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Old February 24th, 2016, 03:50 PM
MaryBethB. MaryBethB. is offline
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Loose teeth in healthy dog

First of all, I apologize if this has already been answered and I didn't find it.

I have two very loved and very spoiled Shih Tzus. They are 9 and 10 years old. Thankfully both are very healthy and active !

Here's my concern. About a month or so ago we found a tooth on the sofa. My husband brushes their teeth every night and determined that it was our little girl, Raven, the nine year old.

This morning he told me that last night he noticed her teeth seem loose.

I have several questions. And of course I will ask our vet as well but I know this site is very helpful and the members knowledgeable.

First: If we leave them alone(i.e. skip brushing for a while, give her soft food) might they tighten up ?

Second: Is brushing every night excessive. I think so but my husband feels it's good for them. (Not to put you in the middle of a marital disagreement. )

I was out for a bit this afternoon and when I came home she was holding her favorite toy in her mouth as she does every time we come home, wake up, or otherwise change the dynamics in the house. It made me wonder if we should not tug at the toy but teach her to drop it. She's not one to play tug of war with her toys, she lets go right away because she just wants to chase it, but the thought came into my head and I'm riddled with guilt. I really really don't like to tug at them but she's not the one to hold on for that. Her brother on the other hand.......

Thanks in advance for any help you can give!
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Old February 24th, 2016, 11:31 PM
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hazelrunpack hazelrunpack is offline
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Definitely talk to the vet about this. She may have a nutritional deficit or a health condition (most commonly, gum disease) causing her teeth to loosen.

As dogs get older, they seem more prone to losing teeth, for whatever reason. We've had older dogs that have lost teeth while tugging on toys with each other, and since her teeth seem loose already, it's probably best to discourage that game with her brother! If you can, only let her have that toy when she's alone with you--you can still play fetch with it as long as she drops it to hand.

I doubt that her teeth will tighten up if left alone, especially if it turns out to be gum disease. If it's a deficit, there might be some improvement once it's amended, but it's very hard to tighten up teeth once they've been loosened.

We brush our dogs' teeth every day and that's recommended, so I don't think that the brushing is causing the problem (sorry ). Just brushing alone, though, won't always clear the deposits below the gum line, which is why regular dental cleanings at the vet are also recommended.

For sure, I'd have her seen by a vet as soon as possible and find out what the problem is--once you have that answer, you can form a plan for fixing it.
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Old February 25th, 2016, 10:12 AM
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marko marko is offline
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Welcome to the forum MB
Along with the solid advice given by HRP, I just wanted to add that after your vet sees this, a lost tooth or 2 is normally not the end of the world and dooger will get along just fine.
Of course we want our pets to have great oral hygiene. That prolongs their overall health and lives. Not all dogs can be Colgate/Crest models as roughhousing and regular dog life can make dooger look more like a boxer who just lost a fight. The overall oral hygiene program is way more important.
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Old February 25th, 2016, 07:28 PM
MaryBethB. MaryBethB. is offline
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Thank you for your considered responses Hazel and Marko. I will definitely take her to the vet, and hubby will keep brushing those chompers.

She eats Holistic Selects but we have to be careful how we feed her. She's a chowhound and wolfs it down. We wonder if she's chewing it well enough to get the nutrition she should.

I'll also talk to the vet about vitamins, do you think?

Both dogs seem much younger than they are but I know I have to respect their advancing years.
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Old February 25th, 2016, 09:42 PM
Digston Digston is offline
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When the teeth in your pets mouth become mobile it almost always due to bone loss. This can have many causes but it is important to address to try to prevent further bone loss. A good idea would be to inquire about a dental prophy (cleaning). This will be done under general anesthesia. Make sure that your vet clinic does full mouth radiographs, as this will be the best way to tell how advanced the bone loss is and how many teeth are affected. Most likely all of the mobile teeth will require extraction, so go into the appointment with this knowledge. As well, most clinics offer free dental exams performed by technologists and in your case, given that you say your pup is healthy otherwise, this would be a good option.

As for vitamins, the diet you are feeding is formulated to have the necessary levels of vitamins and minerals required by your dogs. Extra supplementation is unnecessary, but if you feel that this would be beneficial, speak to a vet.
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