How often do your dogs have their teeth cleaned at the vets?

I've had two vets tell me my pups are both due for a teeth cleaning, but it's just so expensive... though the vet we go to now is a really cool guy and relatively inexpensive, it's such a relief, my in-laws have a personal relationship with him so he doesn't even charge us for office visits, just for meds or stuff used during a check-up. $13 total to get Double-Oh his shot for worms. :)

When Jamie goes in for her spay she may get her's cleaned, but Charlie's are really bad, I think his gums are actually infected; I need to start giving them bones more often than I already do :(

I feel so bad but... it's SOOOO expensive, hopefully it isn't so bad at our new vet (I haven't asked him about quotes yet).

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Originally Posted by Jessika

I've had two vets tell me my pups are both due for a teeth cleaning, but it's just so expensive... though the vet we go to now is a really cool guy and relatively inexpensive, it's such a relief, my in-laws have a personal relationship with him so he doesn't even charge us for office visits, just for meds or stuff used during a check-up. $13 total to get Double-Oh his shot for worms. :)

When Jamie goes in for her spay she may get her's cleaned, but Charlie's are really bad, I think his gums are actually infected; I need to start giving them bones more often than I already do :(

I feel so bad but... it's SOOOO expensive, hopefully it isn't so bad at our new vet (I haven't asked him about quotes yet).

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I'd recommend calling Monday morning and get at least a price quote. Bad teeth can cause a bunch of other health problems, although you probably already know that. I'd just hate to have anything bad happen to your pets because of bacteria in the bloodstream from bad teeth.

Can't hurt anything to call at least. Keep us posted.

never..my dogs get enough raw meaty bones in their diet that their teeth stay nice and clean.

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Originally Posted by Jessika

I need to start giving them bones more often than I already do :(

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It won't hurt to try!

Knuckle bones are the absolute best for teeth cleaning. Make sure you buy the ones that are meaty and covered in cartilege. The shape of it, and the cartilege, are really perfect for cleaning all of the teeth... even the incisors and canines. Your dog has to rip with the front teeth, and gnaw the cartilege with the molars. It definitely works better than any other bones I know of, but be VERY careful, supervise, and remove the bone if either of your pups seems to be chewing too vigorously or they get down to a small piece of bone.

Here's a picture, for an example of one. Not to be confused with marrow bones - ugh. I really don't like that marrow bones are so bare, and Fozzie once got a marrow bone stuck over his teeth! Never again.

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Originally Posted by bckrazy

It won't hurt to try!

Knuckle bones are the absolute best for teeth cleaning. Make sure you buy the ones that are meaty and covered in cartilege. The shape of it, and the cartilege, are really perfect for cleaning all of the teeth... even the incisors and canines. Your dog has to rip with the front teeth, and gnaw the cartilege with the molars. It definitely works better than any other bones I know of, but be VERY careful, supervise, and remove the bone if either of your pups seems to be chewing too vigorously or they get down to a small piece of bone.

Here's a picture, for an example of one. Not to be confused with marrow bones - ugh. I really don't like that marrow bones are so bare, and Fozzie once got a marrow bone stuck over his teeth! Never again.

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We usually pick up a pack of uncooked "soup bones" when we go to the grocery store, which contain some marrow and they're relatively cheap, around $1.50 a pack for two larger to four smaller bones. What are your bones "labeled" as because I have the hardest time finding UNCOOKED bones in my area...

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Originally Posted by Jessika

We usually pick up a pack of uncooked "soup bones" when we go to the grocery store, which contain some marrow and they're relatively cheap, around $1.50 a pack for two larger to four smaller bones. What are your bones "labeled" as because I have the hardest time finding UNCOOKED bones in my area...

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My dad always asked the butcher for bones for the dogs, they were usually free. I haven't done this since my dogs don't go outside I wonder where they will eat the bloody bones,,,,on the sofa :eek:

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Originally Posted by caseysmom

My dad always asked the butcher for bones for the dogs, they were usually free. I haven't done this since my dogs don't go outside I wonder where they will eat the bloody bones,,,,on the sofa :eek:

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Yeah that was my "fear" too -- I usually put them on the back porch, but Charlie would probably knock them off and then try jumping after them, and Jamie doesn't care how many bones she has, she wants the one Charlie has...

I'll have to ask about butcher bones next time :)

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Originally Posted by Jessika

We usually pick up a pack of uncooked "soup bones" when we go to the grocery store, which contain some marrow and they're relatively cheap, around $1.50 a pack for two larger to four smaller bones. What are your bones "labeled" as because I have the hardest time finding UNCOOKED bones in my area...

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They are usually labeled soup bones or knuckle bones, sometimes marrow bones. But, when I actually think of marrow bones, I think of the bare round leg bones with marrow in the middle. The knuckle is on the end of the front shank bones. It's the "knee", which is why it's covered in cartilage.

You might need to ask the butcher. If your local grocery store doesn't have good knuckle bones, a butcher's shop definitely will... and they might even be free. C:

As far as where to feed them, I do usually feed them outside, but they can be fed in a crate inside too. I know plenty of people who would feed them in the house, where ever... but ugh it just grosses me out. I'm way too parenoid about the bacteria getting into the carpet, and I'd be too lazy to clean the hardwood every time. If you feel like sitting there and keeping an eye on them, you can feed it on a towel on the floor.

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Originally Posted by buttercup132

If your dogs chew lots of bones won't they not need their teeth done?
I thought I heard that when reading about raw somewhere.
I know .Sara's dogs teeth are gorgeous!

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Thanks Alicia :) I've been feeding raw for more than two years now and my dog's teeth are gorgeous as ever. Mandy had her teeth cleaned shortly before I started raw because she needed one pulled, and they still look like they were just cleaned. Luka has some staining from her kibble days, but no tartar build up. Buck (besides a little staining) and Nova have very white teeth since they've been eating it since they were young (Nova was 11 months and Buck was 7 weeks when I started feeding it).

I still remember my vet-tech friend watching Buck when he was around 3 months and saying "well have fun paying for a dental when he's one" :confused: Uhhh, no, the bones do a great job of cleaning his teeth. He has a little bit of staining from when I had to feed him canned food for 2-3 weeks after an obstruction surgery at 10 months old. If I had brushed his teeth during that time, he would still have bright white teeth. They got some massive tartar build up in only those few short weeks but the bones knocked it right off when I started feeding them again. The stains stayed though, unfortunately.

I never feed bones (hard ones like marrow and knuckle) as recreation, because I'm too afraid to. I did it twice and both times one of the dogs chipped a tooth (not bad, just a little chip). It was enough to scare me to not feed them again. Those bones are too hard for aggressive chewers, in my opinion. I feed meat-covered bones 2-4 times a week - usually chicken, turkey, or pork (and beef ribs for Mandy, but she doesn't eat them, just cleans the meat off of them) - and that is enough to keep them sparkling white. :)