Dog dental problems

Dog Dental Problems:

Tooth fractures.

The second biggest problem for dogs and their teeth is that hard chews can break the teeth, leading to infection inside the tooth (called endodontic disease). Dogs can break their teeth surprisingly easily, just from crunching down on hard rocks, cow hooves, and other tough substances. Many dogs are inclined to chew on hard things to exercise their gums. But the teeth used to chew are extremely vulnerable to fracture. Dogs chew in an up and down motion, which causes the object to slide off to the side of the tooth and may break it. This exposes the pulp tissue inside the tooth, and requires a veterinarian's attention.

Oral cancer

Animals eight years and older (less frequently young animals) can develop oral cancer. The third most common site for cancer is the oral cavity. In young animals, problems can involve tumors that affect the teeth directly. Odontomas are tumors that evolve from the tooth bud and, fortunately, are benign and if properly excised by a specialist will not return. If left in the mouth, they can grow and become locally damaging. Occasional checking of your pet's mouth and comparing your pet's teeth will help detect this tumor in its early stages and allow for timely removal by a veterinary dentist.

Unfortunately, most oral cancers are malignant which means they will not only grow locally but also can often spread or metastasize to other locations. Early detection offers the possibility of complete recovery. However, if the tumor has been present for a longer period of time and has aggressively invaded surrounding tissue, the oral surgeon often can only be palliative in his approach, by easing the dog's pain with medications.

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