Dental Care For Your Pomeranian Dog

Pomeranians have tiny mouths and itty bitty teeth, but not
caring for them properly can cause serious health problems for
your dog.



Dental disease in dogs can cause serious health issues as the
bacteria from infected gums and teeth can "spread" to other
parts of the body and affect vital organs such as the heart,
kidneys and intestines. Tarter or dental calculus starts off
soft but can harden on the dogs teeth. Once hardened, it cannot
be brushed away but requires a dental scaling just like you get
in the dentist chair! If the teeth are left untreated, the
buildup can cause the gums to become inflamed and can also
cause serious infections.





Does Your Pom Have Bad Teeth?



Pomeranians are prone to dental problems. Buildup of plaque and
tooth loss can be severe and cause problems with their daily
routines. To tell if your dog has bad teeth, lift up his lips
and check his teeth at the gumline - can you see tarter? Are
the teeth white or discolored? Does his breath smell? Are there
broken teeth?



All of these can indicate the need for better dog tooth care.
Your veterinarian will probably do a dental check as part of
they yearly checkup and can advise you as to the extent of the
problem, if any.



Providing Better Pomeranian Tooth Care



Bones



Chewing on raw bones can be a good way for your dog to remove
built up tarter but Poms have very small mouths and may not be
able to chew a real bone so you might want to try one of the
manufactured bones that are made specifically for dog dental
care. I would advise against cooked bones as they can splinter
and cause damage to the gums or intestine if swallowed.



Brushing Your Poms Teeth



Brushing is a vital part of dog tooth care and should be done
at least once a week - preferably every day. There are plenty
of flavored toothpastes formulated for dogs that your pet will
love the taste of. You can use a finger brush (a rubber piece
that fits on the end of your finger with bristles), a hand held
brush that looks much like a human tooth brush, or a little
brush that fits on the end of a "ring" which you put on your
finger. My Pomeranian is extremely tiny and I find the "ring"
brush works best for me.



Scaling



This procedure is done by your veterinarian and is pretty much
the same thing as the scaling you get at the dentist. The teeth
are scraped and polished and any loose or badly damaged teeth
are removed. Your dog is put under anesthesia for this
procedure and it is quite costly. Proper brushing will limit
the need for this to be done.



Getting Your Pomeranian Used To Brushing



While it's best to start when he is a puppy, it's not too late
for your older Pom to get good dental care! Start off slowly,
maybe with just a dab of the toothpaste on your finger so he
can lick it off (my dog loves the taste!). Be sure to use a
special paste for dogs and not human toothpaste - human
toothpaste can be harmful to your pet. You can get a paste from
your vet that has enzymes that will help fight the bacteria.
Also, you'll want a soft brush so you do not damage the gums.



Take it one day at a time and gradually get the dog used to you
touching his head and opening the mouth. Each day try to go one
step further - open the mouth, then touch his teeth, then his
gums. Use your finger at first and introduce the brush later.
This can be a a bonding time for you and your dog - eventually
your pet may even look forward to his nightly brushing!



Remember that your Pom is very small so you don't want to scrub
roughly and hurt the dog - just brush gently. You should try to
brush your dogs teeth every day or at least every other day so
that the plaque will not have a chance to harden. While this
may seem like a chore, think of it as an important medical need
for your pet.



Frequent brushing and proper dental care can add years to your
Poms life!Lee Dobbins is a pet lover and webmaster of
http://www.pomeranian-pages.com where you can find out more
about the Pomeranian Breed. Be sure to check out the dog care
section at http://www.pomeranian-pages.com/dog-articles.html

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