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  Discussion on Infection of Jaw bone
Author Message
Member:
Debhall

Posted on Thursday, Sep 1, 2005 - 5:46 pm:

Grayce is a 3yo that developed an E.Coli infection after the removal of a tooth. She has undergone 2 surgeries to scrape the bone and weekly curette procedures to remove more dead bone She had the tooth removed on June 20 of this year and developed the infection 10 days later her first surgery was July 1st and the second was July 15.She has had weekly xrays that showed dead bone and the bone was removed by curette.She has lost 75 pounds and her spirit is broken. Today hey told me that the bone under the next tooth has died.They removed this bone but told me that jawbone would continue to die.It was suggested I take her home and put her down(I live 2 hours from the Hospital) I took her home but I would like to make sure this is the only thing left to do. I raised Grayce since birth and I feel like I am loosing a child.
Member:
Hwood

Posted on Thursday, Sep 1, 2005 - 11:30 pm:

Just tried to post something to you, Grayce's Mom, so if this ends up being a double post, please bear with me.

I just wanted you to know that I don't know the answer to your question, but I do know the gut-wrenching feeling of not knowing what decision is the right one to make as you watch one that you love endure suffering. I wait with you for Dr. O's response, and I offer you hope because there ARE such things as miracles . . . and I also believe that there is good that comes to us through every experience in our lives, even when we can't see it. Comfort to your heart as you attempt to comfort Grayce during this time of illness.
Member:
Paul303

Posted on Friday, Sep 2, 2005 - 2:14 am:

I'm so sorry Deb. Is she receiving antibiotic treatment? What tooth was removed and why?
Member:
Debhall

Posted on Friday, Sep 2, 2005 - 9:14 am:

Thanks for the feedback yall. Yes she was on antibiotic treatment for six weeks,both iv and through beads given directly to the bone.The tooth was removed due to an injury to the jaw bone. I am not sure how she did this but I suspect she hit her jaw on a gate last summer. the tooth abcessed last fall and again in May. The tooth was removed in June and the bone abcess started in July. I brought her home before THE DAY comes to play and to be with the her friends. I have to go on a trip next week and will decide when I get back the best course of action.We are going to try to use some but old home remedies but I am trying not to have false hope that these will work. I do believe in miracles.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Saturday, Sep 3, 2005 - 8:37 am:

g'sm, the vet has made a prediction that there is no way he can know for sure when he says, "the bone will continue to die". There can be several reasons but ongoing infection is a likely problem. Antibiotic selection based on culture is the best route but there are some choices that can be made based on disposition in the bone: have you had a culture and what antibiotics have you used and how are you managing the cleaning of the mouth?
DrO
Member:
Debhall

Posted on Saturday, Sep 3, 2005 - 10:39 am:

Thanks for responding Dr O. We did culture the wound and used the antibiotics sensitive to E.Coli. The problem was there were just 4 antibiotics there were sensitive to the infection.We tried all of them IV ,oral and direct wound contact. I just brought her home to give comfort care and to see if nature can heal her.I feel that due to the distance from her home and the only contact that she had with me was limited to 1-2 hours a week had a lot to do with her poor healing process. I have put her in the pasture and have been just using the basic wound cleaning as it is draining yellow drainage with no odor.I do not know what else to do, since the antibiotics did not help, she is not receiving any now.I have her back on her regular feeding of crimped oats ,vitamins,minerals and added rice bran. I also added a colostrum mix(I really am out there with this one)to boost her immune system. I wet the feed so she can eat it, as she has ulcers in her mouth. I have Roumpin and Bute for her pain control but she really seems to be comforted more by my presence more than anything. Am I doing the right thing by just hanging on to a hope the this will resolve on its own? Just to look at her from a distance she looks so normal .She runs ,eats, nickers. But I know that it is only a matter of time until her body will be unable to fight the infection. I am delaying the end result?
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Sunday, Sep 4, 2005 - 9:07 am:

Can you tell me which antibiotics were suggested and which were not effective?
DrO
Member:
Paul303

Posted on Sunday, Sep 4, 2005 - 10:59 pm:

How MUCH bone has been destroyed so far? Is it possible to post any of the x-rays? At her age, it seems that, if the infection can be stopped she should do all right. It sounds as though she had a whopper of an abscess ( probably due to an injured tooth ), that drained for awhile ( fall )then closed up and festered inside until it broke through again in May.

Did they hit her heavy with antibiotics before the tooth removal and immediately following? It almost sounds as though the extraction site did not close properly, creating what is known as a "dry socket". No one's fault, it happens. It's just that it creates a perfect environment for any opportunistic infection to fester. My thought would be that if there were no response to previous antibiotics, then perhaps another organism has become involved.

I've been in dentistry since 1966, and, if I had $5.00 for every person who developed a dry socket and subsequently, moderate to massive cellulitis afterward and is fully recovered and healthy today....well, boy would I be in great shape today.
Member:
Debhall

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 14, 2005 - 9:22 am:

I have been away for 10 days so sorry for the response delay. Grayce was on Baytril, Penicillin. I know she was given all of the antibiotics that was sensitive to E.coli. she was cultured twice and this is want was causing the infection. She is home now with the draining wound and we are cleaning it twice a day. I know that this is not getting to the infected bone but it does look better from the outside. We are trying to get some weight on her and I plan to contact another vet. at the School of Vet. at Mississippi State for a second opinion. I have just let mother nature do the rest.She is happy and appears pain free at the moment
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