# Chipped and rotting teeth...



## lauren43 (Feb 6, 2011)

*Chipped and rotting teeth...now W/ PICS*

So I just discovered today that all four of Avery's bottom teeth between his canines are broke/rotting. I have in the past fed him marrow bones but not in at least 2 months and this is the first I've noticed this issue with his teeth. I am concerned I fed him something I shouldn't have and as far as I know I am feeding what I am supposed to. Could a bad meat source cause this? Could feeding frozen? Right now Avery gets beef and chicken every other day, with beef liver 2x a week. I will be adding vension and rabbit soon, I just have to seperate it out into appropriate porportions.

Does anyone have any ideas as to why this would be happening? Ways to prevent it from getting worse? Should I have the vet check him out? Avery is not even a year and a half old so I really didn't expect this at all. Actually I thought by feeding him raw I was doing good things for his teeth, now I feel like perhaps I should just be feeding kibble.


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## Northwoods10 (Nov 22, 2010)

Can you take a picture? What do you mean by rotting? 

All 4 of Nallah's canine tips are broken off....who knows how she did it. Recently I've noticed she's getting the little brown pits on the tips of them too. She's almost 5, she's been fed raw for a full year now. 

I don't think that its anything to blame on raw itself. I think feeding things like marrow bones or innapropriate cuts might contribute to this. Nallah used to chew on rocks when she was younger...yes...rocks....so I am sure that is to blame for her bad teeth!!!


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## MollyWoppy (Mar 19, 2010)

By 'rotting', do you mean the teeth are yellow with tartar? If the teeth are chipped, broken or cracked, then they may be sore so your pup may not be using them to eat. Then the tartar builds up on that side. That's how I discovered my dogs split tooth, all her other teeth were white, but one molar was quite yellow and so was the one underneath it. So I had to question why. 
Also, have a bit of a search, there are a lot of threads on types of bones to feed. Marrow bones are 'weight bearing' so generally considered too hard for a dog to chew on and in all probability could have caused the teeth to chip even though it was a couple of months ago.


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

Can you take pictures so we can see what you're dealing with?
What kind of bones do you feed?
What kind of chews and toys do you give?
How frequently do you examine his mouth?
A lot of things other than bones can and do cause cracked teeth. If we knew a little bit more, we might be able to help you out better.


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## lauren43 (Feb 6, 2011)

I do not examine his mouth as often as I should. I do not think he had this issue a month or so ago, perhaps before he went to doggy daycare for a whole week while I was FL. But I really can't remember the last time I took a good look into his mouth. So the area where the teeth are chipped is where they are brown. I am not going to be able to get a good pic until I can find someone to help me (holding a camera and a dogs mouth open at the same time are nearly impossible). The only bone he has been getting recently are chicken and turkey. He usually gets a bully stick or a variety there of (like lamb parts all from best bully sticks) or pig ear once a day supervised.


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

Usually dog's don't use those teeth for chewing hard things like bones. Thats what the back teeth are designed to do. The only time they use those teeth in eating is when they are tearing meat off the bone and that woudln't break teeth. Tennis balls can cause the problem you are looking at. I'm sure there are other toys that can also cause it. They MAY use those teeth when knawing on a rec bone. I don't know. I haven't fed a rec bone in so many years, I've forgotten how they do it.

Anyway, raw feeding didn't cause the problem. Back teeth are used to chew bones and if raw feeding caused the problem, we would all have dogs in exactly the same shape.


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## CavePaws (Jan 25, 2011)

Our dog Tucker has all four tips on his canines broken off. It sucks. We believe it happened with his rubber kong balls. He goes through about one large kong ball a week, and they turn into chips that he keeps track of and collects...My dad is taking him in to the vet in the next week or two, he is scared of them becoming infected as the teeth are broken off pretty far down now, unfortunately. It does not effect the way he eats or chews, though, but I'm scared to give him any hard bones because I don't want to have his teeth further injured. I think they might break because he catches the ball in the air with those teeth, or because he will sit with the kong ball all day and just work it around in his mouth chomping constantly if we let him. I'd say look at the toys you have and consider limiting his chewing time on them for now...

Hope you can find a remedy for this without having the teeth pulled...:/


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## Chocx2 (Nov 16, 2009)

my female, Kelsey, has a couple of her k-9 tips broke off, but she did it with her intense fetching, she grabbs things so hard she bangs her teeth. Doesn't fase her thought. Now my Ausie broke a back tooth on a marrow bone, I have stopped giving them these bones, but I think he is such an intense chewer and a normal dog wouldn't have done this.


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## lauren43 (Feb 6, 2011)




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## RachelsaurusRexU (Sep 4, 2010)

To me, it appears as though the enamel has worn or chipped away and the exposed dentin is now becoming discolored. I believe the teeth can be sealed so that no further damage occurs.

One of my dogs has enamel hypoplasia and all of her teeth look like that (only way worse) as a result! For the most part it's cosmetic, but it can eventually become problematic, as it has for her. I now have to grind most of her food. Your dog's toofers are not nearly as damaged. I'd bring it up when you see a vet and ask what should be done.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

did his gums always look like that, too?


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## Caty M (Aug 13, 2010)

It's definitely possible that the teeth were worn away/chipped when he ate the marrow bones. A chip doesn't become discolored overnight. I'd say that's the likely thing!


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## lauren43 (Feb 6, 2011)

magicre said:


> did his gums always look like that, too?


What's wrong with his gums?


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

I think thats just the pigmentation in the gums. I don't think there is anything wrong with them.


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

Honestly I wouldn't worry about his teeth. They are chipped somewhat but I don't see the pulp cavity which is when it can get ugly. 

His gums are fine, actually very healthy. The black/brown spots are just pigmentation. I don't see any gingival disease, swelling or redness. 

Don't worry :wink:


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

RawFedDogs said:


> I think thats just the pigmentation in the gums. I don't think there is anything wrong with them.


yeah, i'm sure you're right...it's just the colour on the gums seemed to match the discolouration of the teeth....


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## TuckersMom (Apr 27, 2011)

The rest of his teeth look BEAUTIFUL!


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