My dog has a chipped K9 tooth with exposed nerve. Should I remove it?

Hello, thank you for your question about Toby. Based on the photos that you have provided I would be concerned that Toby may need to have this tooth removed. A large portion of the tooth is visible, suggestive of recession of the gum (which is common with severe dental disease). I would also be slightly concerned that the gum may be lifted away from the tooth leading to food/bacteria build up under the gum line. To evaluate fully if this tooth should be removed a veterinarian would need to perform an oral examination. They can then discuss if an additional dental procedure is needed. Hope this helps, good luck!

Hello, thank you for your question about Fly. If the pulp (or sensitive nerve portion) of the tooth is exposed having the tooth extracted is the best treatment option. Pulp exposure can lead to pain and also serve as a source of infection leading to further complications down the line. Dental surgery is a fairly routine procedure that most veterinarians are very comfortable with. In most cases a pre-operative workup is performed to ensure that Fly is a good candidate for general anesthesia. During the procedure the canine would be extracted and all of his other teeth could be cleaned of tartar. If he is otherwise healthy with no prior medical history there is no reason to think that he would not tolerate this procedure. Hope this helps, good luck!

Thank you for including the pictures. I agree that the pulp is exposed. The most cost effective plan is usually extraction of the tooth. I would encourage you to have him evaluated by your veterinarian soon. He may need some pain medication until the procedure is scheduled. Best of luck and I hope he improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Based on the attached pictures, I would recommend removal of the carnassial tooth as well as the too the next to it. There is significant loss of bone around the roots and should really come out now. The vet may have recommended referral to a vet with more experience as these teeth can be challenging to remove due to their size, location, and number of roots.

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.

What you see as a beige dot is the opened up pulpa of the tooth, This is indeed painful and also an entry way for bacteria. In young dogs (usually puppies) this can cause them to contract tetanus. You would not notice whether she was in pain as dogs do not chew with their incisors. You should take her to your vet to have that damaged tooth either repaired or removed in order to avoid some bacterial infection as well as to take the pain.

Hello. That tooth probably should come out, even though it is a puppy tooth, but you can wait until Friday as long as Luna does not seem uncomfortable. . Your veterinarian might just leave it be, but there is a small chance of infection that can get into the root & then the bone causing problems with the adult tooth. Just see what your vet says, but she will be fine until your appointment. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.