Keeping Your Dachshund’s Teeth Healthy
Have you ever had a toothache? How long did it last? It’s miserable! Imagine living with tooth pain for weeks, months or more. Without regular dental care this can be what your dachshund is going through but can’t tell you about. Tartar can really build up and regular dentals (not necessarily yearly) are needed to keep this at bay. When dentals are bypassed year after year tarter builds up pretty thick over teeth and into gums; decay and other problems like abscesses can can develop.
While a rescued dachshund is in the care of their foster family, they go to the vet for a “well-dog” check up and at that time the vet will decide if they need an appointment for a dental visit. Rescued dachshunds often need a dental appointment after they are surrendered. Sometimes rescued dachshunds, often seniors are brought into rescues with problems like this and some of their teeth may need need to be extracted. Here’s what a dental appointment may include:
- A well check up visit to the vet is when the vet can check the dogs teeth and recommend a dental if one is needed
- The dental is a procedure that requires dogs to be sedated
- An x-ray may be used during the procedure
- When the dog wakes up from a dental it may take them a few hours to get back to normal
- Their mouth is often extra sore for a day or two as they’re first healing
- A soft diet may be needed for the first few meals after a dental
- Sometimes the vet my prescribe antibiotics to fight infection or pain medicine
*Note this is a generalized list by a layperson
While a dental is a big thing in your dogs life, there are ways to help keep their teeth more tartar free at home:
Dachshund Tooth Care Tips
- Ask your groomer to brush their teeth as part of their grooming appointments
- Brushing their teeth regularly like you brush your own is a thing
- There are no-brush toothpaste/toothbrushing options
- Consider crunchy dog-friendly vegetables (Give small pieces and make sure they crunch them up and don’t swallow them whole!)
- Consider brushing their teeth at home
- Chews like hard yak cheese can help scrape tartar and remove food from their teeth and gums
- Schedule dentals with your vet (ask your vet to check their teeth at their well dog visit, and to tell you when they need a dental)
REFERENCES:
“Pet Dental Care”, mycharlottevet.com, Carmel Road Animal Hospital, 2020
Bellows, Jan, DVM DAVDC, “Periodontal disease in Dogs and Cats”, veterinarypartner.vin.com, Veterinary Information Network, 2016
Reiter, Alexander M., DT DVM DAVDC, “Periodontal Disease in small animals”, merckvetmanual.com, University of Pennsylvania, 2014
