Question(s) about teeth cleaning.

[ChrisH]

Do you do it? How often, daily, weekly, or ?.

Bob hasn't done bad considering he is nearly 11 and just had his first dental with no extractions needed, just a clean. However he does have mild gingervitus which although, hopefully, the meds will cure I think a teeth cleaning routine will have to be set to avoid further gum and teeth trouble. Whether Bobby will co-operate is another story. :D

[Randi]

I have never cleaned Fister's teeth, but he's had it done 3 or 4 times at the vets. I worry each time because of the anesthesia. I think he could do with another cleaning though. When I brush him with he rubber brush, I brush along his gums to force him clean his teeth with his tongue.

Hope Bob is feeling great with his pearly white teeth now! :) And hopefully the meds will cure the gingivitus.

Give your lovely boy some scritchies from me, and Ebby too! :love:

[chocolatepuppy]

I brush Layla and Jake's teeth twice a week, Wed. and Sat. I started when they were puppies and Layla doesn't mind it and Jake loves it. ;)
Lacey, I tried when she was young and she was too wild, later when I tried, forget it, I'd be losing a finger.:rolleyes: Lacey has had her teeth cleaned by the vet when she was seven and is almost nine and I'd like to take her again.

[wolf_Q]

When I just had Nebo I brushed his teeth pretty much every day. Now with three I try to brush their teeth 2-3 times per week. They love having their teeth brushed. If they see a toothbrush they come running and all wait their turn...well Skya likes to "help" by licking the other dogs mouths while I'm trying to brush their teeth.

I brush dogs teeth at work and some dogs will let you, some won't. Gradually getting them used to it will help.

[ChrisH]

Thanks guys! http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/CwmmawrJet/Smiles/thumb.gif

Randi, Bob and Ebbs say thanks for the scritches!

[Twisterdog]

I never brush my dogs' teeth. I also very rarely have them cleaned at the vet.

If they have to go under for something else, I'll have their teeth cleaned, but I've never done it just for teeth cleaning.

I feed only dry dog food, and I give them lots of dental chews. The vet techs are always commenting on how clean my dogs' teeth are, so it must be working!

Keito is getting a little tartar on his canine teeth, up by his gums, I noticed this week. However, he is at least sixteen years old and has had his teeth cleaned once in his life. I'm not going to get them cleaned now, poor old guy, no anesthetic for him now!

[ChrisH]

I never brush my dogs' teeth. I also very rarely have them cleaned at the vet.

If they have to go under for something else, I'll have their teeth cleaned, but I've never done it just for teeth cleaning.

I feed only dry dog food, and I give them lots of dental chews. The vet techs are always commenting on how clean my dogs' teeth are, so it must be working!

Keito is getting a little tartar on his canine teeth, up by his gums, I noticed this week. However, he is at least sixteen years old and has had his teeth cleaned once in his life. I'm not going to get them cleaned now, poor old guy, no anesthetic for him now!
I've never done so before with any dog I've had that's why I asked about how often etc ... sorry, tell a lie, I did attempt it at one time on my RB Shepard, Penny, but she was so awkward about it I gave up.

I feed only dry food and give Bob dental chews too and Bob's teeth were in good condition for his age, nearly 11, which I put down to just that. The reasons I got his teeth looked at was twofold. He has mild gingervitus and one of the back ones looked as if it could need taking out, given his age if he need to go under anaesthesia I preferred it to be now rather than later. As it turned out the tooth was just blackened with tartar, so of course they were all cleaned while he was under.

Except in very serious circumstances I won't risk his being anaesthetised again, so I thought it would be a good idea to try and keep his teeth as clean as possible, brushing as well as the dry food and dental chews. :)

ps There is product available that is helpful too, it is called 'Plaque Off' which you just add to food, a small amount at that.

[Randi]

Chris, I forgot to mention I sprinkle a little 'Plaque Off' on Fister's food also - when he has wet food. I think it works. :)

[ChrisH]

Randi, it was you who gave the heads-up about Plaque Off, a long while ago now. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/CwmmawrJet/Smiles/thumb.gif I think you had taken Fister for a dental and the vet or nurse recommended it?

[bckrazy]

When Gonzo was around 4 years old, I was considering getting a dental for him, because he had a cracked molar that was collecting tons of plaque and it was plaquey along his gumline. I spent AT LEAST $10/week on dental chews, and I brushed his teeth daily. The plaque still inevitably kept gathering.

Once I started feeding raw bones regularly, Gonzo's teeth were instantly white again, even that awkwardly cracked molar. When I have to go through periods of feeding just kibble, I supplement with good raw meaty bones, like turkey necks/wings, chicken carcasses, lamb shanks, etc. Knuckle bones are AMAZING for keeping teeth clean... all of that cartilege and tendons are nature's toothbrush. :) One or two knuckle bones a month keep their teeth plaque-free, which is no more than $3. It's easy, healthy, and good mental/physical stimulation for dogs.

Gonzo did chip one of his tiny bottom front teeth 6 or so years ago... I think it was on a hard frisbee, or a sterilized/cooked bone. The Vet said it would fall out, but it still hasn't, and it's a bit discolored. I really want to get it pulled but my Vet is very hesitant to do it because she says he does NOT need a dental at all, and they would have to put him under to pull it. She wants me to wait until he does need a dental, but I doubt that the day he does will ever come.

[ChrisH]

Yep, bones work really well, if not being the best way at keeping teeth clean. I used to regularly give each of my RB dogs raw bones but unfortunately I can't give them to Bob, at least the bigger ones. He gets too territorial and obsesses over them, anyone really runs the risk of getting badly bitten on getting too near.

I hope Gonzo's tooth does fall out so he does not need surgery to remove. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/CwmmawrJet/Smiles/8a63548a.gif

[lovedogs]

teeth cleaning -
my late friend, who also raised many dogs, taught me to give dogs dry food and bisquits. because my funding is short, i cook my own bisquits. it is so easy. you can use the best ingredients-whole grains,milk..the secret-have you ever made such terrible cookies they were so hard and impossible to chew?--dont use any oil..the only oil(olive) i use is on the cookie sheet.you dont have to make fancy shapes just drop from spoon...no sugar.no leavening...just.flour, water and meat juice......store in a PAPER BAG..this will dry them out further....my dogs love them....they stand at the back door waiting in line like kids waiting for halloween trick or treats.

[bckrazy]

While cookies are definitely delicious... they can hardly be considered teeth-cleaning devices. Are crackers good for cleaning our teeth? Not really. In fact, they get stuck to our teeth, and the same goes for dogs. It's a common misconception that kibble/biscuits will scrape teeth when, actually, a premium soft food is much less likely to stick to the molars and promote plaque.

Have you tried trading Bob for bones? Like... what is something he finds irresistable? Fozzie used to be a brat about his bones being taken away, as a puppy. He even growled at me once, and he would always take off with it. I started bringing an over-cooked hotdog out to take his bone away. I would simply drop the hot dog a few feet away, take the bone when he went for it, and praise him. Now he leaves his bone when he knows I'm taking it away, albeit reluctantly. Teaching him that when a bone is taken away, something equally tasty is given to him really helped him to stop guarding.