Teeth descale- WWYD?

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Crazylittlemaisey

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My dogs have had their teeth done by the vet every two years. My 10 year old shepherd x has a heart murmur and the vet told me two years ago that she should have them done now (which she did) before it was too late to sensibly risk a general. They can't seem to tell me if the murmur has got worse and say she needs an ultrasound scan to judge it. I thought that heart murmurs are put in a scale of 1 to 10(?) but I'm not definite. She's laid back so a scan won't stress her out.

Her teeth: pretty much no build up on any teeth except her top canines which are quite bad and the gums look a bit aggravated.

She doesn't have any problems eating and is a good weight (keep her trim), fairly fit, doesn't cough or wheeze and isn't medicated for her heart.

Would you risk anesthetic or leave the two teeth as they are? I brush her gums twice a week or more.

Money doesn't come into it.

Thanks for reading! Opinions welcome!
 
I use PlaqueOff on mine, as recommended by a vet when my JRT was old enough to consider GA a risk. Works well, it stopped her breath smelling awful. It is seaweed so full of minerals and as a side effect took YEARS off her energy levels. My two cavaliers have it every day, even the one who no longer has any teeth :)
 
if money doesnt come into it then id get the scan and find out what the problem is before doimg anything else
 
I would ask for a second opinion on the heart murmur-personally I think scanning for a heart murmur is a it over the top but if money is no object maybe you are happy with that but in a ten year old dog I would not just leave the teeth as the GA risk will only get worse and the teeth will still need doing.
 
have no advice but my previous lurcher had a heart murmer for many years and at age 14 had a ga to have her some bad teeth out (she had completely stopped eating so I had no choice) and she came out of the ga fine. ga is obviously a risk at any age so all you can do is listen to your vet. hope all goes ok.
 
It's a catch 22. Bad teeth can lead to heart problems from what I gather. Does she have bones to chew? Not sure how much that would help given its canines though?

Plaque off may be a good option if you decide against a GA
 
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