Teeth problems are the most common health issues dogs have. Around 80% of dogs suffer from periodontal diseases as early as the age of three. Small breeds like Miniature Pinscher are even more susceptible to dental problems than larger counterparts.
Miniature Pinschers are prone to teeth problems, due to the anatomy and size of their mouth/jaws and heads. Regular daily tooth brushing is very important as well as professional dental cleaning with anesthesia once or twice a year. Good dental care guards against dental issues like tooth loss or gum infections and also prevents bad breath in Miniature Pinschers. Lack of dental care may lead to serious, life-threatening conditions like kidney, liver, or heart diseases in your pet.
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Teeth Problems In Miniature Pinschers
Teeth problems are a very common heath issue in Miniature Pinchers. A lot of Min Pins’ owners are simply not aware of the importance of regular oral care.
You need to clean your Min Pin’s teeth once a day. The general rule of thumb for dogs is at least one tooth brushing per week, but in the case of Min Pins, tooth cleaning should be performed more often.
It’s very important to remove the traces of food, a plaque to avoid a tartar build-up. Although chewing is great for natural teeth cleaning, for Min Pins that eat usually commercial food like kibbles that are rich in carbs, chewing won’t be enough.
If you don’t clean your Min Pin’s teeth regularly, the plaque on your pet’s teeth will build up, turning into tartar. Tartar build-up progresses to infection of the gums and tooth roots.
This situation then can escalate and cause bone loss, tooth loss, or even lead to more serious health issues like kidney, liver, or heart problems.
As you can see, bad oral hygiene in Min Pins is not just a cosmetic issue. It can significantly shorten your dog’s lifespan.
Why Are Min Pins Prone To Teeth Problems?
Smaller breeds like Min Pins are more prone to teeth issues than larger breeds. Both large and small dogs have the same number of teeth – 42 teeth. Fitting all 42 teeth in a small mouth can be a real challenge. So teeth grow close together leaving very little space between each other.
Other reasons are: smaller dogs have shorter tooth roots, small dogs are less likely to practice recreational chewing.
Miniature Pinscher’s adult weight is between 8 and 10 Lbs. What is characteristic for dogs up to 10 lbs of weight is that they are getting affected by early degeneration of jaw bone density. This results in jaw bone density loss that combined with short tooth roots will certainly culminate in tooth extractions much earlier in life.
What is also common for smaller breeds like Miniature Pinschers is that they can keep baby teeth even after adult teeth are fully grown. This situation is more common in toy and small breeds. As a result, we have an overcrowded dog’s mouth, two teeth occupy a place designed for one tooth and much more possibility for plaque accumulation and tartar buildup.
Why Does My Min Pin Have a Bad Breath?
Bad breath in Min Pin is a common issue. Although foul smell that comes from your dog’s mouth is not always an indicator of periodontal disease in your dog, in most cases it is. Other causes can be different diseases and conditions like gastrointestinal problems, kidney or liver problems, inflammation of nasal passages, bad food / poor nutrition that doesn’t meet your Min Pin’s nutritional needs…
How Do I Clean My Min Pin’s Teeth?
Cleaning your Min Pin’s teeth has the same importance as cleaning your own teeth. So oral hygiene is crucial for dogs since lack of it can make multiple health problems and even affect your dog’s longevity.
If you are first time owner then you might need help with training your dog to allow you to brush his teeth. I’ve found a very good article (Intermountain Pet Hospital website) about this problem, so if you have doubts and need additional advice do read it.
When you think about cleaning your Miniature Pinscher’s teeth, you think about tooth brushing but there are other ways as well.
Tooth brushing is essential and should be performed at least a couple of times per week, the best would be once a day. Since plaque accumulation is constant, daily removal of excess food and plaque is crucial.
There are different products you can use: specially designed toothbrushes, – regular small dog’s toothbrushes, finger toothbrushes, 3-sided toothbrushes. You will also need toothpaste. Never use human toothpaste since contains xylitol and fluoride which appear to be toxic for dogs.
There is a great choice of specially designed dog toothpaste and come in different flavors, most common are beef, chicken, and peanut butter. Dogs toothpaste is non-foaming and safe to be swallowed plus contains enzymes that are able to break down plaque chemically.
Note that not every toothbrush or toothpaste would suit your Min Pin. Keep trying different options until you find the combination he finds acceptable.
Establish regular teeth cleaning routine ( the best would be once per day) to keep your dog’s teeth healthy. If you do it just occasionally, your dog will certainly suffer from periodontal diseases.
Teeth cleaning wipes for dogs can be a good alternative to toothbrushes. It’s easier to use, some dogs are more willing to accept cleaning wipes than tooth brushing but the downside is that you cannot reach all areas that needed to be reached with cleaning wipes. So it’s good to have them and use them in addition to regular tooth brushing.
Along with regular daily tooth brushing, professional teeth cleaning with anesthesia is also very important. This procedure is performed by the vet, it should be done once or twice per year and helps remove tartar buildup above and below the gum line.
The tartar buildup below the gum line is very dangerous as in most cases causes periodontal diseases and you cannot reach that area with a simple toothbrush.
Providing dental chews is also a good idea. Dogs like chewing. It keeps them occupied but adequate dental chews also help in keeping their teeth clean and healthy.
Dental chews come in different shapes and sizes. Just bear in mind that Miniature Pinschers are small dogs so you need to get dental chews for small dogs. Also, note that those chewing items shouldn’t be too hard ( especially if you are not giving your dog a specially designed dental chew but a toy or a bone that you think it may serve as one).
It should be made of rubber, nylon, rawhide, or plastic. If your pet is chewing something really hard, a broken tooth may occur.
Another useful thing you should have is a dog dental spray. They are specially designed to eliminate a bad breath of your Min Pin and to kill plaque-causing bacteria. You can use it between brushings, the usage is quite simple, just spray it on your pet’s teeth and gums.
If your dog won’t stand still for the moment, you can apply it to the dog toys, from which it will be licked off. It’s recommended that your Min Pin doesn’t eat anything at least half an hour before and after the dental spray treatment.
Conclusion
Miniature Pinschers are prone to teeth problems. As a matter of fact, most of these dogs will get some periodontal disease before the age of three. To minimize the possibility of dental problems in your dog, make sure you establish good daily teeth cleaning routine which involves tooth brushing with a toothpaste designed for dogs.
Dental sprays can also help but also providing dental chews and chew toys will keep your Min Pin occupied, mentally stimulated plus will ensure he has healthy teeth and nice breath.
I hope this article will help you in maintaining your Min Pin’s teeth healthy which will definitely ensure a better quality of life for your pet.
