Title: How Old Is My Dog? 5 Tips for Determining Your Dog’s Age | PetMD
Headings: How Old Is My Dog? 5 Tips for Determining Your Dog’s Age
How Old Is My Dog? 5 Tips for Determining Your Dog’s Age
PetMD Editorial
How Old Is My Dog? 5 Tips for Determining Your Dog’s Age

Content: After that, using teeth to estimate age is tricky, she says. “ After all the permanent adult teeth emerge, they only change over time by accumulating tartar, stains, or other signs of disease. The rates at which these changes occur vary widely by dog face shape, breed background, diet, and the dental care that is provided.” After a dog’s adult teeth have erupted, there isn’t an accurate way of aging a dog based on their dentition, says Dr. Heather Loenser, veterinary advisor for the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA). “ Well-cared for teeth in a 15-year-old dog could look healthier than a 5-year-old dog who’s been allowed to chew on hard toys.” There are exceptions. Lund says some young dogs can have tartar and plaque buildup on their teeth fairly early in life. “ But moderate to severe amounts of tartar and staining or broken teeth often lead us to rule dogs out of the youngest adult class if no other evidence for youthfulness is evident.” If you’re up to it, take a whiff of your dog’s breath. Buechner-Maxwell says older dogs tend to have particularly bad breath, “especially if their teeth have not received regular dental care and have significant gum or tooth disease.”