I imagine a dog can get a toothache, right? They've got teeth. I can't imagine a canine dental system is any different than a human one. Gums. Teeth. Tongue.
Last night I dragged the little beast into the tub and gave him a bath. Poor little guy nearly drowns because he only stands about six inches tall.
He likes the bath part of it, though. Warm water. Nice smelling bath soap. He tolerates it well. After drying off, he runs around like a 6 month old puppy. I think soap drives chihuahuas nuts.
It's the drying off part he hates. I don't know if he gets static-y charges from the towel or what, but he absolutely hates to be towel dried. But I don't want the couch or bed to be use to dry off a wet dog. So I get him with the towel.
He growls and bites and bares his teeth. If he was a 70 pound rottweiler it'd be more menacing. But he's a 7 pound bat-eared critter so it just looks ridiculous for something this tiny and cute to try and look ferocious. It'd be similar to watching your 107 year old grandmother bare her teeth and growl at you.
That's how I got on the subject of teeth. I really examined them tonight when he was gnawing on my hand. (It doesn't hurt. He's a chihuahua.) They're not in good shape at all. The gums don't look inflamed. But the teeth are very yellow.
I've tried brushing them in the past. That's a fool's errand. He won't do any of the "greenie" things that would help with removing tartar and other stuff.
What worries me is being on the road with him and possibly having some sort of dental issue with him. I guess it worries me having any sort of health issue with him. How will I know? He's going to be behind me in a trailer, sleeping. He's always been a fussy eater, so if he's not feeling well, and not eating, that'll be just like normal.
I've always admired veterinarians for two things: (1) Unlike people doctors, they have to work on different species. Humans come in two flavors, but every man is pretty much the same as every other man, and every woman the same as every other woman. But a dog is built a whole lot different than a cow or a snake. (2) A vet's patients can't tell him where it hurts. In fact, all they can do is bite the vet because they're sick, they're scared, and a vet's office isn't an environment they're used to.
Last night I dragged the little beast into the tub and gave him a bath. Poor little guy nearly drowns because he only stands about six inches tall.
He likes the bath part of it, though. Warm water. Nice smelling bath soap. He tolerates it well. After drying off, he runs around like a 6 month old puppy. I think soap drives chihuahuas nuts.
It's the drying off part he hates. I don't know if he gets static-y charges from the towel or what, but he absolutely hates to be towel dried. But I don't want the couch or bed to be use to dry off a wet dog. So I get him with the towel.
He growls and bites and bares his teeth. If he was a 70 pound rottweiler it'd be more menacing. But he's a 7 pound bat-eared critter so it just looks ridiculous for something this tiny and cute to try and look ferocious. It'd be similar to watching your 107 year old grandmother bare her teeth and growl at you.
That's how I got on the subject of teeth. I really examined them tonight when he was gnawing on my hand. (It doesn't hurt. He's a chihuahua.) They're not in good shape at all. The gums don't look inflamed. But the teeth are very yellow.
I've tried brushing them in the past. That's a fool's errand. He won't do any of the "greenie" things that would help with removing tartar and other stuff.
What worries me is being on the road with him and possibly having some sort of dental issue with him. I guess it worries me having any sort of health issue with him. How will I know? He's going to be behind me in a trailer, sleeping. He's always been a fussy eater, so if he's not feeling well, and not eating, that'll be just like normal.
I've always admired veterinarians for two things: (1) Unlike people doctors, they have to work on different species. Humans come in two flavors, but every man is pretty much the same as every other man, and every woman the same as every other woman. But a dog is built a whole lot different than a cow or a snake. (2) A vet's patients can't tell him where it hurts. In fact, all they can do is bite the vet because they're sick, they're scared, and a vet's office isn't an environment they're used to.
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