remnant.

I'm so sorry to hear that Spike is having this problem. From your history, it sounds like the nasal discharge started before the dental operation. If that is the case and the dental did not improve the discharge, then it might be time to take some x-rays of the nose and teeth. If there is a tooth that is infected at the root, it may look normal in the mouth, but may have signs of infection on x-rays. That can also cause swelling. The only treatment will be to remove the tooth. Cancer will most commonly cause bleeding instead of just normal nasal discharge, but is always possible. Unfortunately, it sounds like Spike needs some more testing to figure out what is going on and determine the best treatment to make him feel better. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Nasal discharge can be caused by many different things, including bad dental disease/infected teeth, bacterial or fungal sinus infection, a foreign object in the nasal cavity, or even nasal cancer. Your veterinarian, after performing a physical exam and obtaining the complete medical history, will be able to determine which of these causes are more likely. If a dental procedure and tooth extraction is recommended, your veterinarian will determine whether Spike is healthy to undergo the anesthesia. Just like in humans, anesthetic procedures are not without risk. However, as long as a good physical exam is done and pre-operative bloodwork indicates that he is healthy, he is not at a higher risk than any other dog. Oftentimes dogs vocalize during anesthesia recovery because of the effects of the medications or they are confused. Talk to your veterinarian about this concern and steps can be taken to ensure that he has a safe and minimally stressful recovery.

Sometimes after dental extractions they can develop a connection between the nasal and oral cavities called a fistula. This can allow oral cavity food, bacteria, saliva, etc. to enter the nose which can sometimes lead to these signs. Often times there may be nasal discharge as well. As well there are other post anesthesia problems that can occur less frequently. Since this sounds like a notable change post dental i would have it evaluated by your family vet. They can look at the extraction sites and do a thorough oral exam (sedation likely required) as well as check for normal airflow via the nose and normal airway function. If you think the sleeping a lot is new as well then this could be related or some other issue. Rechecking some bloodwork will likely be recommended as he is an older pet that underwent anesthesia. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

This does look like the incision has opened a little. It will heal fine without further treatment. It is important to keep the cone on until the incisions are fully healed, usually 10-14 days. If this opens further or the discharge becomes yellow or has a foul odor then please bring him in right away for a recheck. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Louis.