There are many causes of toothache in dogs, such as gum infection or swelling, tooth decay, broken teeth, tartar accumulation, etc. However, dogs cannot verbalize their discomfort like humans can. Being able to identify the signs or symptoms that your dog may be in pain due to dental problems is a very important responsibility for pet owners.
What signs will dogs tell their owners that they have toothache or pain in their mouths?
- Unusual Drooling Dogs may drool while chewing on treats and toys, but may drool more often than usual when their teeth are in pain.
- Healthy dogs generally do not have bad breath, but tooth decay or oral infection can cause bad breath in dogs.
- Dogs with loss of appetite and toothache will usually eat less than usual because chewing will cause them pain, or they will suddenly stop eating soon after starting, or even make whining or painful sounds when spitting out food.
It should be noted that loss of appetite is related to many health problems, so whether the loss of appetite is caused by toothache or not, owners should take their dog to the veterinary clinic for a check-up. - Sneezing and runny nose Sneezing and runny nose are symptoms of gum disease, and owners should pay special attention to these symptoms if they occur for a long time, as gum disease can cause the bones between the nose and mouth to thin.
- Unilateral Chewing When one side of your tooth hurts, you will only chew on the side that does not hurt.
- Suddenly walking away When you pet your dog, but the dog suddenly moves away, you may have indirectly touched the sore spot in the mouth while petting.
- Oral changes Swelling on one side of the mouth, inflamed or bleeding gums, broken or missing teeth, can all be noticed with the naked eye during a routine oral exam.
Reasons for oral problems
In addition to the owner's failure to conduct regular oral examinations and cleanings for the dog, some dietary and lifestyle habits are also causes of oral and dental problems.
- Diet problems: Dogs are carnivores themselves, so most of their teeth are pointed and used for cutting food. Only the last teeth are relatively flat and used for grinding food. This structure is the tooth structure that makes it easy for dogs to eat meat and prevents teeth from getting stuck.
But now dog owners mainly feed dry food, the main ingredients of which are starch, sugar, etc., which are sticky and stick to any tooth structure. It also easily increases the acidity in the mouth and increases the damage to the teeth. damage, leading to tooth decay. - Lifestyle Habits Dogs themselves like to bite. Dogs will feel happy when biting things, especially bones, which makes them happier. In addition to making dogs happy, biting also has the effect of cleaning teeth. So remember to bite the bones harder than the dog.
ps The dried bones on the market are cooked and must not be used, because cooked bones become hard and brittle and can easily get stuck in the esophagus and stomach, causing bleeding in minor cases and requiring surgery to remove them in severe cases. So everyone should be careful when choosing bones that are suitable for dogs to chew on!