X-rays are usually done during the course of routine dental cleaning, and that is to help us see under the gum line. I used to not have an X-ray, and I missed so many teeth that I didn't even know were affected or diseased under the gums. Sometimes you will have issues along the root where you have bone loss along the root of the teeth. There's no way to see that by looking at the crown. So X-rays allow us to look under the surface so we can get a better idea of the health of that tooth.

Very similar to people, actually. The most common and commonly seen and most common disease process is simple gingivitis. This is an inflammation of the gums, but that often progresses into various stages of periodontal disease, where you have now some soreness of the gums, maybe a little bleeding, and the tooth might be loose. We see masses or growths in the mouth. You can have oral-nasal fistulas. You can have broken teeth. There are tooth root abscesses. So, we see all of these things.

Any sudden change in behavior, hiding, crying, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, anemia, or anything like that - if your dog has had some sudden change in the way it's behaving - is enough reason to call your veterinarian and take them in to have a visit.

At that visit, we are very likely to ask a history. Have they been outside where they might've gotten into a mushroom? Have they been inside? What do you feed them? Do they get people food? Anything like that is important, particularly with puppies, because they're known to eat things that they shouldn't.

Don’t try to figure out any sudden change by yourself. Ask for some help, or you can call poison control because there is a dog poison control as well.