Teeth Care

[king2005]

Its Mr. Biggles this time.

We know we have to take him in to get his teeth cleaned. BUT is there anyway to help keep his teeth healthy? Hes 8yrs old & has an under bite & we're positive his old owners fed him a lot of people foods & gave him few toys.

He LOVES pig ears, so thats a start to get his teeth into better shape (I hope)... Hes not interested in toys, only the pig ears so far. Doesn't like dentabone either & Bear isn't too keen on it either.

So are the pig ears gonna help clean his teeth as he has to work so hard to chew on them (hes a small 12p dog).. Or is there another yummy thing he can chew on that'll be better?

I will not give him rawhide & I know most of you'll agree aswell, as its can kill dogs (esp. Bear).

My old dog wasn't allowed treats 90% of the time do to his sensitive gut, so I don't know what products are out there, & what a small old dog will find fun to chew.

[Freedom]

Hi, just popped over from the cat side to see what was happening in doggie land!

On the cat side, someone has just started adding liquid Oral Care to her cat's water, to help keep the teeth and mouth cleaner. Just a few table spoons in the water bowl. Colorless, odorless, tasteless.

Since you are taking the dog in for a teeth cleaning, ask the vet about this idea! Not everything which is OK for cats works for dogs, and vice versa!

[wolfsoul]

I scale Visa's teeth myself every month or two, whenever I think about it. We get our picks from the auto shop -- they are alot like the ones the animal dental hygienests use. If you can train Mr. Biggles to hold still while you do that, or get someone to help you, it really keeps the teeth clean. I only do it where tartar is starting to build up on her back molars, and under her gumline. Doing it too much can make grooves in the enamel, and bacteria can build up in there. I also brush her teeth and use dental spray that helps kill bacteria.

As for chews, you can throw him a raw meaty bone or a carrot. I've never used those "Flossies" but I've heard they are good.

[mike001]

Since I feed raw, I never have to have my dogs' teeth cleaned. The raw bones keep their teeth sparkling white. And no sedation.

[Freedom]

Carrots are a great one to use for treats - no fat and they help clean the teeth. Sugar LOVES her carrots. I buy the bag of small peeled carrots (they are about 2.5 to 3 inches long). Since she is a small dog, I cut them into 3 or 4 pieces. She gets 3 carrots with her breakfast each morning and 4 with her supper each evening. If I just put in kibble with no carrots, she won't eat!

Raw sweet potatoe is supposed to be good also. Haven't tried it with Sugar, yet.

Raw apple too. Sugar won't eat that, I tried.

Last week I was making a stew. Sugar took some carrot as I was chopping them up. Then I moved on to turnip. She kept jumping up pawing at me, so I offered her a piece. She ATE it! "Funny tasting carrot, mom." She did wrinkle up her nose a wee bit. I gave her a piece of carrot after to get rid of the taste, ha ha.