yellow teeth in potentially adopted dog

Question

Hi. My family and I found a dog at an animal shelter that we are interested in adopting. They estimate that she is 7 years old. She is a black lab and gave birth to puppies a few months ago. The shelter does not have a vet on sight so once we get her, she's ours.
My main concern is that her teeth are yellow and all the ones in the rear are significantly worn down. At this point, she does not appear to have a problem eating. I want to know if this could be a major problem/expense for us if we get her.
Also, she has been in a kennel for a long while and sometimes still pees inside. Can having babies so recently be affecting her ability to hold it or is this mostly from being in a kennel so long? Her current foster mom says the dog, Hanna, can make it all night.
Thank you for your time. We have a 2-year-old and want to make a good choice for our family and the new addition.

Answer
Hi Rebecca,

Hanna should have a vet exam upon adopting her, and an oral exam should be part of her whole body examination.

It's an unfortunate fact, but most dogs do not get the dental care they need. The At 7 years old, the chances are high that Hanna is having some tooth decay, or periodontal disease. Prices will vary from vet to vet, and by location. Try calling local vet offices and asking what they charge for a dental exam, possible extractions, and tooth cleaning, to get an idea of what this could run. Also contact your local Humane association or animal shelters to see if they know of any reduced cost animal hospitals in your area.

If this dog is truly housetrained and is having accidents inside, it can mean she's got a urinary tract infection or possibly incontinence related to her estrogen hormone levels. Both are fairly common to female dogs. There is medication available to assist in urinary incontinent dogs, includes hormonal replacement, or the use of direct bladder sphincter stimulants.

I hope I've been a help.
Best of luck,

Patti