Page 15 - Chow Life - Winter 2017

Tooth Trouble:

Dental Diseases and Deformities By Jeff Grognet, DVM

How often do you check your Small dogs can also have problems pitted or have craters in the enamel.
puppies’ or adult dogs’ mouths? with dental crowding, especially the This makes them prone to tartar or
It’s your chance to spot a dental brachycephalic breeds. The teeth decay.
abnormality and get it treated before may overlap or grow sideways. With Teeth can also have structural
problems arise. severe crowding, the veterinarian can abnormalities. We can see teeth with
Something you can see in any dog’s selectively extract less important teeth two crowns, or alternatively, a single
mouth is breakage of a tooth—just the to relieve the problem. crown with two (rather than one)
tip, or the entire crown. The problem Missing teeth are common in dogs roots. Some can stay, but others need
with any fractured tooth is that the and the lower jaw is the one most extraction. An assessment is in order.
pulp chamber—the fleshy part of the frequently affected. Though usually Thankfully, most dogs start out
tooth—is exposed to bacteria and an not an issue, teeth that have not with healthy teeth, but this changes
abscess is inevitable. Veterinarians erupted can create a dentigerous cyst over time. Plaque builds up, which
advise removing the tooth as soon as that grows so large it can weaken the then mineralizes to form tartar. Tartar
possible. bone to the point of fracture. If there houses bacteria, which infect gums,
The most common puppy dental is a space where a tooth should be, but these organisms also move to the
problem is retained deciduous teeth— have a dental radiograph done at 6 to liver, kidneys, and the heart valves.
baby teeth that don’t fall out. If two 8 months of age to make sure no tooth Dogs with “dirty” mouths often have
teeth (the deciduous and adult) are is present. If it is, consider removal. elevations in liver enzymes, showing
present at the same time, the baby Sometimes during the growth that the bacteria are poisoning the
tooth should be removed. This allows process, teeth do not form properly. body.
the adult tooth to finish erupting in its Commonly, this is a defect in the There is a solution for good dental
correct position. enamel. If a pup suffers from a body hygiene: Care for your dog’s mouth
A deciduous tooth can be a problem infection during the (adult) tooth like you do your own. Brush daily.
if a canine tooth (the large pointy one) forming process (2 to 5 months old), Provide treats, chew toys, and “dental”
in the lower jaw is involved. The baby the fever affects the enamel-forming diets to help keep teeth clean. And,
tooth forces the adult tooth so far cells and they don’t do their job. When most importantly, take your dog to
toward the midline that it can make a adult teeth finally erupt, the damage see your veterinarian for dental care,
painful hole in the palate. becomes evident—they can be starting as a puppy.
A malocclusion means that the
teeth are not in a normal position. Jeff Grognet is a veterinarian
For most dogs, a scissor bite with with a practice in British
the front bottom teeth immediately Columbia, Canada, and the
behind the upper teeth is desired. In regular nutrition and health
some breeds (e.g., Boxer), the bottom columnist for FAMILY DOG.
teeth are in front of the top ones. Any This article first appeared in
deviation from the breed standard is a the October 2010 AKC Gazette
malocclusion. and is reprinted with permission.
To read the online Gazette, visit
If the teeth are too far out of www.akc.org/pubs.
alignment, it can create problems with
teeth locking or excessive
wear due to rubbing.
In severe cases, some
teeth may need to be
extracted, reshaped, or
moved.

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