Guest Blog Regarding Your Dog's Teeth #2
Here is another guest blog from my friend, Dr. Stephen Riback
from the Dept. of Dentistry at The Animal Medical Center-New York City
Are bones healthy for your dog’s teeth?
When we go to pet stores, and shop for toys for our dogs, we always want to come home with a nice toy for our best friend and many times it’s a hard bone. We all recognize that chewing hard things such as un-popped popcorn kernels can break teeth, yet we never think about what might be harmful for our dog’s teeth. Just like human teeth, dog teeth are made up of a thick layer of dentin covered by a thin layer of enamel. Structurally, a dog’s teeth no stronger than our teeth, yet their jaws are much more powerful than ours. If you feed a dog a hard treat such as a nylon bone, deer antler, cow hoof, butcher bone or a bully stick, many times, it’s not the bone that breaks, but rather the tooth. My rule of thumb is if you think a hard dog toy might break your tooth, never feed it to your dog.
Are tennis balls good for your dog’s teeth?
We always see certain breeds, such as the retrievers (Labrador or Golden Retrievers being the most common) playing with balls on the beach or in the park. While dogs can be masters at catching balls and playing “fetch,” the fuzz on tennis balls can be quite abrasive. Over several years of playing fetch, may retrievers will develop dental abrasion, or wear of their teeth, especially their canine teeth (fangs). Most of the time, this dental abrasion happens slowly giving the pulp (the nerve and blood vessels keeping the teeth alive) a change to retreat away from the injury. If the tooth is worn too quickly, the pulp chamber may be affected and kill the tooth. If you notice flattening of your dog’s canine teeth from playing ball, it’s time to replace the tennis ball with a non “fuzzy” ball.
For more information, you can contact Dr. Michael Krochak at
drk@nycsmilespa.com
NYC Smile Spa
30 E. 60th St., Rm 1201
New York, NY 10022
(212) 838-2900
Relax and smile!
