At Paragon we often come across a variety of dental injuries, whether it be from stones, sticks, dog fights, trauma or dental disease.
All these can be very painful if they are left untreated, which is why it is important to do regular health checks on your pet’s mouth. Common signs to look out for are bad breath, pawing at the mouth, drooling, not wanting to eat/drink, sore to touch around their mouth, discoloured teeth and any lumps in or around their mouth.
It is important that if you see something stuck in your pet’s mouth to leave it there and contact the vet straight away. If you remove the object, you can cause more damage.
We often see damaged canine teeth where pets have been playing with other animals or objects that are too hard for them to chew. If they break or fracture a tooth, there is a possibility they will lose that tooth. This will mean them coming for a general anaesthetic to remove the broken or fractured tooth.
Dental injury can also be caused by dogs over chewing objects which, in time, can cause the pulp of the tooth to be exposed. If the pulp is exposed this could lead to the tooth being removed or a root canal being performed. A root canal is a specialist procedure so would need to be done by a veterinary dental specialist.
It is nearly impossible to prevent all dental injury from happening. You can swap sticks for a dog toy when out on walks and throw a soft ball, instead of a stone, in water. If your pet likes to chew, this could be a sign of boredom. Try to dissuade them from chewing by substituting the object they are chewing with a puzzle toy or play with them and reward them.
It is important to regularly check for oral growths, ulcers, gum disease or cuts that could be causing pain.
If you notice any changes in your pet’s mouth it is best to get them checked out as soon as possible to prevent it from getting worse. Performing regular tooth brushing on your pet’s teeth will help you spot any injuries.
If you are struggling to get your pet used to having their teeth brushed, we offer dental clinics where the nurse will demonstrate tooth brushing. Dental experts recommend daily tooth brushing or at least every other day for it to be effective.