imt and dental cleaning

In March my 11 yr old Shih Tzu had IMMUNE-MEDIATED THROMBOCYTOPENIA.  Once she recovered, the vet did not want to give her any immunizations except for the Rabies vaccine.  The new vet at the same clinic now wants to vaccinate my dog and also clean her teeth.  Is it ok to give my dog vaccines and anesthesia to clean her teeth?  Our regular vet is no longer available.  

[Jennifer Mathis, D.V.M.]

Vaccination is questionable.  It may not happen again - or it may.  Using a recombinant vaccine will reduce the chances that it will happen. ie ask your new veterinarian which brand of vaccines they use and see if they can get in a dose of a recombinant one specifically for your dog in order to update the vaccinations.  You may also decline vaccinations, but it is your pet that may be at risk.  Using an intranasal vaccine for bordatella (if required, but is beneficial) will also be a type that should not contribute to imt.

As for dentistry - it has nothing really to do with imt.  It is very important to your little girl's health to have a dental cleaning  under anesthesia.  Be sure they use IV catheters for safety during the procedure, as it 1) helps maintain blood pressure, 2) helps speed recovery, 3) helps flush bacteria from the mouth through the system  -- thus reducing any complications of any sort.  It will really help to be sure your veterinarian can take dental xrays.  Most of the problem lies just under the gum line.  Teeth are like ice bergs - we can't see what's happening under the water unless we get in the water.  Likewise, we can't see what's happening under the gum line unless we take xrays to see the remaining 2/3 of the tooth  that is under the gumline.

Pets with good dental care live an average of two years longer quality life compared with pets that don't!  Dentistry will really help her.  There have been many times I've been surprised by what I've found on xray and how severe the changes really were.  It has lead to tooth extraction, but a pet is better off without a tooth than a painful tooth.  The bite strength is in the jaw - so they can chew just as easily after the tooth is removed and healed than if there was a healthy tooth present.  Most owners have been surprised to learn of a painful tooth in their pet - they often don't show much change.  I have every owner return in 2 weeks, complimentary so I can ensure things have healed correctly.  EVERY owner has told been often to their surprise -- how much more playful their pet is now that the painful tooth has been removed and again, most weren't even aware their pet was in pain in the first place.

If you have further questions, please don't hesitate to ask.