Why are my puppy's back teeth stained? Is it normal for a young dog?

That looks like the start of plaque and staining. You may not be able to brush that off as it usually requires a scaler and polisher to remove. It is normal over time for that to happen and it is just him constantly eating and chewing, the same as us. Over time more will develop on all the teeth and will need them clean, but for the now, the gums are healthy and there is no sign of an infection so just try to keep brushing as often as you can

I understand your concern for Penny. I see some very mild tartar accumulation along the gum line of the canine tooth. There also appears to be significant staining on the second upper incisor. Significant staining such as this can be seen due to enamel defects on the tooth which allow more tartar accumulation and staining to occur. Enamel defects can occur due to injuries to the tooth such as from chewing on metal cage bars or other unapproved objects. Given the significant difference seen on the incisor, I would recommend that you have Penny's teeth checked by your veterinarian. They will be able to determine if there is an enamel defect present or if there is another potential reason for the tartar accumulation in that area.

Brushing is recommend at least once per day so I suggest you increase to brushing once per day. Sometimes dogs get some dental staining that you cannot remove. I think his teeth look great from this photo. Dogs will never have no tartar at all; you can expect some will always be present. If you can get Zymox products you can try using this water additive along with daily brushing. It may help. ( https://www.amazon.com/Pet-King-Brands-Additive-Solution/dp/B00D2QN8X0 )

Silly girl, toothpaste isn't a treat! It can be very difficult to train a dog to allow their teeth to be brushed. I would venture to guess that the majority of vets don't brush their pet's teeth, either! The brown staining is plaque and tartar. Once the plaque sets in, there is no amount of brushing that will remove it. The only way to remove the plaque and thoroughly clean the teeth is to take Keltie in for a dental cleaning. This can be a scary idea since she will need to be under general anesthesia, but it can help her avoid many preventable diseases in the future, such as abscessed teeth, infection of the jaw bones, and shedding bacteria in the bloodstream that could cause infection of the heart valves. Here is a great article on dental care in pets. Once the plaque is removed after a dental cleaning, you can work on training Keltie to accept teeth brushing, or you can use products approved by the VOHC to delay additional plaque from forming. http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=128

Thank you for posting pictures. (I know that is always a challenge with a puppy!) From the pictures, the brown area just appears to be particulate build up on the tooth. That particular tooth has 3 roots, so there is a depression between the roots that things can get stuck in. (One of my dogs always has problems there.) I would recommend using an infant toothbrush and pet toothpaste (my favorite is PetSmile (http://store.petsmileusa.com)) to brush her teeth and continue daily. I hope that was helpful! Thanks for using PetCoach.

At his age, the bad breath could be an abscess or the normal shedding of his puppy teeth. Take a good look inside his mouth to check for any abnormalities. You may also consider having him examined by the veterinarian if you are not sure what you are seeing. Otherwise, I recommend to brush his teeth. This is one of the best ways to maintain dental health: https://www.petcoach.co/article/brushing-teeth-home-dental-care/ I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hello! She has a very small amount of tartar accumulation right on her gum lines, which is perfectly amount of plaque to develop by her age. I think with some increase in dental home care, you can probably get all that plaque dissolved and back to pearly whites! Excellent job with the teeth brushing! I would recommend trying to increase that to daily brushing and make sure that you are using a toothpaste with an enzymatic cleaner. The enzymatic part means that it still works after you stop brushing to break down the plaque and tartar. A small amount of this tooth paste put on chew toys can be a way for her to brush her own teeth as well. :) There are also diets formulated for dogs that accumulate dental plaque quickly. Hills T/D is one that I know of off the top of my head, but there are likely other brands as well. The kibbles are made in larger pieces that crunch in a way that cleans that teeth while they eat. Dental chews, like greenies, can be given daily as well for their dental benefits. I hope this is helpful! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!