It’s very rare for a dog to lose all of his teeth but, as dogs get older they can lose one or two or more.
Keeping your dog well fed at all stages of his life and health can be challenging at times and this can become demanding and difficult when your dog loses teeth and is unable to masticate ( chew) his food.
Soft, wet and minced protein based foods are the best choice to feed to a dog with no teeth. This could be a wet food such as tripe, minced cooked meats such as chicken or biscuit based feed that has been softened and mashed with warm water. Whatever you choose it is vitally important that your dog gets as much nutrition as possible from the food that you provide, you should also ensure that the food that you give to him does not present any risk of choking due to his inability to chew.
Can a dog still eat with no teeth?
Yes, a dog can still eat if he has no teeth but it will need some help and adaptation from you.
If you mash his food up with warm water or change to a soft food that is smaller in size to reduce the need for chewing, then it is quite easy for a dog with no teeth to eat and adapt.
Just as a human with no teeth needs softer food, it is the same with your dog. There is not a great difference between the eating ability of toothless grandma and toothless dog.
Can dogs survive with no teeth?
Providing that you adapt their diet to make sure that any food served is easy for the dog to eat, then, yes, dogs can survive without any teeth.
It will be important to make careful changes to your dog’s diet.
This could be as simple as making sure that his dried food is softened with warm water and has a gooey consistency or you could change his food to a food more suitable for a dog with no teeth, such as tripe.
Recommended food for dogs with tooth issues
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What food is good for a dog’s dental health?
There are many dog foods that claim to be good for a dog’s dental health but, in my view the best options are:
Bones – these are typically attractive to most, if not all, dogs.
A good bone will encourage your dog to chew and nibble and the abrasive action of chewing will help your dog to clean his teeth, removing scale and tartar build up.
Dry dog foods – due to the chewing action that is needed when the dog eats dry food, these types of dog food tend to have a better cleaning effect than wet, raw foods.
Dog treats – I recommend Pedigree Dentastix as the best option for your dog.
They are a tasty treat and their unique shape and texture has been trialled and shown to encourage healthy teeth in dogs. There are some good deals available for Dentastix here on Amazon.
What to feed a dog that has missing teeth
Soften their normal food
Changing a dog’s food suddenly is never a good idea as it can lead to all sorts of tummy problems for the dog.
If your dog has had teeth removed and you need to make alterations ot his diet then the best and safest option is to soften your dog’s existing food in something like warm water, chicken stock or fish stock.
Dry dog food will absorb the fluid and will become nice and soft. You can then mash it up to reduce the size and make a more easily digestible meal.
Raw Dog Food
Most dogs love raw dog food such as green tripe and other delicacies.
A raw food is soft and easy for a dog to eat, it also contains lots of valuable nutrients that dogs enjoy.
I feed raw food to my dogs and they love it, There is no reason not to give it to a dog that has teeth problems.
There are many options available, most come frozen for easy storage and will need to be thawed before being given to your dog.
A good choice is the 4PAWSRAW range which comes in handy sizes – you’ll find it here on Amazon
Chicken and rice with vegetables
Dogs love cooked chicken and most foods contain a mixture of chicken, rice and vegetables.
You can cook a chicken breast, cut it into small pieces and mix into a bowl of cooked rice and vegetables that have been well cooked and are soft.
Mash the lot together with a little warm water or stock and it will make a nice, healthy meal for your dog.
Tinned dog food
Tinned dog food is widely available and is produced by most of the major dog food producers such as Pedigree, IAMS and Purina.
The food is generally meat based with gravy and comes in different sized chunks or as a solid mass which can be mashed up.
Most are healthy options for dogs with no teeth.
Final Words
Dogs fare best with a full set of teeth and, like people you should always try to help your dog to keep his teeth in the best condition possible.
If your dog does loose teeth then there are a many different options open to you to help you to ensure that he gets the best nutrition possible, from home made dog foods through to commercially produced food for dogs with no teeth.
As in all things with your dog, if you have any concerns about your dog’s teeth or other health matters then you should always seek the professional advice of your vet.
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