Dog at vet

[Ashmire]

Waiyakki, whom I love more than life itself, is at the vet undergoing dentistry.  A few weeks ago he stopped eating and seemed really sick.  By good fortune I discovered he would eat soft food ( previously crunchy things were always his favorite) and perk up after a meal.  Took him to the vet, who determined that his teeth are in rather bad shape for his age( possibly his habit of stealing steel soup cans out of the trash to crunch them flat has caught up with him), also that his thyroid is running low.  She did say that unlike humans, a low thyroid isn't always permanent and can be stress related, though she thought it would be surprising for a dog to react so strongly to dental pain.  I'm pinning some hope on the fact that he's a red dog and red hair in both dogs and humans has been genetically linked to anxiety and high pain response IIRC.

  However, if it *is* actual hypothyroidism, I'm presented with a serious problem, because this dog is at least as sensitive and tough to pill as most cats, plus he's nearly the size of a cougar and weighs almost as much as I do.  Hiding in treats has never worked with him more than once, plus once he discovers a pill in a treat, he will never even try that kind of treat again---even two years later! 

All this on top of the normal anxiety I would already have with any use of anesthesia and the fact that this is our first time with this vet, as the vet who has been our family vet for some 30 years, since I was 15, has recently retired.

So, big prayers for uncomplicated dental work and that a toothache is the worst of Waiyakki's problems and he will recover fully to live a long, healthy life.

[Aisling]

So, big prayers for uncomplicated dental work and that a toothache is the worst of Waiyakki's problems and he will recover fully to live a long, healthy life.

(((Waiyakki and Waiyakki's humans))) 

[Jenett]

Many good thoughts to Waiyakki and all of you.

(My cat Astra had all her teeth out in April, and it went super smoothly, and she is cheerfully happy now. I was nervous when they were doing it, not least because she's also very difficult to pill, but it went fine.)

I don't know about dog thyroid meds, but the human ones are truly tiny, and I believe they can be crushed if needed: I'm pretty sure the pet options are similar.

[SunflowerP]

So, big prayers for uncomplicated dental work and that a toothache is the worst of Waiyakki's problems and he will recover fully to live a long, healthy life.

(((Ashmire))) {{{Waiyakki}}} (the braces represent hugs-with-doggy-skritches)

Also praying that new vet will prove to be an excellent vet, whom you'll be happy to go to until they retire.

Sunflower

[EclecticWheel]

So, big prayers for uncomplicated dental work and that a toothache is the worst of Waiyakki's problems and he will recover fully to live a long, healthy life.

May Waiyakki be whole, happy, and well!  And also you!