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Doggy dental care for the dog that doesn't like to chew


Horsefeathers!

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My little Peanut Poodlet is having a horrible time with her teeth. To be totally honest, they are AWFUL. I stepped out of my car for a few minutes the other day leaving only her and Devin in the car and when I got back in, I thought someone had pooped in there. It stank that bad :o ! It was Peanut's breath. I've been trying to help her naturally clean her teeth by giving chicken necks (she's about 8ish lbs), Greenies, various Nylabones and chews, but she is simply not a chewer. She'll gnaw on a chicken neck for a few minutes, but loses interest. She doesn't chew hard snacks or kibble, either. She'll lick h*ll out of anything (couches, carpets, floor vents, ugh! :o ), but just isn't a chewer.

Anyway, so now her teeth look awful, her breath stinks and her gums are bleeding. She saw the vet today and she's going to run a course of antibiotics, we'll do bloodwork on Friday and sometime next week she'll have a dental. I hate the thought of having to fully anesthetize my dog to clean her teeth, but I don't know what else to do. Any suggestions on how I can KEEP them clean once we have them under control? I've never been one for a lot of dog tooth brushing :oops: (most of my dogs' teeth are in good shape, even the ones that are seven years old and have never needed a dental), but is this what I'll need to do? She's only five years old and this will be the second time she's been put under for a dental. She's a good dog and I don't doubt she'd let me scrape at them, but I'm uncomfortable doing it myself since they're in the shape they're in. I've known of dogs who died when bacteria from the mouth got into the bloodstream (or something like that?).

So how do I KEEP these little teefies clean once we do this?

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[quote name='Horsefeathers!']I've known of dogs who died when bacteria from the mouth got into the bloodstream (or something like that?).[/quote]

yep, that's what the risk is, unfortunately. :(

unfortunately, the largest problem are genetics. if your dog is predisposed to bad teeth, you have to fight a constant battle. not even a completely raw diet and daily chewing of bones will necessarily do the job.

brushing is important. even if you brush irregularly it's better than not at all.

other things that support clean teeth are probiotics, like in a good quality cultured yogurt, green tripe ([b]very[/b]stinky but soft and the natural acidity of the cow stomach helps to keep teedh clean), apples, and high doses of vitamin C (build up slowly to 250 to 500 milligrams per 10 pounds of body weight daily). apple cidar vinegar might help as well.

most commercial dental cleaning chews are bogus.

what you can also try is something like suzy's tartar liquid directly into the drinking water.

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Hey, thanks! I actually didn't know what green tripe was (knew what tripe was, but didn't know "green" :oops: ) and asked the meat feller at the market today. He showed me. So if I buy some of this, do I just cut off a chunk of it and give to her? How much and how often?

I do give my guys cultured yogurt from the health food store and I picked up some apples while I was at the store today. I never would have thought about apples! It wouldn't hurt me to eat some fruit, too :oops: , so apples will work for both of us. 8)

I have a bottle of apple cider vinegar here, still unopened, because I really don't know what to do with it. How do I "dose" it for an 8ish lb dog? Is it used just as an additive?

I'll certainly brush her teeth if that's what it's going to take. I've just never had many dental problems in any of my dogs except her (and my Chi, but chewing has helped keep his under control), but I'll do what I gotta do. She's a very good dog and I am sure she won't mind. Any ideas for what to use for toothpaste? I mean, I know they sell commercial doggy toothpaste, but is that sufficient or is there something better?

I've never heard of Suzy's tartar liquid. What is it? Do you know if it's anything like Oxyfresh? I'm familiar with Oxyfresh and know many people who swear by them and I know of a few people on some of my other lists who distribute them if that would work.

Thanks so much! :D

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green tripe is uncleaned tripe with some of the stomach content still in it. it supplies acidity as well as probiotic bacteria, so you hit two birds with one stone. tripe is also a nutritious food with a close to perfect calcium/phosphorus ratio, so you can theoretically use it as full meal replacement. give it as often as you can stand dealing with the smell. the longer the dog has to work to chew on it, the more effective it is. thank god almost all dogs go crazy over it. just make sure you wash everything that comes in contact with the tripe, or you'll have to suffer the stench of cow burp. lol

the apple cider vinegar can either be given in the drinking water or mixed with food. depends if your dog likes it or not. you can start out with a teaspoon or two per quart of water and increase it to about a tablespoon over time if your dogs don't mind it.

for brushing i'd use a commercial enzymatic dog toothpaste. the enzymes will continye to work for some time even after you are done brushing. i use the petrodex poultry flavored, which my dog really likes. you can get doggie toothbrushes that are 3-sided, those work better than regular ones, but for starting out you might want to use one of those finger brushes.

suzy's tartar liquid is a preparation that you add to the drinking water. i'm not a big fan of using that kind of stuff tho. no extra chemicals for my animals. :)

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I will go ahead and buy the green tripe then. Maybe it'll give her a good workout, but I'm going to wait until she's had her dental and her mouth is healed a bit. Even now, I'm only giving her wet food because her gums look so sore (not that she chews kibble much, but I reckon it makes me feel better). :-?

I just lined up my entire gang for a mouth inspection and every single one of them has a pretty white smile. None of them (except the Chi) has ever had a dental and some of these guys are 7-8 years old and their teeth are excellent. The Chi had one dental a year or so ago, but giving him things like the chicken and turkey necks has been enough to keep his teeth clean. I reckon Peanut's problem must be genetic. I know Toy dogs typically have worse problems with their teeth.

Well, this is just good info to have for the future :) . I hope to be able to avoid having to put my girl under ever again for a dental.

Thanks oodles! :D

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yeah it's quite interesting how different it is in some dogs. my 13 year old had her teeth cleaned for the first time last year and it was only done because she had to have a growth removed so she had been put under anyway and i figured it would be nice to keep on top of a senior's teeth.

my other dog is a stray of unknown origin and his teeth don't want to stay as clean as easily even tho he barely eats kibble or grain products anymore.

as always - you're welcome! :)

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