Cheeko Griffin

Eight-year-old Yorkshire Terrier, Cheeko, from Glasgow, is one of many dogs across the UK who has had problems with his teeth.

His owner, Theresa Griffin, was shocked when vets at East Glasgow PDSA PetAid hospital told her Cheeko had dental disease and needed surgery to remove some of his rotten teeth.

Theresa says: “We had noticed that Cheeko’s breath was getting a bit smelly but we didn’t realise this was a sign of dental problems. I was surprised when PDSA told me how bad it was. We do give him dog treats, but we rarely given him sugary food.

“He’s never liked having his teeth cleaned. We tried to do it when he was younger but he got very stressed.”

PDSA vets and nurses had to remove 14 of Cheeko’s teeth. Senior Vet, Dermot Mullen, says: “Cheeko’s teeth were in the late stages of dental disease so we had no choice but to remove them.

“In most cases if dental disease is caught early, when the first symptoms start to show, we can often remove the plaque and save the teeth. The best way to prevent the onset of dental disease is to feed pets a balanced and healthy diet and brush a dog’s teeth daily. Some dog breeds are also more prone to dental problems than others and Yorkshire Terriers are one such example.”

Theresa adds: “Cheeko has recovered well following his dental operation. I’m so glad PDSA has been able to help him and even though he’s lost some teeth, it’s not affected his appetite!

“Like many dog owners we found it hard to clean our dog’s teeth, but I wanted to highlight what’s happened to Cheeko to help raise awareness of the problem for other dog owners. Going forward, we’ll definitely be keeping a closer eye on his teeth and will be trying to clean them on a more regular basis.”
 

24/06/2010