Dog tooth swollen and bleeding, meds not working. Is surgery needed?

If Oden's broken teeth haven't been removed, then that could be the cause of the redness, swelling, and bleeding. The antibiotics will cure any infection present, but it will not heal the broken teeth. When a tooth is badly broken, it may need to be removed. I'd recommend scheduling a dental with your vet to see if these teeth need to be removed.

It should resolve with the treatment described. If not, recheck with your veterinarian. If it is an abscess, it may need to be lanced and drained. You should also confirm the entire tooth and roots has been removed. A bit of tooth root left behind may cause infection.

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. From the picture you provided, it appears as though his right side of his face is swollen. I am assuming he has a tooth root abscess. The antibiotics help but do not fix the problem. The infected tooth likely needs to be extracted. The tramadol can cause sedation and to be honest, I feel that tramadol does not provide adequate pain relief. I typically use a non steroidal anti inflammatory drug such as carprofen or meloxicam. Additio al to that I will use Methadone at a low dose as well. If he is sedated and quiet, I would recommend asking for an anti inflammatory drug rather than tramadol. You also have to realize that tramadol does not reduce inflammation so any swelling associated with inflammation will not resolve with tramadol. I would get him scheduled for a dental cleaning to have this properly treated and consider switching medications for better pain relief. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns. I am also available via consultation if needed.

If Sid does have a tooth root abscess, he will likely need to have the tooth extracted. This will require anesthesia. At the same time, the rest of the teeth can be evaluated and xrayed and then cleaned to prevent or slow the progression of periodontal disease. Antibiotics alone may not be sufficient to resolve the condition. Even though he is a senior pet, a complete physical exam along with blood work will allow your veterinarian to tailor the anesthetic protocol for maximum safety. Medicating Sid without the advice of your veterinarian would not be recommended. Inappropriate antibiotic use may lead to resistant bacteria and may complicate any underlying condition.

Oh my. This looks like a pretty serious injury. Your poor fur baby needs to see your local vet to have this wound managed well. The only thing you can do over the counter is to flush the wound with Betadine diluted 50:50 with warm water and then sterile saline daily. The vet will investigate this area to see if any stitches or staples need to be placed and also get your poor baby on oral antibiotics (ie Clindamycin) and anti-inflammatory medicine (ie Rimadyl). Without proper closure and antibiotics, this wound will likely not heal well. Here is a financial resources website link if you need financial help as well. http://m.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_veterinary_care.html I hope that she/ he heals up soon. Best wishes and take care.

I would add that I think it's unlikely for a tooth root abscess to cause the eye to actually pop out (Proptose) however without definitive treatment the problem (the bulging and the infection) are going to get worse. Having that pocket of infection in the gum will likely cause the bacteria to translocate to the bloodstream, where it could cause other problems, including with the heart and the liver. I would consider seeking another opinion, perhaps of a veterinary dentist. I have anesthetized many, many older dogs for tooth removal, and my personal opinion is that removing diseased teeth is necessary. If Enzo has blood work prior to surgery, and possibly even a chest x-ray to check his heart and lungs, in the hands of a qualified veterinarian who is confident with anesthesia and dentistry he will likely do fine. If you don't have the tooth removed, your only other alternative is using antibiotics in a "pulse" fashion, such as 3 weeks on antibiotics, followed by 1 week off. Clindamycin is sometimes used in this fashion, but again, results are suboptimal and the infection within the root pocket will never completely resolve - it may improve, but it won't resolve.

Yes, that is a common presentation with a molar tooth infection. The tooth will need to be extracted and they will put Tootsie in antibiotics for the infection. Blood work is usually done before anesthesia and they will scale and polish the teeth and check the rest to make sure they are healthy. Once the mouth is healed then you can start brushing her teeth or using another dental product. They may also put Tootsie on pain medication. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Tootsie.