Community Chat

[JeanLouiseFinch]

Thanks for all the replies. I have an appointment for him in a couple of weeks for shots so I'm going to ask about the advance blood work. Doxie, I think it's pretty cool, too, how you've trained yours to like the teeth brushing. I was looking at my dog earlier and imagining him curling his lip up for the toothbrush...maybe one day, right? At the kennel they have disposable toothbrushes that are preloaded with doggie toothpaste. I'm going to have research finding my own supply rather than paying per piece and buying from them.

[doxie1]

Look for a tube of CET enzymatic toothpaste. It may be at a pet supply. I usually get it at the vets. They like the poultry flavored one.

I am telling you that I was the biggest doubter that it would work. My dogs ate toothbrushes and clamped their mouths closed and got toothpaste everywhere. My vet taught me how I was trying to brush them like a persons teeth. She said I had to do it followed by something daily that they love. They love eating so she said to brush before eating daily. I am still amazed when they come running to get their teeth brushed.

You could use gauze wrapped around your finger or even a bounty paper towel at first. You want to start with your finger before you use a toothbrush.

I am thankful that my vet was persistent with training me.

doxie

[nagrom]

We have fed our dogs raw chicken necks or wings. By chewing the soft chicken bones it kept their teeth clean into old age. Nowadays my vet recommended using toothpaste on a cotton tugawar chew so it acts as dental floss. Breath is fresh and time between dental cleanings is much longer. As my dogs get old it is not recommended to put them under anesthesia. It is a breed thing but they there can be complications.

[JeanLouiseFinch]

On 6/18/2014 nagrom said:

We have fed our dogs raw chicken necks or wings. By chewing the soft chicken bones it kept their teeth clean into old age. Nowadays my vet recommended using toothpaste on a cotton tugawar chew so it acts as dental floss. Breath is fresh and time between dental cleanings is much longer. As my dogs get old it is not recommended to put them under anesthesia. It is a breed thing but they there can be complications.

And I've read that dogs shouldn't have chicken bones.

[Kachina624]

Your dog should not need to have his teeth cleaned at his young age. I wouldn't do it. No use risking his life if it's not necessary. Teeth cleaning is a big racket and money maker for vets. I had an old sheltie rescue and his vet wanted over $800, just to clean his teeth! Did she tell you his teeth needed cleaning? If so, I'd look for a new vet.

It's customary for vets to do a blood panel on dogs before giving them anesthesia to make sure there will be no problems. Of course any time anesthesia is give, a risk is taken.

I have three big dogs who eat nothing but dry kibble and their treats consist of big raw bones from a butcher shop. They have beautiful teeth and the youngest is 9 years old.

[doxie1]

kachina- It is awesome that your dogs teeth are doing so great. I am sorry that you feel like any vet that suggests teeth cleaning is in a racket to make money. I am thankful that I have vets near me that do not suggest it for all dogs. Shelties are so beautiful.

I reread the original post and it sounds like the OP is being proactive after seeing some plaque buildup. When the vet visit happens the vet may suggest some of the other things posted here.

I do believe that there are some breeds that are more prone to tartar buildup and that you do not help the dog by letting the buildup go on. I have been pleased with the changes that I have seen from doing the things I said. If my vet thinks my dogs need to have the teeth cleaning then I will consider doing it.

doxie

[Another new name Sue]

Did you get his teeth cleaned yet?

In our area, we have non-anaesthetic dental cleaning which works well for some dogs.

If you haven't had his teeth done yet, you might want to get some toothpaste and a dog toothbrush and try it yourself. Use CET poultry flavor dog toothpaste (not human toothpaste). Start off giving him a little dab of it to taste (he'll like it), and just brush a tiny bit until he seems uneasy. My dog will now lay on his side with his head on a little towel to get his teeth done. I talk to him all the time telling him he's such a wonderful dog. "Yay, Puppydog!!" When we switch to the other side, he gets another tiny dab of the toothpaste as a sample. When we are done, we run to the kitchen where he gets a cheese treat because he did so well. You don't have to go inside the teeth, just outside.

My dog was recommended for anaesthetic cleaning in March, but I saw such an improvement since I started brushing that I'm putting it off for a while. It's expensive here, over $300. My husband says I'm spoiling the dog which is ridiculous. I don't do it to spoil him, I do it to delay professional cleaning as long as possible, keep the dog healthy with a good breath. See what you can do.

[ceh]

I have an older dog with health problems and was concerned about anesthesia to clean her teeth and repair a few problems. Our vet told me that if blood work came back ok, it should be safe particularly for a dog who has come thorough anesthesia ok before, ex at time of neuter.

[Houck Jason]

My Belgian shepherd doesn't have bad breath at all. I'm only worried about his biting problem. he has recently bitten a neighbour before which he already had bitten a cousin's daughter.

[Another new name Sue]

Jason, have you read another thread, "Our dog has bitten - again"? Not saying you should euthanize your dog obviously, but two bites is extremely serious and you are right to be very, very concerned. You must take action of some sort to isolate the dog from situations which might cause him to bite, at the very least. Even then, things happen.