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Do any of those sprays work or is the only way to really clean their teeth is to have them put under and pay $150. The $150 is an issue but mostly I'm worried about my dog coming out of it ok. I do brush her teeth but not as often as I should and the vet said she needs them professionally cleaned. Any other options that work?
I don't see any benefit in the spray, but the Biotene Veterinary gels and water additives seemed to make somewhat of a difference. Feeding raw bones or sterilized bones made the most difference...those knocked out tartar before I started to regularly brush my dogs teeth. I don't like the idea of putting my dogs or cat under for a procedure like that and it is pretty violent so I do everything I can to avoid it for them.
Any suggestions about a dog that simply wants to lick/eat the toothpaste? We've tried desensitizing by removing the toothpaste/toothbrush when he starts to lick but he is apparently more focused on the toothpaste flavor than the fact we are holding his mouth open to scrub.
we have 6 dogs, ages 3-10...not one of them has ever had their teeth brushed, not one of them has ever had (or needed) a dental cleaning...
the vet insisted we MUST brush their teeth, but not one of them has ever seen a toothbrush. instead once a week they get a god ole fashioned raw bone, knuckle or femur with a little bit of meat scraps left on...
best doggy (and kitty) toothbrush ever invented.
our vet was out one week when we had to take in our 10 yr old cocker for a back issue...the vet that was filling in swore blind this couldnt be the dog he had the charts on because the dow was at max 5-6 years of age...it took quite a while and the receptionists help to ensure this vet that we wernt pulling some kind of dog swap scam on him...
we have 6 dogs, ages 3-10...not one of them has ever had their teeth brushed, not one of them has ever had (or needed) a dental cleaning...
the vet insisted we MUST brush their teeth, but not one of them has ever seen a toothbrush. instead once a week they get a god ole fashioned raw bone, knuckle or femur with a little bit of meat scraps left on...
best doggy (and kitty) toothbrush ever invented.
our vet was out one week when we had to take in our 10 yr old cocker for a back issue...the vet that was filling in swore blind this couldnt be the dog he had the charts on because the dow was at max 5-6 years of age...it took quite a while and the receptionists help to ensure this vet that we wernt pulling some kind of dog swap scam on him...
Can I give a mini dachshund a bone? It seems they would choke on it?
Can I give a mini dachshund a bone? It seems they would choke on it?
Just give him ones big enough he can't swallow, if that's a concern. I feed raw (I think foxy does too) so my dogs have eaten (raw) bones most days of their lives for almost 12 years now.
Femur (aka "soup") bones are pretty hard; IMO you risk the dog cracking a tooth with those, especially after they've dried out. A good choice for an itty-bitty dog or small puppy is a beef rib bone...much softer, but still big enough that swallowing or choking isn't a worry.
In my experience several factors play a part - genetics, breed tendency towards dental problems, as well as owner-controlled things like brushing, decent food, good chewies. I've seen senior kibble-fed dogs with excellent teeth and never a dental cleaning, and bone-fed dogs have plaque buildup in middle age. Overall, I think feeding a raw or non-kibble diet is best, though. A very common side-effect of switching from kibble to raw is excellently cleaned teeth and no more "dog breath."
My vet sells some sort of enzyme-infused rawhides for both dogs and cats, and I've seen them online. Can't recall the name. I have heard good things about them. The enzymes break down the plaque.
Doing pre-op bloodwork on a dog before any surgery is a good idea. There are health risks to dogs from having bacteria-laden, dirty teeth, so it's a sort of risk-benefit thing.
$150 seems cheap to me for teeth cleaning. Cost me $300 for my 5 year old cockapoo. I draw the line at brushing my dog's teeth, so guess I am destined to pay.
Greetings,
Get them chewing on rib eye bones, it does a really good job. We also use from Pet Mart called Nutri -Vet Breath Fresh Dental Rinse. It is the best I have found. and of course dont forget the good ole toothbrush. We brush ours once a week. No vet bills here.
Be Blessed
Another option - if your dog is scheduled for any other type of surgery, have the vet do the teeth-cleaning at the same time. It saves quite a bit of money - since the anesthesia is a big chunk of the cost - and your dog only has to be put under once.
I agree $150 sounds very reasonable. Doing the pre-op bloodwork costs about $40 around here and I think it's money well-spent, especially for middle-aged or senior pets.
ooo ribs are a fave around here but hard to get because of price..
if my 5lb chinese crested can nom a bone..and more so if my 3lb chihuahua can nom on a good ole rec bone (rec bones are just that recreational they are there to be knawed on rather than eaten) then your mini doxie shouldnt have any problems.
i use small femur occasionally (there easy to find, BUT i never let them sit around long enough to dry out. they get the bone for an hour, then i rinse it and put it in the fridge, i do this for a few days before tossing the bone to the chickens to finnish off and then putting it in the trash.
my general rule of thumb is i look for bones too big to fit into the mouth in its entirety and i look for bones (if they have marrow) in which the marrow channel is too small to get the muzzle into. because of this i do prefer ribs, of i ask the store butcher if hell cut marrow bones lenght ways so theres no center hole to get the muzzle stuck in...
i NEVER buy bones small enough to fit fully into the mouth, i aim for twice the lenght of the dogs muzzle and at least the same width around if going with marrow bones. im not quite so picky with rib bones since they are long and flat typically...
another favorite for the cats and little dogs is chicken wings and chicken/turkey necks, i remove the skin as it can be a little rich. they eat these in their entirety (it makes up part of their meals) yes, dogs can EAT bones...these bones are softer and great for keeping the teeth clean too. with wings though you do have to be carefull if you have a gulper as they can be small enough to swallow whole...so id start with ribs and necks and fresh soup bones (again carefull of the hole in the center where the marrow goes)
my BIGGEST rule however is i never leave my dogs ALONE with bones. they get their bones in their crates and only when im home to supervise...accidents can happen, (same can be said about toys, collars, treats, chewies ect...)
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