An unusual case of canine oro-nasal fistula
Channel: Dr David Sing
Date: 13/04/2014

This 5-year-old poodle had a non-healing facial wound below the right eye at a young age of around 3 years old. Usually dogs older than 5 years suffer from this carnaissal tooth abscess, also known as oro-nasal fistula.

One year ago, Vet 1 had diagnosed this condition and extracted the right upper carnaissal tooth. The facial wound did not close and the senior vet did some surgery and said that the wound would heal. 

Yet pus and/or blood kept oozing out for the past year. Why?
On examination, I noted what looked like a remnant of the crown of the carnaissal tooth, around 3 cm x 3 cm. It was possible that there is still some parts of the infected root of the tooth present.

X-rays would be needed rather than going in blindly to extract. Two X-rays provided by the senior vet were before extraction and so were not of much relevance.

The dog was put on oral medication for 6 days. A blood test was taken and X-rays would be done next week.

Veterinary medicine is full of surprises as in the psersistence of the facial wound after extraction of the carniassal tooth. 

In my over 20 cases, the facial wounds closed after surgery. So, could this be more than just a simple carnaissal tooth abscess? Good X-fays would be needed.