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Treating Abscessed Teeth in a Dog A tooth abscess is a pus pocket which can form around diseased tooth roots. The pus may build up and produce a large swelling. The most common tooth to abscess is the fourth upper premolar, or carnassial tooth. Infection of this large multi-rooted tooth of the upper jaw may lead to a large pus pocket in the facial tissues, which produces a swelling under the eye. The next most commonly affected tooth is the canine tooth, or fang. This long tooth is frequently affected by abscessation, and will sometimes produce a pus drainage tract into the nose. This results in sneezing, and sometimes a bloody or pus discharge will come from the nostril on that same side of the face. High fevers may occur. Keeping your pet’s teeth clean will reduce the chances of abscess formation. Advanced periodontal disease allows the tooth attachments to weaken around the roots, which encourages tooth root infection. Infection may also move from a tooth abscess into the bloodstream and shower other organs with bacteria, so good preventive dental health care is essential to help prevent tooth abscesses and other health problems. Treatment for abscesses involves surgery to extract the infected tooth, and to flush out the pus pocket. Cultures of pocket swabs are taken to grow and isolate the bacteria. This will allow the clinician to select the best possible antibiotic therapy when antibiotic sensitivity tests are also run. Pain killers are also prescribed to keep the pet comfortable after the extraction/flush, so that the dog may continue to eat while healing takes place. Because the most effective treatment for abscessation requires surgery, the emphasis should be on preventive dental care. Early signs of tooth infection include salivation, eating on one side of the mouth only, or sometimes dropping food out of the mouth; also preference for soft food over kibbles, and rubbing the face. Have your dog seen by your veterinarian immediately, even in between regular wellness visits, if you suspect an abscess is developing since these infections may blow up quite quickly, and are painful for the dog. With proper and prompt treatment, the prognosis for these abscesses is good. If left unattended, toxins from the infection may make the pet very ill, so it does not pay to wait! "Reprinted with permission from the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association ” H