Dog Braces Are An Actual Thing And It’s Pretty Darn Cute

So I know what you’re thinking… Dog braces?  Really? As absurd as it sounds, there’s an actual health reason why this procedure is done.

Meet Wesley. This adorably nerdy golden retriever had some really bad teeth problems.  They were so crooked that his bite didn’t line up and couldn’t close his mouth.  Luckily Wesley’s owner, Molly, works at her dad’s veterinary office at Harborfront Hospital for Animals where her father, Dr. Moore, specializes in veterinary dentistry.

In a conversation with BuzzFeed, Molly explained that “A lot of people don’t understand. They think we did this so he won’t get picked on in the playground, but there’s a serious medical reason.”  Her dad goes on to add that, “We don’t place braces or any oral appliances in the mouth for aesthetics. We do this for pain or function.”

If you’re saying to yourself “I’ve never seen this before.”  You’re right. It’s a very rare occurrence. In fact, Dr. Moore only does about four of these procedures a year.

The good news for Wesley is that he will only keep the braces on for a few weeks. But for those few weeks, Wesley definitely looks good with his mouth full of metal.