shitz tzu canine teeth

Question
our 6 year old female(neutered, never bred) has a constant crust that appears on outside her mouth directly by the canines. Her canines in partiular look very brown and grody. My wife washes her mouth(the shitz tzus)but crust is recurring, Any ideers?
thanks in advance---Brian

Answer
Has this dog ever had any dental care? Do you take her in yearly and have her teeth cleaned at the vets?

Most dogs by the age of two suffer from periodontal disease because they get no dental care at home or at the veterinary office. Not only does this cause pain and tooth loss, but periodontal bacteria has been shown to contribute to heart, kidney, and even liver disease.

Since they cannot brush their teeth on their own, they depend on us to keep them cleaned and even brush them daily.

The first thing your dog needs is a good dental exam and cleaning. That is why her teeth are brown. She has tartar, or calculus built up on them. That stains her hair around her mouth and her saliva also stains it. But her mouth is full of bacteria from all the junk that is glued to her teeth.

Washing her mouth won't do any good until you get her in and get mouth taken care of. Once her teeth are sparkling white again you can start a home-care routine that your vet will start you on. That way you can keep her mouth from getting this bad again.

So make an appointment with the vet and get her in soon for a cleaning and exam.