Brushing My Dogs Teeth

[myfisheatyours]

here's the deal, the doctor said my dog's very healthy, except that she's never brushed before(she's 4) and now when i try she never lets me or she'll snap at me. So how can i get her to let me brush her teeth, so she can live a longer, healthier life.

 

[MAM]

They do make "flavored" dog toothpastes that smell "meaty", so that may help convince your dog to let you brush. Sometimes, its the brush itself that dogs are afraid of. I dont' blame them, I'd freak out too the first time someone tried to jab a stick in my mouth and then proceed to rub my teeth and gums. You can try first just putting some on your finger, then rubbing the teeth with your finger. It wont' do much for her teeth, but it might help her get used to the whole process. Just do it in a calm manner, as if you were giving her a treat. Then work up to having the toothbrush around when you do it. Try putting the toothpaste on the brush and just letting her sniff it and taste it. Like anything new concerning a dog, sometimes you have to do it slowly and not make a "big deal" of the matter (don't take her into the bathroom, close the door, have someone hold her down, etc, for example as it may make her more nervous and uncooperative). I know we had a foster dog that hated the whole toothbrushing experience, and no matter what we tried, we ended up just having a professional do it. Our current foster and our own dog both enjoy tooth brushings, they think they're getting a treat (and of course, love time with mom).

If that doesn't work, most vets and groomers offer teeth cleaning services (though its not cheap). I find that giving my dogs treats and toys specially designed to help clean teeth along with unflavored/uncoated rawhides (the whiteish ones, not the pressed pieces kinds), helps work that tarter off and makes my dogs happy at the same time (now if only I could get the cat to chew a rawhide). Also, backing off soft foods, especially gravy based foods, and using more dry foods, will help both cut down on tarter and to remove some.

 

[myfisheatyours]

isn't there like flavored food or something that i can give my dog which cleans her teeth?

 

[tidytourniquet]

Pedigree sells Dentabones which is like a toothbrush but its a bone. Thats what we give to our dogs and the vet has always said he has great teeth.

Heres a link for it Dentabone

 

[Synirr]

Also, backing off soft foods, especially gravy based foods, and using more dry foods, will help both cut down on tarter and to remove some.

No wonder my cat has such great teeth, dry food is the only thing she'll eat!

 

[-cAtFiSh-]

i dont see much point in brushing dog's teeth.
we never brush our dogs' teeth and they are in perfect condition. we just give them chicken bones every second to third night or so, a leg or wing for example (they are small dogs btw) and that is sufficient enough to break off any tartar or whatever on their teeth. we also never feed them canned food, only good quality dry biscuits, rice, vegetables, pretty much any leftover food that is suitable for dogs.

 

[Angry_Platy]

If yur dog is outside you could coat some chew toys with doggy toothpaste.

My dog is always chewing stuff.....mostly toys, and bones, and rawhide, and pigs ears etc. The vet said his teeth are in excellent condition

 

[zelandonia]

Pedigree sells Dentabones which is like a toothbrush but its a bone. Thats what we give to our dogs and the vet has always said he has great teeth.

Please be careful with Dentabone. If they are stored for a long time or stored improperly they can become dessicated and very very hard resulting in fractured teeth when your dogs chews on them.

i dont see much point in brushing dog's teeth.
we never brush our dogs' teeth and they are in perfect condition. we just give them chicken bones every second to third night or so, a leg or wing for example (they are small dogs btw) and that is sufficient enough to break off any tartar or whatever on their teeth. we also never feed them canned food, only good quality dry biscuits, rice, vegetables, pretty much any leftover food that is suitable for dogs.

Please be careful with feeding your dogs chicken bones. They can become lodged in their esophagus and/or the sharp bits can perforate their esophagus resulting in a very large veterinary bill to remove the bones and repair the esophagus. You are lucky your dogs teeth are so healthy!

z.

here's the deal, the doctor said my dog's very healthy, except that she's never brushed before(she's 4) and now when i try she never lets me or she'll snap at me. So how can i get her to let me brush her teeth, so she can live a longer, healthier life.

I think it's great that you are interested in brushing your dog's teeth. It is proven to be the best method of preventing periodontal disease in dogs. I would start really slowly with the brush and some veterinary toothpaste and just play with them and let your dog think they're toys. Once your dog is comfortable sniffing and licking the toothbrush and toothpaste (and you have rewarded her for it) you can slowly start to introduce the toothbrush to your dog's teeth. Start with just one tooth and if she lets you do it make a big deal of praising her! Each day you can try to do it for a little longer if she accepts it. The goal for the first month should be just to let her get used to it, not to actually get the teeth cleaned. You can worry about the teeth cleaning part after she is used to having her teeth and mouth touched. If you train her slowly and turn it into a big game where she gets praised and rewarded, she can learn to accept having her teeth brushed. Do not risk getting bitten and never try to brush the inside surfaces of their teeth.

Good luck and keep us posted about how it goes!

z.

 

[-cAtFiSh-]

i dont see much point in brushing dog's teeth.
we never brush our dogs' teeth and they are in perfect condition. we just give them chicken bones every second to third night or so, a leg or wing for example (they are small dogs btw) and that is sufficient enough to break off any tartar or whatever on their teeth. we also never feed them canned food, only good quality dry biscuits, rice, vegetables, pretty much any leftover food that is suitable for dogs.

Please be careful with feeding your dogs chicken bones. They can become lodged in their esophagus and/or the sharp bits can perforate their esophagus resulting in a very large veterinary bill to remove the bones and repair the esophagus. You are lucky your dogs teeth are so healthy!

z.

i thought that only applied to cooked bones. we NEVER give them cooked bones.

 

[Synirr]

i thought that only applied to cooked bones. we NEVER give them cooked bones.

Indeed. Raw bones are safe

While I'm sure tooth brushing is good for dogs since most eat such an unnatural diet, I've never done it and never intend to. None of our dogs have ever had bad teeth, and while that may be due entirely to luck, I guess I just don't see the point. It's so unnatural and strange for them, ya know?

 

[zelandonia]

While I'm sure tooth brushing is good for dogs since most eat such an unnatural diet, I've never done it and never intend to. None of our dogs have ever had bad teeth, and while that may be due entirely to luck, I guess I just don't see the point. It's so unnatural and strange for them, ya know?

I respect what you're saying, Synirr. Of course it's completely your right to brush or not brush their teeth. If you've never had a veterinary dental problem than the motivation to brush would be very low. I never brushed my childhood dog's teeth during the 14 years we had him. I'd like to think he never had a problem but I never really investigated too deeply so I guess I'm not sure. However, I don't think I'd base my decision not to brush on the fact that it is unnatural and strange. We do a lot of things for the good of our pets that are unnatural and strange- neutering, spaying, vaccination, obedience training, antibiotics, deworming. Most diets can be considered unnatural too. When I get another dog I will definately attempt to brush just because I think it might offer my dog better dental health and it might prevent me from paying big dental bills as he ages.

z.

 

[zelandonia]

i thought that only applied to cooked bones. we NEVER give them cooked bones.

I think that raw bones still carry a risk of obstruction (with some dogs everything is a risk!!!) but raw bones also have an increased risk of fracturing teeth and transmitting salmonella to the dog and to the people that handle the raw food.

z.

 

[Synirr]

i thought that only applied to cooked bones. we NEVER give them cooked bones.

I think that raw bones still carry a risk of obstruction (with some dogs everything is a risk!!!) but raw bones also have an increased risk of fracturing teeth and transmitting salmonella to the dog and to the people that handle the raw food.

z.

Feeding raw bones and even raw meat is a lot less risky than most people seem to think... I've never done it and never plan to, but my friend's uncle breeds bengal cats, and their diet consists almost entirely of raw poultry meat, including chicken bones. I've heard the hour+ long speech that man gives when someone adopts a kitten from him, so I'm sure he knows his stuff. Cats and dogs are not omnivores like we are and their digestive systems are designed for raw meat... they must not have a problem with it if my friend's uncle trusts it enough to raise his $1000+ kittens on it starting the second they begin to take solid food

 

[Naughtygirlrlw]

Synirr, do you have any pics of your Uncle's kittens or cats?
Not that I have the moolah to spend but I'd love to see!!!

 

[zelandonia]

Feeding raw bones and even raw meat is a lot less risky than most people seem to think... I've never done it and never plan to, but my friend's uncle breeds bengal cats, and their diet consists almost entirely of raw poultry meat, including chicken bones. I've heard the hour+ long speech that man gives when someone adopts a kitten from him, so I'm sure he knows his stuff. Cats and dogs are not omnivores like we are and their digestive systems are designed for raw meat... they must not have a problem with it if my friend's uncle trusts it enough to raise his $1000+ kittens on it starting the second they begin to take solid food

Although you are right that cats are carnivores, dogs are actually omnivores like us. Although many people may feed barf diets and may be quite happy with it, studies have shown that there is an increased risk of transmitting salmonella to those in contact with the dogs food, dishes, and feces. Salmonella is not a fatal disease to healthy people but can be devastating to children, elderly, or immuno-compromised people. Healthy people will survive a 4 or 5 day bout of very painful diarrhea with or without blood in it. I agree that the risk is not too bad for healthy adults but I wouldn't risk it by feeding a raw food diet if I lived with anyone in a high-risk category.
z.

PS How did your chemistry final go today, Synirr?