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As for the game of fetch, it seems to tap into something instinctual in dogs. In the past, they were trained hunters, so running after prey and retrieving it once again would have been essential skills. Balls can act as replicas for rabbits or similar animals, helping your dog to get the satisfaction of the chase in a safe way. That isn’t to say that these are bad products. I mean, herding balls are a simple product – it’s a ball that rolls when pushed.

Phew, if you made it this far, congratulations! You now know which herding ball is best for your dog. If you are considering ball therapy ask your vet their opinion and get them to send us images of each side of the closed mouth from the side with mouth closed and lips up. For these three reasons it is advisable to surgically remove the lower canine teeth as soon as possible to allow maximum time between the surgery and the time the permanent teeth erupt at between 22 and 24 weeks of age. See our file for illustration of removal of deciduous canines.tri ball), where dogs herd large balls into a pen. As per the rules, a herding ball should be taller than your dog’s shoulders. The key to successful ball therapy or “rubber toy therapy” is realizing its limitations and using it in cases of linguoversion or mild Class 2 malocclusions (Figure 1B). Hopefully, this will help some of your patients with mild malocclusions. Have you had success with ball/toy therapy? Send your “before and after” photos to me at [email protected]. This makes it easier for your dog to push with different parts of his body. The larger your dog, the larger the herding ball needs to be. First, start with the bright colors, which reviewers say are easy to spot in the grass or bushes. Move on to the non-toxic and non-abrasive felt covering, which is gentler on a dog’s mouth than a traditional tennis ball. Wrap it up with a sturdy bounce. And go long! This is a very delicate procedure and carries very high success rate (in our hands) since the availability of Mineral Trioxide Aggregate (MTA). We have used it as the material of choice since 2005. The previous agent (calcium hydroxide) was much more caustic and tended to "burn" the pulp. The success rate of MTA treated cases is quoted as 92% in a seminal ten year study based in vet dental clinics in Finland. This compares with 67% when caclium hydroxide was previously the agent. Luotonen N et al, JAVMA, Vol 244, No. 4, February 15, 2014 Vital pulp therapy in dogs: 190 cases (2001–2011).

It is important to realise and inform the owner that any of our domesticated pets can have very functional dentition after the loss of any tooth or teeth. By giving your dog a herding ball, you’re letting your dog explore these natural herding instincts – chasing and moving objects, without negatively impacting others. Treat dispensing toys are designed for interactive play with your pooch. They have openings which you can stuff with treats, which they can roll around, lift up, and try and free. These provide both mental and physical stimulation.

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There are a lot of options in this category ( KONG and Orbee-Tuff also make popular rope-ball toys), but we like the Jolly Pets rope ball for its durability. It’s puncture-resistant, gentle on dog mouths, and a solid choice for tug-of-war and pups who like to grab and shake.

The Tug-n-Toss is tough yet flexible, made for interactive play. Dogs will love that they can carry the handle in their mouths and shake and toss it on their own, while humans will appreciate they can avoid the slobber.A single tooth in an abnormal position in animals with a normal length of the upper and lower jaws can be considered to be more likely to have a traumatic cause, but even this has not been established. This is best done with erupting permanent mandibular canines. When done at this time the canines are actively moving through the bone and can be deviated from their course. This is usually around 5 months of age. Once the teeth are at their final eruption height the ability to move them starts to reduce. It then becomes a much bigger job to do. You should encourage your dog to play with the ball in their mouth as often as you can. It has been shown that performing this behaviour for fifteen minute intervals three times daily is effective. The longer the forces act, the better the result. Next, we have rope balls, which can mean a couple of different things. They can be made of cotton fibers twisted together. Or, they can be rubber balls with ropes looped through for games of tug of war. John Lewis, VMD, FAVD, DAVDC, practices dentistry and oral surgery at Veterinary Dentistry Specialists and is the founder of Silo Academy Education Center, both located in Chadds Ford, Pa. References There are four classes of malocclusions. 1 Class 1 refers to a normal jaw length relationship between the maxilla and mandible, but one or more teeth are malpositioned. Class 2 denotes the mandibular arch occludes caudal to its normal position. Previously called mandibular brachygnathism, its preferred medical term according to the American Veterinary Dental College’s (AVDC’s) nomenclature committee is mandibular distoclusion. The common lay term used to describe this malocclusion is “overbite.” Class 3 malocclusion occurs when the maxillary arch is shorter than the mandibular arch. Previously referred to as maxillary brachygnathism or “underbite,” the preferred medical term for this condition is mandibular mesioclusion. Class 4 malocclusion refers to maxillomandibular asymmetry in either the rostral-caudal, medial-lateral, or dorsal-ventral direction due to asymmetric growth of the right or left maxillary or mandibular arch. A common lay term for a type of Class 4 is “wry bite.” 1 Play ball

In a few selected cases - usually only very mild lingual displacement - we can consider placing crown extensions on the lower canines to help guide them into a more natural position. It carries some uncertainly and will not be suited or work in all cases. The images below show crown extensions on a young Springer Spaniel. These permanent teeth can theoretically be treated by three options. Not all options are available to all cases. These options are described below and are either surgical removal of the lower canines teeth (and possibly incisors also), crown amputation and partial pulpectomy or orthodontics via an inclined bite plane bonded to the upper canines and incisors. The latter option may not be available to all dogs if the diastema (space) between the upper third incisor and canine is too small for the lower canines to move into or if the lower canines are located behind (palatal) to the upper canines. A loud internal squeaker appeals to a dog’s prey drive, too. Gnawsome balls are lighter than tennis balls, so they’re easy to throw. And they’re bouncy but not likely to destroy anything upon impact (unlike tougher toys). As it says in the name, squeaky balls make a noise when they are pressed or chewed on. The materials can vary from spikes to soft foam. If your dog is attracted to noise, they are a great option. Even though persistent deciduous teeth are considered the most important cause of malocclusion, they appear to be more common in certain breeds and could therefore have a genetic association

While this ball doesn’t have all the bells and whistles (or fun colors) as some of the other toys on our list, it is extremely bouncy and durable. A hole in the middle lets you stuff it with treats or add a rope for easier tossing. First, we have spiked balls, which are made from durable rubber. They are soft and the spikes have a massaging effect on your dog’s gums. These are commonly used indoors and they can be great for chewing on when your dog is simply feeling lazy. Like all toys, herding balls can be dangerous when not used correctly, especially if your dog is a biter. This is a sterile procedure to reduce the height of the lower canine crown that exposes the pulp. It requires a removal of some pulp (partial coronal pulpectomy) and placement of a direct pulp capping. The best type of balls to use are quite dense but have some give. Things like tennis balls are too “squishy” and do not give enough resistance, and so minimal force is applied to the teeth. A good density is something like the rubber used in Kongs (TM) . If it is an appropriate size – not too big, not too small, but just right! – the ball will place a lateral tipping force on the mandibular canines as it is carried around.