My 16-year-old dog has tooth pain. Is dental anesthesia safe?

This is a good question! Any anesthesia has risks, and there can be increased risk in elderly dogs because their organs aren't functioning as well as they used to function. That said, however, your vet would not put your dog through anesthesia if they thought it was too great a risk. You can request your vet to run a geriatric blood panel to see how his organs are functioning to get a better idea of the risk of anesthesia. If he needs a tooth pulled, having it out will make him feel much better and I do recommend having it done if your vet thinks it's safe to do.

No, this is unfortunately not possible and i am sure she needs more than one tooth removed anyway, she probably needs an extensive dental treatment. i don't think putting her under anesthesia is a very high risk, if she is healthy and once she does a blood test and everything comes back normal, anesthesia for a dental procedure should be the perfect solution.

If your vet is not comfortable with performing anesthesia on your pet, ask for a referral to a veterinary neurologist. Jodie may need to start medication for her seizures if they are becoming more frequent, and the neurologist can help you with that and also help discuss risk vs benefit for a dental. Denta disease and broken teeth are extremely painful, and should be addressed if the neurologist thinks it is safe. A veterinary anesthesiologist can also be recommended to perform the anesthesia during the dental if needed. In the meantime, keep a seizure log to monitor what is happening, and if Jodie has a seizure lasting more than 5 minutes take her to the emergency hospital, as this can be dangerous.

It can be very scary to consider anesthesia in a dog with heart and kidney issues, for sure. But rotten teeth are also a very significant health issue. They become easily infected, and bacteria can get in the blood stream and will stick to areas that aren't functioning normally, like heart valves and kidneys. So by leaving the rotten, loose teeth in the mouth, you are at an increased risk of causing damage to the heart and kidneys. There are many precautions we take when considering anesthesia in these patients, but ultimately we do it to prolong their lives.

That is very concerning that Fluffy's face is swelling so much from dental problems. Anesthesia may be ok for her, but without seeing her in person, I can't say for certain. I'd speak to her vet about the safety of her going under anesthesia.

It is never safe to do a non-anesthetic dental, and it should never be preformed on a dog. I can understand your concern, but Daisy does need that loose tooth removed and her teeth cleaned. PetCoach has a great article about why you should never chose non-anesthetic dentals that discusses if anesthesia is safe, and what happens when a pet's mouth is cleaned under anesthesia. I will link the article below so hopefully some of your concerns will be alleviated. As for her breathing, dogs who have a short snout typically breathe better with an ET tube (endotracheal tube) which is used during a dental procedure. I would recommend having it done if your vet feels it's safe, as it will make Daisy so much more comfortable. https://www.petcoach.co/article/what-s-the-deal-with-anesthesia-free-dental-cleanings/0

No, not at all - especially in a toy breed dog like a Pomeranian, it's far more dangerous to leave the damaged and infected teeth in his mouth. Anesthesia for routine procedures like this is extremely safe, and should not be anything to worry about as long as Poseidon is otherwise healthy. Rotten teeth, on the other hand, are quite painful for him and can also lead to severe bone loss, a fractured jaw, or heart and kidney disease. I would definitely suggest discussing any specific anesthesia concerns that you may have with your vet, but don't let this keep you from getting Poseidon the dental care he needs.