Pedro, problem with teeth and gums? +photo

[filip]

Hello,

I am here on behalf of my eight year old miniature Dachshund Pedro.
I've noticed recently some strange discoloration on his teeth. He is a jumpy dog and it is difficult to get a look inside his mouth. So, I took a quick photo of the inside of his mouth, as you can see the result is not very attractive.

I was wondering if this is a serious problem, and if I should consult a vet. We don't have much money and this little dog has problems with cooperating with vets so I wanted to get some opinions before hand. Are we just taking bad care of his teeth and is this normal with age? Or should we be worried?

Thank you for your time,
-filip

[Shaykeija]

yep you have to get that taken care of, so a vet visit is in order. Pup needs his teeth cleaned. Perhaps giving mim a raw beef bone to chew on will help. Hmm now can we see the rest of him. We like pictures here.

[hazelrunpack]

We brush our dogs' teeth every day with an enzymatic toothpaste, but still take them in for a thorough cleaning every 3 to 5 years to make sure it's clean under the gum. Once you see that dark staining, it's a good indication that they need to have a cleaning done, filip. Dogs get gum disease just like people do, so you should definitely have Pedro's teeth evaluated by a vet.

And I'll second that request for pics! Welcome to the board!

[filip]

Thanks so much for your replies.
Here are some pictures and some more questions:

[IMG][/IMG]

Do they put a dog under when they clean his teeth?

Shaykeija, do you give your dog real beef bones or the pet store stuff?
I get him chews from pet stores every once in a while, and he takes them reluctantly, sometimes he doesn't even finish them. (don't really blame him)

[rainbow]

First of all welcome to the forum and hope to see pics of Pedro as well.

I agree that Pedro needs to go to the vet to have his teeth cleaned. If it is not done then eventually bacteria can enter the bloodstream and cause heart, kidney or liver problems.

Here is a website with some information .....

http://www.virbacvet.com/cet/periodontal_disease/

[ScottieDog]

Pedro is a handsome boy!

The vet does put the dog under anesthesia for the cleaning. For a senior dog, I would recommend having a pre-surgical blood panel done first. This lets the vet have an idea of organ function and see if there are red flag issues that could cause the dog to have problems processing the anesthesia.

I'm not sure where you are, but I know that in the States some vet clinics offer a dental discount during February. This would be worth checking out.

I try to brush my dog's teeth daily, but in reality is is 4-5 times a week. Which reminds me, I need to go do this. Good luck to Pedro.

[rainbow]

Now I must be totally losing it cuz I sure don't remember seeing the pics before my last reply.

Pedro is very handsome indeed.

I agree that it is best to get a blood panel done before surgery for the reasons that ScottieDog mentioned. February is also Dental Health month in Canada as well and most vets offer a 10% discount as well as a freebie bag of stuff to take with you. Don't let them talk you into buying their Dental Formula dog food though. Raw feeding is the best but if that is not an option for you then you should definitely feed Pedro a grain free dog food.

[filip]

Thanks for the answers and tips!
We'll be sure to make Pedro an appointment.

Here are some more photos of the hansom devil, as well as one of his mother Myszka (Mouse).

[angeldogs]

Both Pedro and Myszka are beautiful looking furkids.

[rainbow]

Myszka is very pretty ....is she a double dapple doxie?

[Shaykeija]

cute dogs....I give mine soup bones from the grocery store. But I scoop out the marrow, it gives mine the poops..

[hazelrunpack]

They're both gorgeous furbabies, filip! Thank you for sharing!

[snorklepuss]

I agree raw bones and more bones the better. Some can't handle marrow for sure and there may be a little runny poohs till he get used to the raw meat but just go to the local butchers and buy 5 bucks worth of bones and see what happens, have some labs that we used to brush there teeth but the bones seem to be doing the job even agreed by my vet.