Miniature and toy breeds of dogs have specific dental needs.

Dental Care in Miniature and Toy Breeds

Miniature and toy breeds have very specific dental needs. It is exceedingly important if you own a miniature or a toy breed to establish a dental care plan when they are very young. Studies have shown that miniature and toy Yorkshire terriers often have periodontal disease beginning even at eight months of age.

In my experience, miniature and toy Yorkies, and Poodles and chihuahua’s often need extensive dental extractions by the age of two or three years old. These breeds are at high risk of advanced periodontal disease even at a very young age. When this periodontal disease goes unaddressed, it can put them at risk of pathologic jaw fracture, which is where the jaw breaks due to a minor trauma such as jumping from a couch and missing the landing. 

In addition to aggressive periodontal disease, we also commonly see missing teeth that did not develop, as well as puppy teeth that do not fall out normally and need to be extracted.

The best recommendation for miniature and toy breeds of dogs would starting dental care at 12 months of age with a procedure focused on cleaning and dental x-rays to establish their level of risk. Many dogs will have periodontal disease beginning by this point. I would then repeat at intervals of 6-12 months to help ensure we are preventing as much disease as possible, and treating it as it develops.

Even with an aggressive preventative plan like this, I would expect many pets to need dental extractions fairly frequently. The main cause of this is genetics. It is imperative to have a regular treatment plan in place to ensure their best long-term health.