How to understand that a dog has toothache?

For some reason, a considerable part of animal lovers are of the opinion that tooth decay, periodontitis and other dental diseases affect only people. But in reality they are very much mistaken. And our smaller brothers are also suffering from these diseases - for example, dogs may well get periodontal disease. Does the owner have the opportunity to realize that the dog does not suffer from anything, but is tormented by toothache?

Yes, there is such an opportunity. In this case, one must remember the obvious: a four-legged friend is not able to tell what specifically causes him severe pain and gives unpleasant sensations. Thus, there is a good chance that the pet suffers from severe pain in the gums.

General Information, Possible Teeth Problems

First of all, one does not need to think that periodontal disease is a pathology that is dangerous only for the oral cavity: the bacteria that cause this disease are very likely to penetrate the body and cause pathologies of even greater severity. In this connection, it is recommended to carefully monitor how the four-legged friend behaves, and at the first sign of problems with his health - show the dog to the veterinarian.

In order to determine whether a dog has periodontal disease, you don’t have to push your head into the jaws of the dog, as many believe. In fact, everything is more than obvious.

Here are the most pronounced indicators of the disease:

1. The mouth exudes an unpleasant odor. Under the influence of hostile microflora, tissues rot and decay, provoking an inflammation reaction, which causes a very unpleasant odor. Of course, the aroma of “alpine meadows” should not come from the dog’s mouth, but the obvious smell of rot is a mandatory indicator of violations in the dog’s body and sores that have appeared.
2. Gums are sore. This pathology is scientifically called gingivitis. The gums are red, swollen and sore - which means the disease is present. It occurs due to the multiplication of pathogenic microorganisms in the dog’s mouth. They feed on pieces of food stuck in the teeth, while managing to form plaque, which, once between the root of the tooth and gum, provokes an inflammation reaction. From this, teeth can begin to hurt, and it even happens that “non-hazardous” gingivitis causes destruction of the bone tissue of the dental alveoli. Or even worse, the jaw bone becomes inflamed.
3. The presence of plaque and tartar on tooth enamel. When there is not enough hard food in the dog’s diet, the previously mentioned plaque will accumulate on the surface of the teeth, and then it will begin to mineralize. If, knowing about this, do not act, the teeth will cover over time with a kind of crust. And under its layer, all kinds of unhealthy and harmful microorganisms that cause harm will begin to multiply.
4. Flux (the dog's face swells and swells). This personally visible sign shows that there are obvious problems with the dog’s teeth. With a serious infection, the gums and the tissues adjacent to them are swollen so much that it can be seen without any special tools. In some cases, everything ends with a small swelling, and sometimes the muzzle swells so much that it becomes fat, like a hamster. If the case is started, then the abscess bursts and the pus comes out. Not to see this is difficult enough.
5. Food is difficult to chew. If the dog, which had a very good appetite and eats everything given by the owner, suddenly began to eat like a bird - little by little and a little bit, then you should carefully look at what is wrong with it.Looking into the canine's oral cavity, you can see a sad picture - some teeth turned black and staggered, or even broke off right at the root. Putrefactive and inflammatory processes in this case contribute to the emergence of very severe pain, therefore, when the owner tries to at least touch a problem tooth, the animal begins an inadequate reaction - the dog growls, howls, whines, makes attempts to escape and run away.
6. Sneezing, rhinitis. At first glance, such catarrhal processes do not have the slightest connection with diseases of the oral cavity, but it only seems so. Rotting teeth and inflamed gums are sources of infection, and if they are present, unhealthy microflora gets into the sinuses without problems, causing constant sneezing and rhinitis.

The clinical picture of toothache

What signs can the owner see when the dog suffers from severe toothache (or has some other periodontal pathology)?

Symptoms are not particularly specific, but manifest themselves very clearly:

1. The animal has anxiety, it cannot be at rest for a long time, the dog constantly raises its paw and rubs its face. And it happens, and vice versa - other animals all the time lie without movement, and rise only in order to drink.
2. There is no appetite. At first glance, the pet refuses food because it does not want to eat. However, if you carefully observe, you can see - the dog is very hungry and ready to eat anything. Just can not do this, because the process of chewing for him is associated with very painful sensations.
3. The manifestation of aggression. If the owner tries to examine the dog’s teeth or begins to feel the jaw of the animal with his hand, then the animal will begin to behave inappropriately, the dog will become aggressive and angry.

Giving help

If the attentive owner has witnessed the symptoms described above, you should immediately take your home guard to an appointment with the veterinarian. A specialist doctor will fully perform a professional examination of the animal and subsequently take all the necessary tests in such cases - blood, urine, saliva and so on. It is likely that the dog behaves so strangely not at all due to a disease of teeth and gums, but for some other reason - for example, she has problems with some organ.

Due to the fact that visually examining canine teeth is often problematic, veterinarians in most cases contactlessly examine the jaw using x-ray equipment. This technique allows you to find with great accuracy the areas where the dental tissue is destroyed, caverns are formed and other pathologies are found.

Having done a fluoroscopy, the veterinarian (usually after he has injected strong sedatives) immediately after this begins to scrape the tooth and, in order to localize the area where the tooth tissue is destroyed, remove tartar and plaque. It is very good if water supplied under the influence of high pressure is used for this. This water cleanses the teeth, leaches dirt from them, accumulated over a long time. In addition, it is during this period that most specialists make tissue sampling to determine the pest that caused the infection.

Most often, finding the place where the tooth tissue is destroyed the most, veterinarians decide to remove the long-suffering tooth. And it’s not at all because the specialists are too lazy or reluctant to fill it. The reason for this is much more prosaic - the structure of the dog’s teeth is fragile, and the enamel layer on them is thin. And there is absolutely no confidence or guarantee in the durability of the delivered seals.

In foreign veterinary dental clinics, crowns are placed on the teeth, however, this service is in low demand for one simple reason - it is too expensive. Therefore, in nine cases out of ten, a tooth affected by a disease is removed from the oral cavity, and the empty hole resulting in the gum is hemmed.And so that the dog does not catch the infection, she is prescribed a course of antibiotics. Of course, it costs money and sometimes a lot, but skipping it is completely not worth it, otherwise the animal may develop sepsis.

Dental Prevention

1. Choose the right diet so that both hard and soft feeds are present.
2. If possible, constantly brush your dog’s teeth with special tools.
3. Regularly drive the dog for inspection by a veterinarian.
4. Independently clean plaque and stone on the teeth of a beloved animal.

It’s easy to take care of the dog’s teeth health - you just have to follow the recommendations above.

Video: how and how to brush a dog’s teeth?