I tell clients at work all the time to brush their dog's or cat's teeth. We discuss it in routine appointments, we discuss it after dental cleanings, and I talk about it with new puppy owners. I get decent interest from puppy owners and a lot of motivated owners after dental procedures but I've never once been able to say "my dog's gingivitis improved dramatically after only a month of brushing" or "my dog's teeth are sparkly white and she hasn't had a dental in 4 years."
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| Bailey's teeth--staining, build-up, and gingivitis. I'm embarrassed. |
Bailey's teeth get nasty after a month if she doesn't get enough chewies (she has had two dentals and I almost scheduled her for another). I noticed how gross her teeth were today and decided I need to do what I say.
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| Buzz's teeth--minor staining, minor build-up, and minor gingivitis. |
Buzz, on the other hand, has never had a dental and really has pretty great teeth. He gets chewies on pretty much the same schedule Bailey does but has dramatically less tartar build up.
I do have a dog toothbrush and toothpaste. I bought it at least two years ago and it hasn't ever touched a dog's mouth. I used it on Baby's teeth twice, if that. Today I brushed the teeth of both dogs after breakfast and before dinner. I don't expect it to remove the tartar build up... that's what bones are for, but I do expect it to help with the gingivitis.I didn't teach my dogs to "help" me with teeth brushing. I have taught them to be okay with mouth handling though, and Bailey opens her mouth when I put my hands on it and say "open." Neither dog appreciated having the canines or incisors brushed very much, but were pretty good for the molars.
I know Crystal has started to brush Maisy's teeth. Does anyone else actually brush their pet's teeth? (I tried to do Rascal's and he told me that was not in his plans for today, or tomorrow, or ever, really.)
(It is really, really challenging to get good pictures, in focus, of dog teeth if I have to hold the lips back too. Maybe I'll recruit a helper tomorrow. The difference between Buzz and Bailey's teeth is pretty dramatic, especially on the canine teeth and premolars.)
6 comments:
I don't brush Frodo's and honestly it isn't as high on my list as it should be. He needs to eventually get one of his premolar #4s out, and he will have his teeth cleaned then. I will be much more proactive in this endeavor once I see that bill ;)
He is mainly raw fed and will start getting chicken backs and turkey necks when the weather gets nicer and he can have them outside. He isn't allowed recreational bones as he's already broken one (really flippin expensive!!) tooth on them.
I should start working on getting him to let me in his mouth though.
Bailey is missing a PM4, and that was the reason for her second dental. She broke hers on a cooked "dog bone" at holiday time. I live in the boonies and a surgical extraction of PM4 is still expensive.
If I could get my dog's teeth to the point where hand scaling would help those canines out, I'd be a happy camper. I need to feed them some big hunks of meat so those canines get used! They just don't chew with those teeth and they get neglected!
Warmer weather is going to motivate me too. I hope, right? It has to!
I do when I remember. Not very often. It used to be more but that was before we had to hide their toothpaste away since the cat started eating it and popping holes in the tube.
Luke likes toothpaste? That's just crazy. MY cat doesn't even eat toothpaste!
Yours must taste better than ours.
I brush my dogs teeth.. everyday? no, though I should. I usually get every other day. I have noticed a significant difference. I use a regular toothbrush and the CET toothpaste. I get the front teeth then let him "help" me aka "chew on the toothbrush while I hold it in the right spot" to get the back teeth. I concentrate more on getting the tooth paste on all the teeth then scrubbing them clean. It makes it a little easier for me and helps me to do it more often.
I'll have to try the CET toothpaste next. This one definitely isn't a favorite, but it's what I had. I know we have multiple flavors of the CET at work, so I'll look into it!
I want pictures of Beckett brushing his teeth!
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