Question: Tarter on Teeth vs Nurtrition

[Teresa Marie]

Just got in a 10month old female Saint Bernard puppy.
Her  birthdate is reported to be 4-7-06. But, she has a small amount of tarter along the very back teeth along the gum line.


Is this caused by poor nutrition or is this a mistake on her true age and she is an adult, not a juvinile?


Her weight seems healthy. I see no evidence of malnutrition. Her nails trimmed and were solid, not hollow, and she has no patruding  ribs/spine/hips.


Can a ten month old really have  beginning tarter?

[Lyn]

I have a 10 month old female Saint, born 04/06/06, her teeth have no visable plaque. She's fed mainly kibble with canned occasionally but she loves to chew on raw bones. I think the bones have helped in keeping her teeth clean. She won't let me brush them, so I can't see any other reason.

I think it's possible. If she was never given anything to chew or just isn't a chewer, I could see plague building up. Expecially if she never had any dental care. Do you know what she was being fed?

[schelmischekitty]

Tartar builds up on teeth in hard water areas because it is a precipitate of calcium salts.  This can cause their teeth to look "older." 

http://www.cactuscanyon.com/dog-teeth-101.htm
canadawestiecl ub.ca/maint/teeth.html

[sc.trojans]

Tartar build up is not reflective of age - it is predominately reflective of nutrition (processed and cooked foods), chemicals, and water quality.  Genetics certainly play a role as well.  Two unrelated dogs cared for in the identical way can still accumulate different levels of tartar based on genetics.

I have a dog here who is almost 6 and has none - and has never had her teeth cleaned in her life - again, not reflective of age. On the other hand -  I have seen many dogs under a year of age with tartar so there is no reason to doubt her age.

[Teresa Marie]

Thanks, everyone.
It's been an education, for sure.

She was brought in from the country. Chances are a miller-puppy from the little bit of history I was able to catch on her.

She was from a litter of 12..
Only her and her sister had not been chosen. It sounds like a broker situation. Her sister  had 'too broad of a head'..
and she had "too long of a nose". Both rejected. Both sold off, then rehomed... then rehomed again...and again. I was told she's been through at least four homes. But all seem to be in the same general area. Perhaps, it was well water or some other system.

Genetics could be right too. She's certainly a poorly bred Saint. (Although, she has that drool factor down to a "T"!)

I'm not sure about how she was fed, other then the woman who surrendered her, most likely fed her kibble. She's spent her whole life in a kennel. Fed and Watered twice a day.

That's all I have for now. She's doing wonderfully, so far and has not only adjusted to living inside, but LOVES it so much she's reluctant to go outside unless one of us is out there too.

[VdogLover]

When I got May at almost 3yo she alot of tarter compared to my others at that age. I started giving her chew bones daily (something she never had) and most came right off what didn't I easily took off with a scraper.