How do older dogs eat when their teeth fall out?
How do older dogs eat when their teeth fall out?
After a dog’s teeth have fallen out, owners can help their dogs eat better by adjusting their diet. During this period, owners should pay attention to choosing food for their dogs that is easy to chew and swallow, avoiding too hard food that will cause discomfort to the dog’s mouth. At the same time, attention should be paid to nutritional balance and dental care and other aspects. With good care from their owners, senior dogs are also able to enjoy tasty treats and live out their old age in good health and happiness.
Dogs may lose teeth as they get older, which is a normal physiological phenomenon for them. But no matter what, the missing teeth will affect the dog’s normal eating. Therefore, after the loss of teeth in senior dogs, owners need to adjust their diet in time to avoid interfering with eating. Let’s learn the do’s and don’ts of diet management for senior dogs!
What to do when an older dog loses teeth
In general, most older dogs will begin to gradually lose their teeth around the age of 8. The exact time of tooth loss varies according to individual differences, heredity, health condition and daily care and other factors. If the owner pays attention to strengthening the dental care of older dogs, such as regular cleaning of tartar, giving appropriate calcium supplements, etc., then the dog’s teeth and oral health may be better, and the time of tooth loss may also be relatively later.
Additionally, the process of tooth loss in older dogs usually starts with the lower row of incisors, and these teeth gradually become blunt and flared out before they begin to fall out. The order of tooth loss is usually incisors, then canines, and finally molars, but sometimes this order is not fixed. When a dog starts to lose its teeth, the owner should adjust its diet appropriately by giving easily digestible food to ease the burden on its teeth. Here are some suggestions:
1. Choose soft food and wet food. After the teeth of older dogs gradually fall out or wear out, you should avoid feeding them dry food that is too hard, and you can choose to soak the dog food in warm water and feed it after it becomes soft. In addition, wet food such as canned food is also a good choice, as they are already moist in themselves and do not require the dog to chew too much.
2, homemade easy to digest food. If there is time, the owner can also occasionally give the dog homemade some easy to digest, soft food. For example, use chicken breast, duck, fish and other meat, with carrots, pumpkin and other vegetables, cooked and stirred into a paste, which is nutritious and easy for the dog to eat. You can also give your dog some cooked vegetables and pureed fruits. These foods are easy to chew and digest and can reduce the stress on your dog’s mouth.
3. Feed nutritional cream and goat’s milk powder appropriately. Nutritional cream is a good nutritional supplement for older dogs, especially for those dogs whose teeth have almost all fallen out, nutritional cream can be eaten directly without chewing. Powdered goat’s milk is also a good choice for a supplemental food for older dogs, as it is nutritious and easily absorbed.
4, avoid too hard food: during the dog’s teeth fall out, you should avoid feeding your dog too hard food, such as bones, hard dog cookies, freeze-dried, etc., so as not to cause secondary damage to the dog’s oral cavity.
5, pay attention to the amount and frequency of feeding. The digestive ability of the elderly dog is relatively weak, so it needs to be fed in small portions, and the amount of each feeding should not be too much. Generally speaking, a day can be divided into 3-4 times for feeding.
In addition, a dog’s intake of soft and wet food is more likely to lead to tartar buildup. Therefore, when older dogs have lost some of their teeth and consume soft food, owners should clean their teeth more frequently, such as using pet-specific mouthwash or toothpaste, to keep their mouths healthy. And have regular oral checkups to avoid triggering oral diseases.
By taking the above steps, older dogs will be able to enjoy tasty treats even when their teeth have fallen out, as well as ensure that they have a healthy diet.