Title: How old is my dog? | How veterinarians estimate dog age | Embark
Headings: How Old is Your Dog? How Veterinarians Estimate Dog Age
How Old is Your Dog? How Veterinarians Estimate Dog Age
Body Shape
Lens Clarity
Coat Color
Teeth
Breed + Health Kit
In Summary
Breed + Health Kit

Content: Teeth
Dogs’ adult teeth are usually all in by about six months of age. Before then, your vet can age puppies by their teeth (and obvious puppyhood) with extremely high accuracy. But once they’re all in, it gets tougher. Generally, dental disease, like tooth wear and loss, periodontal disease, and accumulation of dental calculus or tartar increases with age. But this is confounded by genetics: For example, small breed dogs tend to have more severe dental disease than large dogs. Regardless of size, some dogs accumulate tartar very young whereas others are tartar-free into their senior years. It is also confounded by behavior: in a past life, did your pup chew on bones, or rocks? But depending on the dog, teeth can be a valuable piece of information (and give me an idea of whether your dog might have a cleaning in his or her future).