Deciduous Teeth - BLECK!!

I'd like to think I'm a good Chi Mama. I feed one of the best/healthiest foods on the market, try to train/socialize the best I can & I've done everything the vets recommend, including spaying & neutering as early as possible (they recommend between 5-6 months). Of course we've not spayed Maribelle because we are hoping to breed her but if you're not going to show or breed, I say 7-8 months would be perfect! Otherwise you could face having to bring them back to be put under anesthesia to have their deciduous teeth (AKA retained baby teeth) removed. All I can say is thank the heavens above we waited to have Maxwell neutered until he was a tad older (7 1/2 months) otherwise all 4 of my Chi's would have to have a special dental day visit. UGH.

I was so worried about Matilda & Milo's 2 retained top canines & knew they needed them out or else plaque can build up & cause more problems. While it needs to be done I wasn't in too much of a hurry - so I thought I'd build up our vet fund a bit so I wouldn't drain it in one visit.

Ha! Their couple extra teeth is NOTHING compared to Maribelle's "rows" of shark teeth. She has won the award of the most deciduous teeth our vet has seen. YAY! I told them I counted 9 though they only put 6 on my quote. They only saw what I could show them with a not so thrilled Maribelle (poor thing is getting mighty sick of me checking out her chompers) or possibly they're cutting me a break with "forgetting" 3 teeth?? I'm sure a few could be tugged out w/o much trouble though...maybe that is why.

Anyway, they also gave me a pet dentists' name & phone number who is 2 hours away & told me it may be worth to call & get a quote. I nearly rolled on the floor laughing when they quoted me TWICE as much as our vets. I'm sure they're wonderful - they do look like a great vet but I'm confident enough with our vet to save myself several hundred dollars & four hours in the car (as you may know I *hate* long car rides plus Maribelle gets car sick).

My little lovey will be going in for radiographs & extractions this coming Tuesday...and Milo & Matilda will be having their 2 baby canines out the following Tuesday. So much for building up my vet fund enough so I won't drain it in one visit...or sorry TWO visits. But at least THEN they'll all have perfectly healthy toofers!!

I snapped these pictures the other day to have record of Mari's gorgeous teeth. I was going to wait to post them with some after shots but just so you can see what I'm talking about....