Dog teeth care

[TitanicTweedy]

The obvious answer will be to take them to the vet!

However, my rescue dogs teeth seem to be degrading quickly. Is it possible hard chews are making it worse? They are only a few years old but can only have "short lived" chews as they would become possessive of a dog bone which is the conventional wisdom for dog dental ...

[Bowyn Aerrow]

If the teeth are wearing away rapidly, then yes hard chews are a bad idea. However there is a problem with giving a dog too much soft food as kibble is designed to have the right hardness to cause sufficient resistance to help scrape the teeth as the dog bites down.

Rescue dog... rescued from what - abuse/neglect? IF so then the dog may have deficiencies. If as a puppy the dog was starved for long periods of time he could have long term nutritional deficiencies which have lead to weaker teeth (and possibly weaker bones as well) I bet the whole slew of tests will run around $700.00 USD, however a good vet can be a bit more selective of which tests.

Dogs also get periodontal disease (gum disease) and other issues as well, thus annual check-ups for teeth is highly recommended.

Age plays a factor. If your dog is close to or over the breed's average lifespan, then you are looking at geriatric issues - same as old people having lots of health issues.

I personally would take away bones and rawhide and other hard chews until we see the vet and get a professional opinion based on what the vet sees in the dog.

[jimcrackcorn]

I have two little dogs that I adopted from the humane society. Both eat the same food, drink the same water, and get the same treats everyday. One is 6 years old and the other is 7.

One of them has never had a problem with her teeth,,, while the other has his teeth cleaned twice a year but has lost 6 teeth anyway...

I really don't know why one of my dogs has bad teeth while the other has perfect teeth,,,, I just pay the Vet bills and try to keep my little dogs healthy.

[TitanicTweedy]

Thanks guys mile: