Cleaning dogs teeth
 |
| dog's teeth cleaning |
Also read: The Shocking Truth About Comercial Dog Food.
I have a papillon that has horrible teeth so I have done lots of dental care, with good success.
First, if the vet says they need a dental then get it done. It is easier to keep clean teeth in good shape, almost impossible to clean up an existing mess.
Second, I brush my paps teeth every night before crating. Make friends with your dog while watching tv or something, get them all relaxed. This takes some practice to get the dog to ALLOW you to do the brushing. My pap sits on top of her crate for me. I put a folded bath towel on the crate so she doesn't slide around. I use a battery operated Colgate Motion brush because it has a very small brush head, easy to get into tight spots. Also,cheap...can be had at Walmart for less than $7.
I use the Petrodex poultry dog toothpaste. Don't put gobs on, just enough to cover the brush head. Never use human toothpaste. I set a timer for 3 minutes (4 when I first started). I put my index finger in the dogs mouth and pull back the lips to keep it out of the way. And I keep my finger between the upper and lower molars so that I can get a good brushing on them without her closing her mouth down and covering them up. (I have a small dog with small teeth, if your dog bites down hard you may have to put a small corner of a washcloth in there to keep the jaw open) So I start on one side way in the back, do the upper and lower molars, be sure to look for a tiny tooth behind the molar (I don't know if all dogs have them but my pap does). I work the upper and lower molars moving forward a bit until you get the upper and lower little teeth in front of the molars, about up to the incisors (the long teeth). Re-load with toothpaste and start on the molars, etc on the other side, up to the incisors. Re-load one last time and do the incisors and front teeth, upper and lower. If you still have time on the timer go back to the areas where your dog seems to accumulate the most plaque and staining.
Third, because our dog has severe gingivitis (you will see a red line above the tooth and lots of plaque usually at the top of those teeth, maybe even some bleeding) and we are trying to avoid it for the future (gingivitis is a bacterial accumulation and can migrate to the heart and kidneys over time) the vet did an application of a new product called Oravet while she did the last dental. The application at the vet lasts a few weeks. Then they send you home with a home care pack that has 8 small containers of the product, large dogs would use one pack each week. But for smaller dogs, you could get at least two applications per packet so it would last you about 16 weeks or maybe even more. It is a gel type thing and I find it works better when slightly warmed, melted a little otherwise it has a slippery waxy consistency. So while I'm brushing the dog on Sunday night I leave the packet on top of the stove where my pilot light is. I have also heard that you can microwave it slightly if you take off the foil cover first. After brushing, then I have the Oravet gel right near me, use the washcloth to dry off an area to apply the gel (I find it sticks better if the teeth are dry), and apply it along the gumline, working all the way around just like the brushing pattern. The give you applicators in the kit. Kit costs $25.
Fourth, because the cat formula has worked wonders for my cat who has also been a dental waiting to happen! I buy the Science Diet dog oral care chunks for my dogs. $10/bag at Petco or similar store. I don't feed them as food because the ingredients are not high quality. But when my dogs go out specifically after eating (2x/day) I give them an oral kibble when they come in, hoping to scrape some of the plaque off from the meal. So one bag lasts me for 3-4 months or so with two dogs, 4 chunks per day total.
Lastly, I do allow limited chewing on pork pizzle type sticks. Limited, my dogs get to chew on them for an hour or two while I watch tv at night, maybe 3x/week. I was buying the beef bully sticks but I got weirded out when mad cow and CJ disease became issues with beef, US or not. (I work in a medical lab and we get to read all the journals) I rarely (maybe 2x/year I buy) give a rawhide flip chip, roll, or knotted bone that I buy at Walmart $3/package...used to be Dr Dentley brand, now I think they are Hartly or something like that, made by Hartz, has a blue strip at the top of the package... they are impregnated with an enzyme (hexophospate???) that creates something similar to a peroxide reaction in the mouth with saliva. It has good studies proving its usefulness. Don't be fooled by "dental chews" that list parsley extract, chlorophyll, mint, baking soda, etc as the active ingredient. They will only mask the doggy breath, not treat the cause. You can purchase CET chews at the vet's office or Petrodex chews at most pet store but they are much more expensive and contain the same enzyme ingredient as the Walmart chews.
Of course I also keep a big supply of rope toys, nylabones (mine like the blue bumpy ones), kongs, etc. Anything to keep them massaging those teeth and gums every day.
Besides rawhide the only thing I avoid is Greenies. They seem to be the hot thing on the market right now but I've heard some stuff from my vet about dogs getting really sick from eating them.
Your dog will probably have nice teeth, most dogs do. And you will probably only need a few of the things that I use, and much less frequently, except for daily brushing. A dental cleaning costs $250+ in my area at the cheapest vet. So consider the small expense of the products above to be quite a savings over a vet dental.
First, if the vet says they need a dental then get it done. It is easier to keep clean teeth in good shape, almost impossible to clean up an existing mess.
Second, I brush my paps teeth every night before crating. Make friends with your dog while watching tv or something, get them all relaxed. This takes some practice to get the dog to ALLOW you to do the brushing. My pap sits on top of her crate for me. I put a folded bath towel on the crate so she doesn't slide around. I use a battery operated Colgate Motion brush because it has a very small brush head, easy to get into tight spots. Also,cheap...can be had at Walmart for less than $7.
I use the Petrodex poultry dog toothpaste. Don't put gobs on, just enough to cover the brush head. Never use human toothpaste. I set a timer for 3 minutes (4 when I first started). I put my index finger in the dogs mouth and pull back the lips to keep it out of the way. And I keep my finger between the upper and lower molars so that I can get a good brushing on them without her closing her mouth down and covering them up. (I have a small dog with small teeth, if your dog bites down hard you may have to put a small corner of a washcloth in there to keep the jaw open) So I start on one side way in the back, do the upper and lower molars, be sure to look for a tiny tooth behind the molar (I don't know if all dogs have them but my pap does). I work the upper and lower molars moving forward a bit until you get the upper and lower little teeth in front of the molars, about up to the incisors (the long teeth). Re-load with toothpaste and start on the molars, etc on the other side, up to the incisors. Re-load one last time and do the incisors and front teeth, upper and lower. If you still have time on the timer go back to the areas where your dog seems to accumulate the most plaque and staining.
Third, because our dog has severe gingivitis (you will see a red line above the tooth and lots of plaque usually at the top of those teeth, maybe even some bleeding) and we are trying to avoid it for the future (gingivitis is a bacterial accumulation and can migrate to the heart and kidneys over time) the vet did an application of a new product called Oravet while she did the last dental. The application at the vet lasts a few weeks. Then they send you home with a home care pack that has 8 small containers of the product, large dogs would use one pack each week. But for smaller dogs, you could get at least two applications per packet so it would last you about 16 weeks or maybe even more. It is a gel type thing and I find it works better when slightly warmed, melted a little otherwise it has a slippery waxy consistency. So while I'm brushing the dog on Sunday night I leave the packet on top of the stove where my pilot light is. I have also heard that you can microwave it slightly if you take off the foil cover first. After brushing, then I have the Oravet gel right near me, use the washcloth to dry off an area to apply the gel (I find it sticks better if the teeth are dry), and apply it along the gumline, working all the way around just like the brushing pattern. The give you applicators in the kit. Kit costs $25.
Fourth, because the cat formula has worked wonders for my cat who has also been a dental waiting to happen! I buy the Science Diet dog oral care chunks for my dogs. $10/bag at Petco or similar store. I don't feed them as food because the ingredients are not high quality. But when my dogs go out specifically after eating (2x/day) I give them an oral kibble when they come in, hoping to scrape some of the plaque off from the meal. So one bag lasts me for 3-4 months or so with two dogs, 4 chunks per day total.
Lastly, I do allow limited chewing on pork pizzle type sticks. Limited, my dogs get to chew on them for an hour or two while I watch tv at night, maybe 3x/week. I was buying the beef bully sticks but I got weirded out when mad cow and CJ disease became issues with beef, US or not. (I work in a medical lab and we get to read all the journals) I rarely (maybe 2x/year I buy) give a rawhide flip chip, roll, or knotted bone that I buy at Walmart $3/package...used to be Dr Dentley brand, now I think they are Hartly or something like that, made by Hartz, has a blue strip at the top of the package... they are impregnated with an enzyme (hexophospate???) that creates something similar to a peroxide reaction in the mouth with saliva. It has good studies proving its usefulness. Don't be fooled by "dental chews" that list parsley extract, chlorophyll, mint, baking soda, etc as the active ingredient. They will only mask the doggy breath, not treat the cause. You can purchase CET chews at the vet's office or Petrodex chews at most pet store but they are much more expensive and contain the same enzyme ingredient as the Walmart chews.
Of course I also keep a big supply of rope toys, nylabones (mine like the blue bumpy ones), kongs, etc. Anything to keep them massaging those teeth and gums every day.
Besides rawhide the only thing I avoid is Greenies. They seem to be the hot thing on the market right now but I've heard some stuff from my vet about dogs getting really sick from eating them.
Your dog will probably have nice teeth, most dogs do. And you will probably only need a few of the things that I use, and much less frequently, except for daily brushing. A dental cleaning costs $250+ in my area at the cheapest vet. So consider the small expense of the products above to be quite a savings over a vet dental.
Related:
I really get a kick out of the chance to perusing your post. Much thanks to you such a great amount for setting aside the opportunity to share such a pleasant data. I'll unquestionably include this incredible post in my article segment.
ReplyDeletehow to brush dogs teeth | brushing dogs teeth