Teeth issues?

[CerLynn]

Hey guys - it's been a while, and I hope you all are well!

Unfortunately Kenai has been having some mouth/teeth issues lately, or at least we think. We originally noticed decreased food/water intake, some weight loss, and pawing at his mouth a couple weeks ago (no drooling, no watery eyes, normal activity level, smaller but normal consistency poo). Took him in to a local vet on Thurs 6/9, who just did a physical exam and didn't find anything. She wasn't comfortable putting him under, so she recommended me to Angell Memorial in Boston (unfortunately our old vet from Tufts is now down in RI). We took him in for an initial exam last Thursday (6/16), and again, with an awake physical exam, didn't find anything, so we scheduled him for xrays/blood work and possible filing. Between Thursday and yesterday, his food/water intake had increased back to maybe 75% of his norm and his weight had stabilized on his own, but we took him in anyway. She went ahead and did the xrays and blood work - blood work came out clean, and in her opinion, the xrays looked fine (thinking maybe it's a soft tissue problem that's been resolving itself), so we decided to monitor him a bit longer before going ahead with anything else. He didn't eat as much last night, but I imagine he's still a bit off from the appointment. If it continues though, we'll go back to supplementing with CC, and will be taking him back in.

I'm not great at reading the xrays myself, so I wanted to run them by you guys for another opinion... any thoughts?

 

[ticklechin]

The only thing I see on the x-ray that looks odd is the second on the left side inner I can see the roots possibly curving it but it could be the angle of the x-ray-they don't look bad to me. Soft tissue is a real possibility as far as injury goes-stuck hay or splinters under the gum causing a mild infection. The swiping and decrease in intake does point towards mouth so I might if it was my chin think about using a mild antibiotic like TMS to see if that helps along with the metecam.

 

[Brittany]

Dawn, can you or someone else describe where the line would be for over grown roots? I'm still learning to read xrays

 

[Airyn]

Dawn, can you or someone else describe where the line would be for over grown roots? I'm still learning to read xrays

:thumbsup: I'd like to second that request! I've been trying to learn as well.

 

[ticklechin]

This is a good sample of a elongated skull and a normal x-ray-you can see the roots are growing down out the bottom of the jaw and up to past the midpoint of the eye socket and then the normal x-ray. Sometimes the elongation can be tricky and not show up if the teeth grow sideways towards the tongue or sideways out the eye socket-they don't show up to the "normal" vets and owners (me) looking at it but a good x-ray tech can see it, happend to me, the chins lower teeth curved and grew out to the tongue and the jaw broke. Never would have guessed by looking at the x-ray.


http://www.vetdent.eu/research/chinch.html

 

[Sycamore Chins]

Great x-rays!

Hopefully the OP doesn't mind - Here is the picture with my best interpretation of the Boehmer-Crossley lines that are being used like wildfire in vet med for rodents. There are typically 4 lines you draw on a lateral, but since the chins mouth is closed the 2,3 would pretty much be overlapping each other.
Based on the lines, I'd say there is a tad bit of root elongation on the upper teeth, but since you didn't say there were any eye-related signs, it's seems fine. Also, the line is supposed to end in the middle of the kidney bean shaped tympanic bulla, and I had a bit of a hard time actually finding it on these x-rays, it could be a little higher, which would make the roots within normal limits.

Hope that helps!

 

[CerLynn]

Thanks guys! He seems to be doing a bit better tonight, so hopefully we're on the right track.

And thank you both for the additional info on reading dental xrays!

 

[Airyn]

Thanks Dawn and Alicyn! I needed a clearer picture in my head and that definitely did it! Much appreciated!

 

[ticklechin]

How is he doing?

 

[CerLynn]

Thanks for checking in! He definitely seems to be on the mend - eating/drinking almost normal amounts on his own, doesn't really seem to be pawing at his mouth anymore, and has put on about 5g/day over the past 3 days. Still working on getting his fur back to normal after the anesthesia though! )