We all love to play fetch with our dogs. I have been doing that since my first dog in the 70’s. Cindy was a welsh springer spaniel and I remember spending hours at the beach throwing sticks into the water for her to fetch.

This much loved German Shepard was playing fetch and having a great time. Everything was all fun and games until a stone was picked up by the dog. Crunch, this lovely dog broke three teeth chewing the stone. Thankfully the owner recognised the problem right away, they regularly use maxiguard gel so had a good picture of what his teeth should look like.

Off to the vet and his teeth were able to be saved. The three teeth were his left upper and lower canines and a large molar which if removed may have led to increased chances of gum disease and a tongue that falls out of his mouth. This problem can lead to abscesses and serious disease if not treated.

The moral here is be very careful what you give or allow your dog to chew. In this case it was an unavoidable accident but many dog owners give their pets bones, nylon bones and even antlers to chew on. The dogs themselves appear to really enjoy them. Some dogs also enjoy chasing cars, and thats also a bad idea as well!

Avoid hard bones and toys and believe it or not tennis balls. These have a fibrous cover that acts like sandpaper and can really grind your pets teeth down. If you are not sure give your local vet a call or ask our staff vet Dr Thompson.