Toothbrush for tiny dog?

[lobeliasb]

I have a Pomeranian with the most horrid breath, and I really need to brush her teeth but I can't find a toothbrush that's small enough to fit in her little mouth.

I've tried baby toothbrushes but they won't reach beyond her front teeth to get to her molars. I also have tried the smallest dog toothbrush from Pets at Home and Amazon, as well as the kind that go over your fingertip, but no luck.

What do other people with teeny tiny dogs use to brush their teeth?!

Have you tried the lintbells fabric/microfibre type? They can be hard to get hold of, but there are other microfibre types on Amazon.

I have a toy breed as well, but haven’t had any problems using a baby toothbrush with him.

If you really can’t brush you could try dentisept. It’s a sort of gel you apply using your finger. You don’t have to spread it across every tooth, as it’s activated by saliva and spreads to cover all the teeth and gums. My vet advised us to use it when my dog was too old and unwell to have a GA for a dental and it made a big difference.

If she's already got horrid breath she probably needs a dental at the vets - she may have teeth that need to come out. Tooth brushing at home is more of a preventative.

Also does she have little pockets of skin along the edge of her lips? Skin folds can trap bacteria and create what seems to be smelly breath.

She's been seen by the vet and her teeth are in good condition, just stained. I don't think she has pockets but I'll check to be sure.

But they're not just stained - you said she has horrid breath and you're looking for a way to clean her teeth. What did the vet say about her horrid breath?

Dental issues are very, very common in small breeds and if it's at the stage where her breath is 'horrid', it's unlikely that you'll be able to fix that with a little toothbrush. The longer you leave it, the more her teeth will decay and require removal.

If her teeth actually are ok, and she doesn't have bacteria trapped in her lip folds like I suggested above, then her horrid breath may be caused by infected anal glands, or kidney or liver disease - all of which can cause bad breath (strangely enough).

So if your vet told you that her horrid breath is in fact nothing, a second opinion might be a good idea.

Poms and spitz types are very prone to bad teeth that can cause infections and heart problems. This really is a breed trait. The fact that you can see staining and breath stinks means she really needs to be seen and have a proper clean under anaesthetic. I would see a different vet if I were you. I would not recommend leaving it with this particular breed.

I find the tiny baby toothbrushes work fine on my tiny 5lb Yorkies
They also get Plaque Off on one of their meals each day which helps to soften the plaque so it’s easier to brush off. I have Dentisept for my little old lady who sometimes gets a bit of soreness.
They have the Kong blue puppy X shaped chew toys which they love