An Ounce Of Prevention =

a pound of cure. This is applicable to the dental care for small dogs, especially, as often their mouths are too small for tooth brushes and all those teeth can become crowded in such a tight space. The first line of defense? Tooth extraction. Often, vets will extract any deciduous teeth when the dog is under general anesthetic for routine spay/neuter. Sometimes, these teeth are not quite ready to be pulled and a follow-up visit to check for stubborn baby teeth may be in order. That is what happened to Joey and Pixie. They are both in at the vets today to have their upper baby canines removed as they are still hanging on for dear life. If left unattended, the crowded teeth offer food particles a place to catch and rot. If your dog has persistent bad breath, it is likely due to tooth decay or food that has become caught between teeth. Making certain that your dog, regardless of his size, has appropriate dental care is key in maintaining overall health.

I've seen too many toothless dogs that are sentenced to mushy food because they've lost all or most of their teeth due to rotting. Budget for dental care when you decide to get a dog and give the topical treatments a try. For my dogs, I use a gel once each day that helps prevent decay and tartar buildup. It keeps their teeth pearly white and negates the need for toothbrushes.