Dog Dental Care

and why it's so important for your Morkie

Dog dental care isn’t about nice white teeth. Your Morkie’s teeth can actually affect his overall health! That’s because the poor condition of a dog’s teeth and gums can result in serious harm to vital organs, such as the heart, kidneys and brain. Dog dental care is about good health, the reason you must brush your dog’s teeth.

BREEDS WITH THE WORST TEETH?

“Yorkie teeth are probably the worst,” says our local Vet. One of the top of the list for really bad teeth, is the Yorkie, so it makes sense that Morkies can also suffer with bad teeth.

Yorkie teeth are plagued with cavities, overcrowding, missing teeth, abscesses and painful infections.

WHAT KIND OF TOOTHPASTE DO DOGS NEED?

People toothpaste can make your Morkie very sick, especially because they swallow it. So pick one of the flavoured brands formulated specially for dogs.
Top recommendations from online reviews:
Petrodex Enzymatic Toothpaste for Dogs and C.E.T. Toothpaste.

My dog HATES getting her teeth brushed!

Start slow. At first, you may just get a couple of your dog’s teeth brushed; that’s OK.

Get your Morkie comfortable having her mouth handled then introduce the toothbrush. Finally, add the dog toothpaste. It will soon become just another daily routine.

How to brush your dog’s teeth

Don’t expect your Morkie to be very happy that you want to brush his teeth. Dogs hate stuff YOU put in their mouths – your new shoes are OK as long as HE had the idea to chew them.

Get your Morkie used to the idea that dog dental care is here to stay by starting to handle his mouth and gently putting your finger in his mouth.

When you brush your dog’s teeth, lift your dog’s lips and start gently brushing in a circular motion. Be sure to brush where the tooth meets the gum-line.

Don’t forget to get the very back teeth, since this is where your Morkie is most likely to develop problems. When you are finished the top, move on to the bottom.

5 Ways to Take Care of Your Morkie's teeth

1. Good overall nutrition

2. Brush your dog’s teeth daily

3. Daily inspections of his mouth and teeth

4. Get medical care for any suspected sores, abscesses or other painful problems

5. Give him the occasional RAW meaty bone – not cooked. Raw bones will not splinter.

Your #1 goal is to keep the clear film called plaque from building up and turning into hard, yellow tartar.

Once it’s there, you can’t get tartar off with a toothbrush. Now your Morkie will need an expensive dental cleaning at the Veterinarian’s.

That includes putting him under anesthetic, with all its associated risks, AND it’s a lot of money.

TIP: DID YOU KNOW THAT SOME OF YOUR MORKIE’S DENTAL WORK MIGHT BE COVERED BY YOUR PET INSURANCE? Read more.

Dog dental care: why dogs need dentists

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Scaling and Cleaning – If you don’t clean your dog’s teeth, chances are you’ll have to get his teeth scaled at some point to remove the extreme buildup; that means anesthetic and a big expense.

If you’re cleaning your Morkie’s teeth regularly, this scaling can sometimes be done without putting the dog under – reducing risks and keeping your dog more calm.

Dental fractures – very common in dogs, and must be treated right away if the tooth’s pulp is exposed.

This exposed pulp is not only very painful, but also becomes dead tissue (or necrotic as doctors call it). This in turn can lead to a very painful “tooth abscess” making a root canal necessary.

Extractions – unfortunately not all teeth can be saved, and extraction is often the only choice. At least techniques have improved to minimize the pain and discomfort for your dog.

Jaw fracture repair – this is a fairly common injury after a major traumatic event like a car accident. Again, new techniques have helped our pets progress and comfort.

Oral tumour management – sadly, the same type of oral cancer that we can get, is also the most common type in our dogs.

Watch for lesions, sores, masses or swellings in your Morkie’s mouth and report any to the Vet right away.

Dentist scaling Yorkie teeth to remove tartar. This is as result of built-up plaque, and will lead to painful gum diseases and dental problems if not addressed.