My sheltie is getting on for 10 now and is in good health apart from arthritis as a result of various leg surgery over the years.  She has gained weight as a result of lack of exercise,  can only manage a 10 minute stagger most days.  But is still as gorgeous as ever!

She has always been a greedy eater but over the last 2 weeks ahe has been refusing her normal food which contains kibble as well as a bit of wet and won't touch her favourite treats,  Schmackos and the like.  However she has bee gobbling down soft pouches of food so her appetite seems normal.  As she won't take her supplements in pill form I am crushing them and adding them to the sloppy food.  I was reading the symptoms of painful teeth on line and they seem similar to Isla's, refusing chews etc. I also thought she seems to be drinking more than usual.  So I took her to the vet who looked at her teeth and said she had seen far worse (although she did say that she could use a dental).  She has taken blood and urine samples to see if anything else is going on and I won't get the results until Monday.  I must say I am quite worried. But on the bright side,  she looks fine,  eyes bright,  coat its magnificent self and is eating the soft stuff.  The vet said that if nothing shows up she would look closer at the teeth.  Vet had said she is looking at the liver,  kidneys and possibility of diabetes and maybe thyroid which is worrying.

Would be pleased to hear from anyone else who has had tooth or similar probs.  I haven't been on here for a while,  have moved house and lost my password which I have now retrieved!

Thank you for reading thisxx

My old Beardie started only eating soft food and I booked her a dental.  Wish I'd done it sooner.  She was 13 and recovered well even though she had been on medication for years.

Teeth don't have to be covered in tartar to cause problems, so the vet having seen far worse means nothing.  There could be a crack somewhere that's causing her pain, or a cavity, something like that.