Teeth Cleaning
Home care probably never replaces that of a professional to check for loose or broken teeth. But I really don't want to put any of mine under for routine cleaning anymore. I use dental scaling tools to remove plaque. Mine are used to being handled so it's not a challenge. I'd love to give them raw bones but worry about bones splintering since I've got a couple of aggressive chewers in the pack. So how do you care for your dog's teeth and how well does it work? |
|
|
For the boys, I brush them at home (to be honest!) about once a month. Even though it probably isn't the most effective regimen to clean the teeth, it does keep me on top of things to see how their teeth look so a bad one isn't going to slip past me. It's more like an amateur dental exam with chicken flavored toothpaste involved.  For the real cleaning, I leave that to the vet. I'm lucky that my vet is sweet and very honest so she'll never clean unless they really need it. Clyde has only had his done once and it was thrown in as a bonus during his hematoma surgery. Bear has yet to have his first "real" cleaning.
Lucy used to religiously have her teeth cleaned professionally every year and a half. Now that she's old and really failing lately, there's no way I'll put her under anesthesia for it unless there's a life threatening problem. Luckily, all the years of the teeth cleaning kept her teeth good so now, in her golden years, she's just coasting on a dental free routine. |
| Used to a lot more than I do now.
They have a mouthwash for after meals that you spray on their teeth, and my small dog got daily brushing... but when I don't feel like I'm making much of a difference for a dog who gets a professional cleaning every 6-12 months.... I quit. Yuki has mouthwash that you put in her water. I tried to get a dental a few months ago but the vet said the tartar wasn't sticking to her gums.... so she didn't need it. Can't have bones. Her teeth always bleed due to how aggressive she is and she's allergic. Has always had this problem. |
| I check Izzie's out every once in awhile. She gets raw bones several times a month. She is also on a raw diet which is supposed to be better for their teeth in general. She hasn't had them professionally cleaned and the vet says they look fine. She is 2 1/2. |
| I should add that my 8 and 10 year olds have had their teeth professionally cleaned once... earlier this year. If it needs to be done, we do it. I've read there can be other health problems caused by bad teeth/gums so we do whatever needs to be done to keep them healthy.
I also confess that mine had a femur bone over the weekend. I watched them like a hawk though... each had it for maybe 10 minutes. My vets, both regular and holistic and also a veterinary nutritionist at MSU, don't believe in feeding raw  If I had one that supported it, I'd probably do it more often and not feel guilty about it. I DID however wash each dog's faces and front legs thoroughly with soap and water after they were done   |
Izzie had stomach/intestinal problems until we started feeding raw. My vet never pushed raw, but was happy to hear that Izzie was feeling better. She was the one that said raw would be good for her teeth. I have also noticed that her ears have had zero problems since going raw...I don't think I have cleaned them since...only a little hair pulling. I usually save the messier bones for once or twice a month and plan leg baths for after, but she usually doesn't get dirty at all  ...from eating raw, that is |
Didn't find exactly what you're looking for? Search again here:
Custom Search
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|