I have found that a few of our dogs like to dig up rocks/stones and use
them for chew toys.....so sometimes its not the tennis ball, but nature
that provides the  tooth damage. Of course we discourage this and
provide plenty of plastic doggie toys, rawhide chews every week, and raw
bones. No matter how you try, it seems that some dogs will search out
something to play with [ chew] from its territory that THEY find
desireable, nit necessarily good for them. My 'Cookie' was found one day
nibble/chewing up a piece of concrete she dug up and from that event,
she has flat top fangs now.  I have not ever found her to repeate the
concrete, but the damage was done.
Jennifer


 Mary O'Connell wrote:

>In a message dated 7/18/2005 9:12:17 PM Eastern Standard Time,
>[log in to unmask] writes:
>
>
>
>>I just noticed today that Shannon has flat topped fangs &we were wondering
>>if her previous owner had this done to her (maybe by a vet), if she tried to
>>chew out of a crate or something &messed up her fangs that way or if this
>>was something natural to Collies, so anyone have any ideas/theories?
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>Most of the time this type of wear is the result of  a dog chewing on an
>abrasive material over several years. One of the main culprits is a tennis ball.
>The material that covers the ball is extremely abrasive.  If Shannon is a big
>tennis ball lover, that may be your answer.  One of my border collies that I
>adopted when he was five years old had completely flattened the tips of his
>canines pursuing his favorite hobby...tennis ball fetching and chewing.  My
>friend's BC also has flattened his canines in the same way.
>
>MaryO
>
>
>
>