I adopted a ferret with a chipped tooth.  Unfortunately the tooth did not
heal or die, it had an open pulp line and caused an abscess under his
chin.  He had been treated with antibiotics to keep the infection down,
but until the tooth was either pulled or possibly a root canal, the
abscess remained.  The shelter vet was leery about pulling it, since
there was a good possibility that it might cause a cracked mandible.  The
shelter could just not afford a root canal.  They did the best they could
keeping the infection from getting worse or spreading.
 
The first thing I did when I adopted him was to take him to a veterinary
dentist.  A root canal was performed.  It was a bottom fang, by the way.
The abscess slowly healed and has not returned.  It never seemed to bother
Dexie much, but after all was done, he sure did eat a bit more.  And he
was big to begin with.  Just in case you're interested, the root canal was
about $500.  The same as a human, No smaller price for smaller tooth.  It
was well worth it to see him smiling all the time.
 
Come see our ferrets...
 www.geocities.com/huronna
[Posted in FML issue 3684]