Time for a Dentist?

[skyclad]

I'm a new member as of today. My dog is a mixed breed.......one half Yorkie and one half Pomeranian. She is going on 4 years old (in August) and generally is in very good condition and appears healthy in all respects but one. Her breath would knock you flat! I'm concerned that there might be a health issue at stake considering how gross her breath actually is.
We have never had any cleaning done on her teeth, mainly because we've heard they almost always have to be put under anesthesia........don't feel too comfortable with that, primarily due to her size (about 6 lbs.).
Does anyone have any comments on what might be the cause of the above, and what I might do to correct the problem. Thanks for all suggestions.
Sky

 

[Babyblue5290]

What do you mean by "cleaning done to her teeth"?
Have you ever brushed her teeth?
I brush my dogs teeth on a regular basis with dog toothpaste and toothbrush. It gets rid of the doggy breath and keeps their teeth healthy.

 

[skyclad]

Please keep in mind this is a topic I know very little about. We've never brushed her teeth. Is this something we need to do regularly and sounds like it requires a specialized brush and paste? If so, can I get this stuff at PetCo or something similar?
Thanks for any further suggestions.....

 

[Babyblue5290]

It's ok better late than never
Yes brushing should be done daily and you can find the toothpaste and toothbrush at petco. I like the ones that fit on your finger. It's much easier for me to brush my dogs teeth that way. You'll have to find a dog toothpaste, which you can get at PetCo, and dog toothbrush. Here's a good webpage explaining what to look for in a toothbrush and toothpaste:
http://www.floss.com/brushing_your_dogs_teeth.htm
I also wanted to mention your dog will probably not like having the toothpaste in it's mouth and will probably fight you on it. So I would suggest posting this in the Dog Health section. You'll get some good responses on how to desensitize your dog to the brushing. Good Luck.

 

[smkie]

bad breath can be caused by a variety of reasons..teeth being the most obvious..but not the only one..plaque build up does can directly lead up to heart disease..as well as abcesses and tooth loss. Your vet should be able to clean her teeth for you..since there is an odor problem..i think you need to consult the doc one way or the other..and if your vet is not comfortable working on such a small dog..they can direct you to someone that can.

 

[bubbatd]

Unless there's a bite problem, a dog this age should not have teeth problems causing bad breath. Good bones plus plaque removing toys usually take away bad breath. I've brushed older dog's teeth but have only 1 in 10 dogs needing vet cleaning. Do check with your vet.....something's going on. If you dog is on a soft food diet, this could be the reason.

 

[Gustav]

I agree with what everyone else has said!! I would if you are worried take her to the vets, if nothing else it will put your mind at ease!!

Welcome to the site anyway!! You will really love it!

 

[Barb04]

Welcome. Try posting this question in Dog Health Care section; it may get more responses.

 

[Renee750il]

One of the main causes of 'doggy breath' is poor quality dog food. Most people aren't really aware of just how bad most commercial dog food (the stuff you buy in the grocery store or Wal-Mart, like Purina, Pedigree, etc., Eukanuba/Iams products, Hills/Science DIEt, ad nauseum. You might want to check out some of the threads in the Dog Food forum.

 

[Mordy]

bad breath often occurs due to gingivitis, which is gum disease, caused by a poor quality diet.

are the teeth dirty, with plaque on them, and are the gums inflamed (red line where the theeth meet the gums)?

if so, have a professional cleaning done as soon as you can. yes, the dog has to be anesthetized for the procedure, but that is less of a problem than the infection that is carried from the inflamed gums throughout the entire body an can affect all internal organs.

after a vet has cleaned the teeth and assessed the situation, improve her diet and do everything you can to keep the teeth clean.

there is something you can do as a first step before you take her to the vet: improve her diet and give urtica urens tincture (not a homeopathic remedy, it must be the regular, undiluted tincture), 1 drop per pound body weight, once daily.

note: this does not replace your vet visit, it's just something you can do on your own to start resolving the problem.

 

[Scott]

My oldest Pom Hayden had this problem, he had a considerable buildup of plaque. He's 9 years old. Doctor said that if we didn't have a serious cleaning done his teeth would eventually fall out and he could starve. The claening worked great and he breath doesn't knock you down anymore.