Title: How to Determine Your Dog's Age By Its Teeth: 6 Steps
Headings: How to Determine Your Dog's Age By Its Teeth
How to Determine Your Dog's Age By Its Teeth
Part 1
of 2:
Understanding Your Dog’s Teeth
Part 2
of 2:
Estimating Your Dog’s Age
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About This Article
Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
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3
Understand how and why dog teeth wear down and decay. Tooth wear is a natural occurrence, but it can be accelerated by certain habits such as aggressively chewing on hard objects (bones, rocks, sticks) or in small dog’s without good dental care. On the other hand, some chewing is great for a dog’s dental health. Rawhides or “dental” chews can help dogs break down plaque and material on the teeth. Also understand how disease manifests. By age three, nearly 80% of dogs will exhibit signs of gum disease. This can be seen in the buildup of yellow and brown tartar, inflamed gums, and bad breath. Gum disease is more prevalent in small dog breeds.