Sorry for the double post - not enough coffee.

Edited by Mike Arnold (10/12/2007 06:17 AM)
Edit reason: A double post

Okay, trying to answer all questions as I go -- forgive me if I missed anyone.

Sarah, they called my mother at 2:30 to let her know that they had started the procedure. I instructed them to do this. The voicemail on my phone from the vet was at 4:30 and she was coming out of anesthesia then. I am guessing she was done around 4. So the surgery was an hour and a half long. Bear in mind they also cleaned her teeth while she was under as she was due to have them done.

Nancy, my vet did not even discuss the idea of an RC without a cap to my mother. My mother was dead convinced that if there was no cap that it would fall out or break again. I repeat... this dog doesn't tug, she doesn't do bitework. She eats her food, and she retrieves dumbbells. This is a canine tooth, so it would not have assisted in the chewing progress. What I have found online suggests that front teeth are okay with no caps, but back teeth should be capped since they are used in chewing.

For the first few days, Tessie was incapable of even sticking out her tongue. Her face was a mess after she ate since the food stuck to her muzzle and she couldn't lick it off. The smart little beastie would hold the rimadyl tablets in her mouth until they were soft enough to gingerly chew a couple of times and then swallow.

I'm happy to say she is MUCH better now. I brought her in again on Saturday morning because yoooou guessed it, an abcess started to form. Uh, you made a huge hole in her mouth, scraped bacteria off her teeth, and refused to give me an antibiotic -- what did you THINK was going to happen, obnoxious vet techs? She is just finishing up her morphine-based pain medication and is on antibiotics for two weeks. FINALLY my dog is eating slightly-softened kibble and is back to training. (She was throwing herself onto the agility equipment yesterday like there was no tomorrow... poor thing has been bored out of her mind!)

You can read more detail on her updates on our dog blog, http://itsaspringthing.blogspot.com/ . Hope that's not advertising... I don't make any money off it anyway! :P