What is a dental abscess?
The term dental abscess is used to describe a deep infection of the tissues around the dog's tooth that is responsible for an accumulation of pus. There are several types of dental abscesses:
- peri-apical abscesses that develop at the end of the root of a tooth,
- periodontal abscesses correspond to localized infections in the periodontal tissues made up of the gums and the alveolar bone.
Dental abscesses are important bacterial sources which, if not treated in time, are likely to cause remote infection, especially in dogs with weakened immune systems (old dogs, sick dogs etc.).
What causes a dental abscess to appear in dogs?
Tooth abscesses have various causes.
They can be the result of infection by the normal oral flora of a decayed tooth or dental trauma, inflammation of the gingival mucosa linked to the presence of tartar, gingivitis or periodontal disease.
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Although these infections can affect dogs at any age, abscesses most often develop in older dogs, in whom oral hygiene is generally poorer.
Dog dental abscess: symptoms
Dental infection can be the cause of bad breath or halitosis in dogs and generally causes pain that manifests as:
- excessive salivation of the dog who has trouble swallowing normally,
- difficulty chewing and swallowing food, which often results in a loss of appetite,
- gingival bleeding.
In dogs, dental abscesses preferentially affect the upper molars and, in particular, the carnassial located just below the orbit. So sometimes the abscess causes visible swelling of the area under the dog's eye.
If the infection is not treated immediately, the abscess can fistulate: a small tunnel is then created between the seat of the abscess and the dog's cheek. A real hole is then observed which forms at the level of the dog's cheek, under the ocular region.
The infection can also reach the dog's orbital cavity and create periophthalmitis or the dog's nasal cavity, leading to rhinitis responsible for often purulent nasal discharge from a single nostril.
Treating a dental abscess in dogs
A dental abscess never heals spontaneously and can lead to generalized infections which can be serious. For these reasons, a dental abscess must be treated by a veterinarian.
Depending on the type of abscess and the severity of the infection, the veterinarian may carry out a conservative treatment (devitalization of the tooth) or an extraction of the infected tooth, all under general anesthesia of the animal.
Generally, the veterinarian also prescribes antibiotics to prevent the infection from spreading.
How to prevent abscesses in dogs?
Concerning dental abscesses, the best prevention is to take care of oral hygiene in order to avoid bacterial proliferation and the deposit of tartar on the dog's teeth.
To do this, there is nothing better than getting your dog used to brushing his teeth as soon as possible.This treatment is carried out with a dog toothbrush or a finger cot with soft spikes and toothpaste specially formulated for animals that the dog can swallow without danger.
Masticatory activity also promotes good oral hygiene. So offer foods that your dog will have to chew such as kibble, strips or chewing bones or even fleshy bones. In the latter case, be careful to choose bones whose size and hardness are adapted to the size of your dog's jaw.
Finally, there are products that act against the formation of tart in the form of chewable tablets or liquid to pour into the dog's drinking water. They can also help maintain good oral hygiene in your dog.