Sewer Breath *GAG*, Weird Tongue Problem. Update! Back From The Vet.

[Lyn]

I don't know what the heck is going on but Lola's breath is horrid.. it smells like sewage. Nasty! At first I assumed it was because she was teething. I looked in her mouth and her teeth all look fine. No plaque buildup, no retained baby teeth.. no nothing. 

What also worries me is that about the time that the sewer breath started she also started sticking her tongue out. It just hangs out of her mouth, whether she's sleeping or awake and it dries out like and feels like leather. If you lift her lips up she isn't closing her mouth completely. She can close her jaws tight.. but it's like her tongue is too long and it folds up behind her front teeth. It's just odd..

She also has a raised 'spot' in the roof of her mouth right behind her front teeth. Let's see if I can explain it. It's like thickened skin. I've pressed on it and it doesn't bother her. Maybe an old injury? Scar tissue? It's the same color as the rest of her mouth. I'll have to see if I can get a pic. I'm not sure if that has anything to do with this tongue thing or not. But her tongue would be pressing against that spot.

I know the sewer breath could be related to tummy issues.. poor digestion. Maybe digestive enzymes would help in the meantime? I give them to Bubba so I have some here already.

Has anyone encountered anything like this? We are taking her to the vet after New Years but I just thought I'd run it by you all and see what you think. 

[Lyn]

Ok I did some searching and found this stuff so far..

'Drop jaw syndrome' Doubtful since her jaw is only open a crack. The pics I saw the jaw was hanging open and didn't seem to affect the tongue.
'Rabies'.. extremely doubtful.. thank god!
'Improper Tooth Alignment' Possible, since it seemed to co-inside with her teething but her teeth look straight to me. I guess even one slightly out could cause a problem.

I'm going to searching now because I'm freaking myself out. LOL

[schelmischekitty]

sure hope you find out what's going on!  sheeba has horrible breath and butt stink, not gas, her butt just stinks, but her tongue is always wet.  let us know!

[Lyn]

I never even thought of a deep abcess since it looks 'healed'. Makes since though.. the smell is horrible. My stomach litterally turns when she breaths on me. So I can just imagine how bad it tastes to her. Bleh! 

The vet is probably going to have to knock her out for this since she barely holds still long enough for me to look in her mouth. He's going to check her teeth too and possibly take an x-ray to check her jaw alignment.

Right now I'm waiting on for someone to cancel an appointment. He's completely booked up until the second week in January. No room to even squeeze me in like he usually does. Before and after christmas is just crazy there... go figure.

As soon as I can get her in there, I'll let you all know what he says. 

[Lyn]

Woohoo! I think my vet got tired of me calling and pestering him. LOL I'm to call at 10am Tuesday and they will see about squeezing us in.

Also... I re-checked Lola's teeth (she was crashed out snoring.. lol) and I compared her teeth placement to Bubba's (I know, I know.. but I didn't have anything better to do and they were sleeping side by side so it was easy.. ) and her teeth 'fit' the same way Bubba's do. So I must be on glue. haha

Ohhh edit.. I found pics for the breed stardard.. Compared to those Bubba has a scissor bite.. Lola's is a even bite.

Still doesn't explain why her tongue hangs out all the time though. I don't think an infection would cause her to do that.

[Krystal_00]

im curious to where you found the breed standard to compare lola's teeth to? id love to take a look at it, since some of macks teeth are pretty out of whack.

[shangrila]

Still doesn't explain why her tongue hangs out all the time though. I don't think an infection would cause her to do that.

Zoey's mouth hangs out all the time too - whether she's sleeping or awake, her tongue is always out

[Lyn]

im curious to where you found the breed standard to compare lola's teeth to? id love to take a look at it, since some of macks teeth are pretty out of whack.

Here's the link.. It just shows the proper bite not each tooth though. It covers everything from head to tail with pictures.

http://www.saintbernard.org/IC/ic.html

I compared Lola's teeth to Bubba's since he has a proper scissior bite. After I posted lastnight I got hubby to look and he thinks Lola's bottom jaw is turned to the left a bit. Definitely weird and hopefully it's nothing serious. The vet did say that even just one mis-aligned tooth can throw their jaw out of whack.

shangrila, Lola's tongue is droopy. Like it's numb. I don't know how else to explain it. It's not like that all the time though. I'd say about 85% of the time.

[Lyn]

Here's a good shot of what I mean about Lola's tongue. In this pic she's actually biting it. 

[Lyn]

I know!! My little puppy is gone!

The last vet visit she had was for her last needles. She's been healthy as a horse until this..

The tongue thing started during teething for sure. I'd say mid way through. I think I've posted about it before somewhere. lol. I'll look and see if I can find it. Her breath has also been bad since teething started but I know their breath can get a little funky during teething.. that and she was a poop eater. So I didn't think much of it then.

The lump in the roof of her mouth I just noticed recently when I fishing around in there for a piece of plastic that she took off with. Then I noticed the smell and I know she has not eaten any poop in the past couple weeks. Then I knew something for sure was going on.. So that's when I called my vet and posted here. 

I'm a nervous wreck. I'll be glad once Tuesday finally arrives. *Crossing my fingers they can squeeze us in*

[Lyn]

Ah ha! I found my old post. She was almost 5 months old when the tongue thing started.

http://www.bigpawsonly.com/index.php/topic,12464.0.html

[Lyn]

Lola's vet appointment is today at 3pm. I'll let you all know how it's goes. 

[PennyK]

Hoe all goes well!

[Anakalia]

Good luck today Lyn!   

[schelmischekitty]

good luck!  i hope all goes well, don't forget to update us!  just a thought, IF it is an abscess, she might keep her tongue out because the rubbing would irritate it?