3 Things to Know When Shopping for Chews and Foods for Your Dog

When it comes to your dog’s teeth, just like with our teeth, not all chews and foods are created equal. When picking out your beloved pet’s chews and food there are three things we need to consider: firmness, texture, and ingredients.

Before considering these qualities, we need to understand a little bit of the anatomy of a tooth. Dog teeth have three layers, just like our teeth. The outside layer is enamel. Enamel protects the tooth from infection and pain. The second layer is dentin. This layer has microtubules in it that lead to the middle of the tooth. When the dentin is exposed, infection can travel inside the tooth and the tooth can also be sensitive when chewing and to extreme temperatures. The middle layer is the pulp cavity and within this layer is the nerve and the blood supply. Once this layer is exposed, bacteria will travel inside the tooth causing pain and infection and can even get into the bloodstream. Compromise of any layer of the tooth can cause pain and infection and some chews and food are at higher risk of causing damage to teeth.

One of the most important considerations of a chew toy or food is firmness. If a chew or food is too hard, teeth can become fractured. The fracture may extend into one or more layers of the tooth. If only the enamel or even part of the dentin is damaged, the tooth can be repaired with bonding if the fracture is caught in time. If the pulp cavity is exposed, then the tooth must either have a root canal or be extracted. These teeth are painful, even if the pet does not overtly show it. If we wait to bond, extract, or perform a root canal, the tooth will become extremely painful, and bacteria will constantly be entering the bloodstream compromising the heart, liver, kidneys and brain. The general rule is, if you cannot bend or impress it, it is too hard! This includes marrow bones, antlers, yak cheese, ice cubes, and any hard plastic toys that you cannot bend or impress.

Second, we will consider texture. If your pet plays consistently with a toy that has a rough texture it can wear down teeth. If this wearing process is done slowly, the tooth can repair itself with tertiary dentin to prevent the pulp cavity from becoming exposed. If the damage is done very quickly, then the pulp cavity will become exposed, and the tooth will become infected and painful. Even if the process is slow, the tooth will become smaller and smaller over time and the pet will not be able to chew as effectively. These teeth may also become sensitive. Some common toys that can cause wear due to texture are tennis balls and herding balls. Tennis balls have a rough textured material on the outside that wears teeth down like sandpaper. The same is true for herding balls that are grabbed as the ball is rolling and wears down the tooth.

Lastly, ingredients are important in foods we choose for our dogs and their teeth. Just like our teeth, foods high in sugar can cause caries lesions, or cavities. These lesions happen on the molars in the back of their mouth and often are hard to see. The high sugar in the food causes bacteria to grow in the cracks of the molars and eats away at the enamel and dentin. Some high sugar foods to avoid in excessive amounts for pets are sweet potatoes, ice cream, bananas and carrots. If you occasionally give these foods to your pet, that is likely fine, but if they get them every day, they could cause a problem.

There are many things to consider when picking out food and toys for your pet. These are just some of the things to consider when it comes to their teeth. If you are unsure about what to feed your pet or if a toy is an appropriate choice, we highly recommend consulting with your veterinarian. Some of our favorite chews include Kongs frozen with peanut butter inside, racquetballs, and Oravet chews.  If you think your pet may have compromised teeth from previous chews or foods, contact us for a consultation today.