I have a little rescue toy poodle with no teeth. Well, he has three canines. That's all. Poor guy must have been born with bad teeth. He had his first dental a few months after we got him, and lost half his teeth, then six months later had another dental and lost the rest of them. The vet said there were probably a few that could have been saved for a bit longer, but we didn't want to have to keep putting him under over and over because of the teeth. She kept the three canines so he would be able to keep his tongue in his mouth and it never hangs out. It was a tough transition for him to having no teeth. We had to hand feed him for at least a month because he had a hard time learning how to pick up food from a bowl or plate. At that point I was starting to think we'd made a mistake having all his teeth removed. We'd put the food down on a plate and eventually he'd get a few bites down but then walk away because it was so much work for him. Then I'd hand feed the rest. Within a few months though, he was eating all of his food on his own. Now it's been about a year since he lost all of his teeth. His little gums are so tough that he can eat about anything. We feed him raw and he eats Primal frozen. He actually prefers it frozen rather than thawed and eats like a trouper. I also hold a raw chicken wing for him every night and let him gum on it. He loves it. I keep a bowl of kibble down all the time, just in case the dogs get hungry between meals. They are small kibbles but he has no problem handling them dry. And he also eats tiny little milkbones that are about an inch long and tiny pieces of beef jerky. He was underweight and a picky eater when he had the teeth, but he is much happier and healthier now, will eat just about anything and has gained two pounds. It is a relief not to have to worry about him getting infections in his mouth. You will be surprised at how well Sargie will do without the teeth. You just have to give him some time for his gums to toughen up.
Diana |