My dog's tooth is discolored. Should I extract it or monitor it?

The gold standard of treatment would be to have it extracted (removed). In the real world though it probably won't cause him much discomfort or harm if you left it in. Just monitor the tooth regularly. If it turns purple, that means there is damage to the root/pulp and then it will definitely need to come out. If it stays white I would say it can wait until he needs an anesthetic procedure at some other point in time and then it can be removed then.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. So this is a “complicated” fracture of the canine- meaning the pulp cavity is exposed. Unfortunately, if Titus walked into my office, I’d recommend scheduling a dental and removing the tooth. Once the pulp cavity is exposed, bacteria can travel up it and cause a deep abscess in the bone. Then you have weeks of antibiotics and still have to do the procedure. This does not always happen, but there is no way to know which case it will happen to. The other option is seeing a dental specialist for a root canal and crown. That being said, it’s not very painful unless he is chewing with it (which he’ll probably avoid). And not much is going to happen in the next two days, or even in the next two months. Don’t put anything on there and just leave it alone. Schedule an appointment when it’s convenient and talk with your vet about your options. Also talk about why he is chewing his crate (often a sign of moderate to severe separation anxiety). And how to prevent future damage to other teeth. Best wishes to you and Titus!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Frankenstein. The majority of the time when a tooth becomes discolored, it is has sustained some sort of trauma. This can be from chewing on a hard toy, rock, bone or even a crate. The discoloration typically means that the tooth is dying. It likely will not resolve on its own. I recommend that he sees his veterinarian. He will likely need to go under anesthesia to have dental x-rays taken to assess the tooth. This can guide treatment options. It is good that he is still eating and drinking normally. He could still be experiencing some pain from the tooth though. I hope this information helps!

Hello and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It does look as though the pulp cavity is exposed, which commonly happens with fractures like this. If the pulp cavity is open, the root is exposed, which is very painful and increases the risk that the tooth will get infected. I would recommend taking Sky to your veterinarian to confirm if the pulp cavity is exposed and extract the tooth if it is.

It may indeed have been compromised while chewing. It may heal on it's own or not. You would need to have Frankie seen by your veterinarian. A dental x-ray may be recommended to further assess the tooth. If it has been damaged, it may need to be extracted.

Hi there! I'm sorry to hear about Mars' troubles. It's a bit hard to see from the pictures but the tooth definitely looks a little bit discolored. And it almost looks like what we call a "slab fracture" where a flat, wide piece of the tooth breaks off. Dogs can do this by biting onto something hard, like a bone. This can expose the inside of the tooth to infection, and also be very uncomfortable. I would definitely have a veterinarian take a look at the tooth, to see if it should be extracted under anesthesia as this is the best way to treat a tooth like this. By removing the tooth, one removes the source, or potential source, of pain and discomfort. The veterinarian can also clean the rest of the teeth too, which would be great for Mars' overall health. Best of luck!

Hello, and thank you for your question. I would recommend getting Archi seen by a vet within the next few days, to assess the severity of the broken tooth. If the fracture is deep enough to expose the nerve, it can cause pain and infection, and can affect eruption of the adult tooth. In this case, they may recommend extraction of the tooth. If the fracture is shallow, the vet may just recommend monitoring it until it falls out (usually by 6 months of age). In the meantime, offer Archi the option of softer food (canned food, watered down dry food) in case the broken tooth is causing him pain. Monitor for any discolouration of the tooth which would warrant immediate attention by a vet. I hope this helps, and that Archi does okay!