I Gotta Chew!

 I spend a lot of time writing articles about dental disease in cats and dogs. You might get tired of articles about teeth, but dental disease is the second most common disease we veterinarians see on a daily basis. (Second to obesity and people get really tired of me talking about putting dogs and cats on diets!) By far the most common questions I get about teeth are: what can my dog chew on? What can’t my dog chew on? Help, he’s chewing on everything! Okay, the last one isn’t really a question, but you get the idea.
Most dogs have an innate desire to chew. Chewing can do a lot of good things. It helps distract and occupy fearful dogs. It helps keep plaque and tartar from building up on teeth. Chew toys help train puppies what is acceptable to chew on.
The wrong chew toys and treats, however, can cause problems. Cracked and fractured teeth are a common problem in dogs. It’s pretty obvious that dogs who chew on metal crates or rocks can fracture their teeth, but most people do not realize that hard beef bones can break teeth, too. If you think about it, teeth are just bone with enamel. If you have a bone-against-bone contest, sometimes the beef bone is going to be stronger than a tooth and that tooth could fracture. Broken teeth are painful and can lead to infection, so they need to be addressed surgically. That means anesthesia, dental extractions, and expense. Please do not use hard bones as chew toys.
I have a dog who loves tennis balls. Tennis balls, for the most part, are decent toys. But watch for the dogs who gnaw on tennis balls excessively. The fiber material on the tennis ball can actually wear down teeth like a brillo pad. I have removed tennis balls from the stomachs of several dogs, too, so make sure Fido doesn’t try to swallow it or chew up the ball into pieces.
Speaking of tennis ball pieces, let’s talk about foreign bodies. These are not exotic visitors from foreign lands. These are pieces of chew toy, bones, socks, nylons, etc., that your dog (or cat) swallows and blocks the stomach or intestinal tract. Make sure the chew treats and toys you give your animals are safe to digest and take away small pieces before Fluffy or Fido can swallow them whole. Chew on that!
Stevenson Ranch Veterinary Center is located at 25832 Hemingway Avenue in Santa Clarita.  For more information, please call 661-799-0655 and www.srvc.com.