If you acquired your Pom as a puppy, you may notice that they begin chewing everything like crazy around 3-6 months old. This is normal and is part of the teething process. Puppies’ first “milk teeth” begin to come loose around this age, and by 6-8 months old they will have a whole new set of chompers! Provide your puppy with plenty of safe things to chew during this time, such as marrow bones, hooves, and other things that won’t break apart into small pieces and become a choking hazard.
These puppy teeth can be stubborn, and in some Poms this results in “double rows” of teeth – like a shark! If this persists for more than a few weeks without any sign of loosening by 8 months of age, you will probably want to have those extra puppy teeth removed ASAP as they can cause tartar build up and hasten tooth decay. This can usually be done when you neuter or spay your pet Pom.
Some Poms may have an over-bite or under-bite, which is exactly what it sounds like, similar to their human equivalents. Unless you are intending to show or breed your Pom, these misalignments are harmless and not likely to create any problems for your Pom. A puppy’s tooth alignment can change until about 8 months old, or sometimes a little later, but generally they are set in stone by 1 year of age. The alignment they have as a young puppy is not always the same as their adult tooth placement. If you are showing your Pom you will want to monitor their bite throughout the tooth loss phase, and possibly pull some puppy teeth if they appear to be causing the bite to misalign.
Poms being a toy breed are more susceptible to tooth loss than many of the larger breeds. Your vet should monitor the health of your Pom’s teeth at your regular vet check ups but you can also check yourself to make sure they are not too caked with tartar. Tartar build-up can result in early tooth loss. Many Poms are already at risk of losing teeth at 3 years old. To prevent this, you can brush their teeth regularly, and/or take them in for regular dental cleanings.
Dental cleanings require anesthesia and are performed at your vet’s office and can be expensive and carry the risk of anesthesia. So regular brushing may be a good alternative! You can also try out some of the products on the market such as dental chews, water additives, sprays, etc. Ask your vet for suggestions of white might work best and be safe to use with your Pom.
As Poms age, tooth loss is almost inevitable. Despite this, they generally have little trouble eating small, breed appropriate size kibble, even if it’s not soaked. However if you suspect your Pom is having difficulty eating because of their teeth, have them examined by your vet. They may have abscesses causing them pain that need to be addressed via dental cleaning. Or, if your Pom has lost all or most of its teeth, it might need its food to be soaked or you may need to switch to a wet food.