My 4 year old schnauzer has always had the middle 2 teeth in his bottom jaw, dropped slightly out of alignment with the rest of the teeth. Recently, I have noticed that they are moving outwards i.e. he is now almost undershot in these 2 teeth.
Does anyone know if orthodontic bands would help this problem...and if so where would I get them and what does it entail.

Thank you.

What does the vet say? Is it a symptom of some other condition? Does it affect his ability to eat? Are they causing him pain? If not (and from what you say I very much doubt it) then it's best to leave them alone.

OMG! They are not sticking those things on dogs now?

John :(

As I understand it, only in very serious cases where the dog's health is at risk, John. Usually misaligned teeth are simply removed if they are causing a problem. If not - then it's better for the dog (the important one, after all) to leave them alone.

How long before it becomes a cosmetic thing JG. "Never mind, the insurance will pay" then insurance premiums climb even higher. Next thing people wont be able to afford the insurance so life saving operations wnt be able to be performed. I've said for years that insurance is viewed by vets a the bird who laid the golden egg. Trouble is, the golden egg has cracks in it!

Sorry but I for one am 100% opposed to this type of thing.

Best wishes, John

I agree John.  The Vets push insurance, which means they can put their charges up, which increases the premiums etc!!  A vicious circle! 
Then put dog food manufacturers into the mix .................  the only winners are the Vets, but the bubble will burst!

If an owner does something to change the appearance of the dog eg correct the teeth placement, then it should be reported to the kennel club before it is shown.  My daughter was once given a puli puppy who's mouth went wry.  The breeder asked us to take it to an orthodentic Vet and find out if it was developmental or hereditary.  If it was developmental, then she wanted it corrected.  If it was inherited, then she wanted it left and the bitch would not be shown or bred from.  We were disappointed that it was hereditary but had great admiration for her withdrawing an otherwise beautiful bitch from the ring and from her breeding program.

I couldn't agree more, John. This is one reason why I am, to a certain extent, anti-insurance. The golden egg isn't just cracked, it's addled.

There is no doubt that the money from insurance has funded a tremendous amount of research. I guess both you Val and JG can remember the days when a vet's sole medicine was worm tablets and canker drops and we no doubt would not like to go there again but at the moment it seems to be, "Lets find more and more ways of getting our hands on the loot and to hell with the dog!" Insurance companies make vast sums of money out of the punter and the vets are coining it in from the insurance companies. The only person paying in the dog owner. I have never insured my dogs and having no desire to line other peoples pockets. I put the premium in an account at the bank and pay the bill myself. That way I have control of my dog's health, not someone sitting in an office who I have never seen.

Best wishes, John

John, when I was a Veterinary Nurse, one of the very old partners was still putting cats to sleep with Prussic Acid!!  And the RSPCA were euthanasing dogs by putting them in trunks, clamping metal clips on their ears and switching on!! 

People would never believe the changes in the standard of veterinary care over the last thirty years or so, would they Val! But the wheel turns full circle and people get greedy. They want more of the golden egg for less work. Vaccines were a life saver when they first arrived but they have become a "Good little earner!" And Diet Food! Well, what's wrong with just reducing the amount given? Puppy foods? We never had these during food rationing and our dogs never missed it. My first dog still holds the record for being the oldest dog I've ever owned.

I can't remember the exact figures but a few weeks ago the Daily Mail reckoned it cost something like £20,000 to keep a dog for its life! Let's face it, you could keep me for less! (And I don't bite or pull on the lead!!)

Best wishes, John

Oh John you sweet innocent man.

I was shocked years ago when a freind of mine was told to use these on her promising pup whose mouth was very nearly undershot, where the standard calls for a scissor bite and Pincer bite was tolerated.

She was shown exactly how to use them too.  Needless to say she gave up showing the dog, and he is now an aged pet.  Funny that in the line he came from quite a few poor bites keep turning up.

Just for clarification it wasn't my breed.

So if it is for cosmetic re3asons then please do not consider it, even if your dog is not used for breeding, it will disguise the truth about what the parent stock can produce.

John where have you been, there are stalls full of them ;-)

Guest , 2 squint teeth doesn't make the dog under or over shot it either is or isn't ( or level of course) well that is my thought anyway.  I would forget the bands etc.