Tartar is one of the most common diseases in the animal world in our dogs. Not only do older dogs suffer from tartar, but even young animals can also already develop massive tartar. This not only leads to unpleasant breath but can pose a serious risk to the health of the animal. We show how you can effectively prevent tartar in dogs, how existing tartar is removed, and what the average costs are.
Causes of tartar in dogs
The main cause of tartar in dogs is diet. With modern types of dog food, dogs lack the natural tooth abrasion that wolves had when chewing bones. Whenever a dog eats, residues of food get stuck on the teeth as plaques, especially if the diet consists of wet food, but also with dry food. These deposits mostly consist of carbohydrates and proteins. If these light deposits remain on the teeth, they will react to the calcium and phosphate compounds that are actually there to protect the teeth and lead to mineralization. This mineralization of the deposits appears as dark plaque on the teeth, which has a stone-like structure and can no longer be removed by simply cleaning the teeth. This is the tartar in dogs, which can usually only be removed by a veterinarian under anesthesia.
If the tartar is not removed, bacteria can nest and lead to periodontitis and destruction of the periodontium. Inflammation can even have a negative effect on the heart and organs of animals.
Symptoms & Diagnosis – How to recognize tartar in dogs
Tartar in dogs is easy to spot. The animals have brown or greyish deposits on their teeth, which already have a hard and solid structure. The long incisors of the animals show very clearly where the tartar always settles first near the gums. However, the tartar is not only visually recognizable. Usually, there is a strong odor and the dogs smell from their mouths. The odor comes from the bacteria that collect on the tartar. The bacteria feed on the leftover food and the tartar itself and secrete metabolic products that are responsible for the bad smell.
Discoloration and bad breath are the first symptoms of tartar. Without treatment, the tooth will be damaged, which can be painful for the dog and also lead to inflammation. Another symptom is a striking eating behavior in the dog. The animal may tilt its head when eating or chew conspicuously on one side only. Painful flinching or avoiding prolonged chewing can also be signs of a dental problem.
How do I recognize tartar in my dog?
Tartar in dogs can be recognized very early on by plaque that is dark brown or grey. This is initially still soft and only later becomes rock-hard tartar. Bad breath, which dogs with tartar develop, is also a good identifier. But at the latest when the dog shows unusual behavior when eating, a veterinarian should be consulted.
Consequences of tartar in dogs
If the tartar remains untreated or is discovered late by the dog owner, it can lead to sometimes serious health problems and secondary diseases. The possible consequences of tartar include various periodontal diseases. These are expressed, among other things, by:
- Dark discoloration of the teeth and gums;
- Bad breath that comes from the bacteria on tartar, which often cause inflammation;
- Petrifying deposits on the teeth, especially on the fangs and fangs, but also the molars will quickly show the same deposits;
- The gums recede and the teeth can become loose;
- The gums become inflamed (gingivitis), this can be easily recognized by as they swell and turn a distinct red color;
- The gums begin to bleed, usually after eating;
- Refusal to eat because chewing the food is painful for the dog;
- Abscess formation at the tooth root and gums
loss of teeth; - Infection of the jaw bone, if left untreated can even spread to the internal organs such as the heart, kidneys, and liver and becomes life-threatening for the dog.
Left untreated, one of the worst consequences of tartar in dogs can be life-threatening inflammation of the heart (endocarditis). It is therefore important to react early and to intervene at the first sign of tartar and, ideally, to prevent tartar before it forms.
Which dog breeds are particularly affected?
Tartar can affect any breed of dog at any age. The main reason for the formation of tartar is the animal’s diet, but there are a few factors that favor the formation of tartar. This primarily includes anatomical changes. When small dogs were bred, the snout and thus also the entire dentition were greatly modified, the teeth are closer together and the jaw is narrower. As a result, there are small gaps in the rows of teeth where food residue can get caught and bacteria can nest. Plaque and later also tartar develops particularly quickly here. Large dogs with particularly narrow and pointed mouths, such as the collie, can also suffer from this.
The most affected dogs, which very often suffer from tartar formation, include:
- Maltese
- Yorkshire terriers
- Shih Tzu
- dachshund
- poodle
- collie
The removal of the tartar
Tartar with its stone-like structure can no longer be properly removed by the owner himself. However, the light deposits, which only cause discoloration at first, can still be removed with simple methods and tools. There are special dog toothbrushes with toothpaste that dissolves plaque and usually tastes like liverwurst or cheese, so that the four-legged friend is also willing to stand still and put up with brushing his teeth.
There are also some special toothpicks that the owner can use for hard tartar. However, these pose a high risk of injury for the dog and its teeth can also be damaged with the tool. We advise against such toothpicks as they are too unsafe to use and too dangerous for the animal. On the other hand, the various cleaning gels for the teeth of the dog are much more harmless. Most manufacturers of dental care gels promise to remove tartar within a few weeks with a simple and harmless treatment.
The gels and pastes work mostly the same. The mixture is applied thoroughly to the affected teeth with either your finger or a dog toothbrush for at least four weeks, often several times a day. Gels and toothpaste can help with light plaque, but they cannot cope with real tartar and can sometimes even cause intolerance in dogs. Therefore, good preventive care and, if necessary, early visits to the veterinarian are best to ensure the dog’s dental health.
How can I remove tartar from my dog myself?
The vet should always remove tartar. However, once the dog has plaque on their teeth, it can be removed with a special dog toothbrush and dog toothpaste.
Professional tartar removal
The only sensible way to remove hardened tartar to remove dog teeth is to visit your veterinarian and have a dog dental procedure performed. The procedures for cleaning teeth in dogs are no different than in human medicine. The tartar is professionally removed under anesthesia with an ultrasonic device. After the tartar and deposits on the teeth have been removed, they are given a polish that smoothes the surface of the teeth and thereby delays the formation of tartar again. If you practice good prophylaxis after cleaning, you can save the dog another tooth cleaning for a long time, but the dog will probably get tartar again in old age.
Unfortunately, age-related tartar cannot be prevented one hundred percent. However, this also always depends on the anatomical conditions of the respective dog and on the germ flora in the animal’s mouth area. The sooner the owner goes to the vet and finds out about his dog’s dental health, the sooner the first tartar build-up can be removed without causing permanent damage to the dog. Furthermore, the dog’s dental health always depends on good nutrition and thorough dental care by the owner.
How much does tartar removal at the vet cost?
The cost of removing tartar from dogs depends very much on the degree of infestation and whether the dog needs other medication, such as an antibiotic to treat inflammation of the gums. The weight of the dog is also important for the anesthetic and can have a major impact on the price. X-rays and the removal of teeth are also added if this is necessary. The simplest treatment will cost around $20 to 30, but on average treatment will be more in the region of $100, and in severe cases, it can cost $300 and more. A preliminary talk with the vet can best show the potential costs.
The best prevention against tartar
Every dog owner should deal with the topic of tartar and above all with prevention and appropriate care. With a simple prophylaxis, the dog can be spared a lot of stress and pain. Good prevention starts with the dog’s diet. In addition to high-quality dog food, the four-legged friend absolutely needs chews. He can deal with these for a long time and rub off small deposits on the teeth in a completely natural way. Dried animal ears, goats, tripe, duck necks and similar chews are particularly suitable for this purpose.
What can I do against tartar in dogs?
It is best to practice good dental care. In addition to its food, the dog should be given chews at least twice a week with which it can rub the plaque off its teeth when chewing the teeth and bones. As a further support, the dog can be accustomed to a toothbrush for dogs and appropriate toothpaste.
Brushing the teeth of the dog
To prevent plaque build-up, it is advisable to brush your dog’s teeth, especially if they are one of the breeds at risk of tartar. The toothbrushes and finger attachments are available at any pet supply store and of course online.
The right toothpaste is available in different flavors, here the owner can go according to the preferences of his dog. It is important to clean your teeth at regular intervals. The distance depends on the dog’s susceptibility to plaque and tartar. For some breeds every two days makes sense and for other breeds cleaning once a week or just once a month is sufficient. A vet can advise on this. If the dog is introduced to brushing his teeth slowly and with rewards, he will keep still and even look forward to the delicious dog toothpaste. However, getting used to it takes time, which the owner should plan for dental care.
How often does tartar need to be removed?
The period of time in which tartar must be removed from dogs depends very much on the anatomy of the breed and how the owner is cared for. Some dogs need to have their teeth cleaned by the vet every year, other dogs have clean teeth for the rest of their lives.
