What should the post operative treatment be for a 13 year old dog who had 7 teeth extracted 9 days ago and still isn’t eating normally?
Currently he is in a vet clinic on an IV (without pain medication) and taking medication for a stomach ulcer for previous and continued use of previcox.
What damage of internal organs is likely if he doesn’t begin eating normally soon.
Answer from Dr. Gaylord Brown:
I am sorry for the difficulty you are having with your pet. This exemplifies that dental procedures are often not the routine events pet owners are led to believe. Our protocol for dentistry typically includes antibiotics both before and after the procedure. In addition we use pain and inflammation management. Even with these aggressive measures we can have some cases of post-operative inappetence. When we do have cases such as these we will give aggressive supportive care immediately, which generally includes a change in antibiotics, fluid therapy, and assisted feeding. The previcox is considered a powerful NSAID which does manage pain and inflammation, but on an empty stomach can lead to ulceration of the stomach lining. You are on the right tract with IV fluids, pain management of some kind should be used, and treatment of the ulcer should be ongoing. Without eating organ dysfunction involving the liver and kidneys will ensue. However, we can successfully prevent that for sometime with aggressive IV support.
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