Why Are My Dog's Teeth Stained?

Most people don't spend a lot of time thinking about their dog's teeth. Not until they notice their dog has stained teeth, tartar, bad breath or bad teeth. The truth is that your dog's teeth are very much like your own. They need attention throughout your dog's life. Your dog's teeth can become stained the same way that yours can - from the things he eats and from not being brushed or cared for.

Left unattended for years, your dog's teeth will become stained and yellow. They can even become brown and develop tooth decay. Many dogs develop very bad teeth by the time they are seniors which can mean they have problems eating. This can lead to them losing weight or having health problems. These problems often go unnoticed because people think that bad breath, weight loss and lack of appetite are signs of old age when, in fact, your older dog is not eating because of his dental problems.

You can prevent many of these problems later in life by caring for your dog's teeth throughout his life. This will stop any staining before it starts. There are some good ways to care for your dog's teeth and none of them are very labor-intensive for you.

1. Brush your dog's teeth regularly. This isn't hard to do and it only takes a few minutes each week. You can buy a toothbrush and toothpaste made for dogs (beef or peanut flavor are good choices) at your local pet store. A little dab of the toothpaste and most dogs think it's a treat to have their teeth brushed.

Dental Chews

2. Provide your dog with dental chews. Several companies make them and you can buy them at the pet store or where you buy dog food.

3. Give your dog raw bones to chew and eat. Raw bones are great for scraping the teeth and keeping them pearly white. You can give your dog chicken wings or necks, for instance. Marrow bones are also good. Make sure they are raw - cooked bones can cause problems.

Hill's Science Oral Care dog food

4. If your dog has teeth that are in really bad shape you may want to consider a dog food that is designed to clean the teeth and remove tartar. There are a couple of these dental dog foods on the market.

At some point in your dog's life, he may need to have his teeth cleaned by your veterinarian but this is not a routine procedure at this time. It requires the use of anesthesia to put your dog to sleep. If your dog needs a tooth removed or has some other specific problem, most people get the teeth cleaned at that time.

If you follow the suggestions offered here to keep your dog's teeth clean then your dog shouldn't have any staining.

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