Zorro Dog isn’t feeling well today, and I’m worried about him. He’s got some swelling under his left eye, and in dogs – especially in small dogs – such swelling is generally related to an abscess in the third or fourth pre-molar. Because chihuahuas have such small heads, their teeth are much closer to their brains than say, those of a rottie or lab, so if the abscess bursts it can lead to brain infection and death. (Actually, even if it doesn’t burst infection is a serious issue – dogs can lose eyes as well as teeth from stuff like this.)
Dental issues are fairly common in toy breeds. Because their mouths are so small, getting a toothbrush in there for regular cleanings is a challange.
Then there’s Zorro’s medical history. My plucky little street survivor has a history of ideopathic epilepsy, and while he hasn’t had a grand mal seizure since 2002, he did have an “absence” seizure just last Tuesday, during a storm.
Oh, and let’s not forget that he’s got a stage three heart murmur.
So, we are stressing – I am stressing – over the fact that we can’t bring him in until Saturday, and I don’t want to wait that long, and this is also going to be horribly expensive – his last trip to the doggie dentist was around $500 – and he’s ten, so he’s a senior dog, which has its own issues.
We’ve made the “no extraordinary measures” decision already, and I’m probably worrying over nothing, but it’s upset the entire tone of my day.