[Nurse Bishop]

Just wondering. Seems a bit over the top. I have never brushed a dogs teeth. If they are ever anesthetized for any reason I would have their teeth scaled if needed. There are also cleaning chews.

 

[Femfa]

I brush my dog's teeth. I also give her raw, meaty bones to help naturally keep the teeth clean, too.

 

[Mei]

I've had great results with the Oravet chews. I'll probably never brush her teeth either.

 

[Nurse Bishop]

It would take two people to brush Ingas huge teeth. One to sit on the back end and one on the front with the toothbrush. She would think we'd lost our minds.

 

[Elsieb]

Less often than I should. He loves it, or maybe he loves the beefy toothpaste.....

 

[wolfy dog]

Never. Raw food does it. There is no tartar buildup ever.

 

[Mei]

Never. Raw food does it. There is no tartar buildup ever.

I wish we could afford raw. Sounds/looks expensive. Can you PM me to point me in the right direction research it some more? Whenever I see/hear about raw diet I only think meat, which isn't cheap.

 

[Thecowboysgirl]

I do. My 12 y/o still has pearly white teeth. i've brushed them her whole life. My dogs are not raw fed but they have clean teeth and do not have bad breath. I don't like for my dogs to be stinky and nasty. They sleep in my bed, they kiss me. So they get regular brushings

 

[RoseW]

Mine gets his brushed on occasion in addition to chews

 

[ausdland]

I brush my dog's teeth. I also give her raw, meaty bones to help naturally keep the teeth clean, too.

Same here

 

[dogfaeries]

I don’t brush their teeth, but I do use the tooth gel.

 

[CindyMDBecker]

I do often. I also scale them when I notice the start of build-up. Surprisingly he loves when I do both.

 

[wolfy dog]

I wish we could afford raw. Sounds/looks expensive. Can you PM me to point me in the right direction research it some more? Whenever I see/hear about raw diet I only think meat, which isn't cheap.

Check out the raw food / BARF section. There is good info on there.

 

[ausdland]

I wish we could afford raw. Sounds/looks expensive. Can you PM me to point me in the right direction research it some more? Whenever I see/hear about raw diet I only think meat, which isn't cheap.

I feed my dog prepared raw, does nothing to clean her teeth. Home raw with chicken quarters, turkey necks and meaty bones clean a dog's teeth as they have to crunch and chew.

 

[wolfy dog]

Even if you normally don't feed raw, a raw turkey neck once or twice a week can do the job.

 

[camperbc]

Sheba gets her teeth brushed regularly... and loves it! Doesn't mind a bit when we're poking and prodding that big set of choppers. She prefers the peanut butter-flavoured toothpaste. Now, nail clipping is a different story.

Glen
Focus On Newfoundland

 

[Nurse Bishop]

I wish they made chocolate toothpaste for people (not dogs of course).

 

[[email protected]]

I wish they made chocolate toothpaste for people (not dogs of course).

They do! Or did. Crest makes/made a chocolate mint toothpaste, and it's good!

 

[woopiee]

Even if a dog's teeth stay clean without brushing, it's a very good idea to make sure they will tolerate their mouth being handled and their teeth examined.

The shape of a dog's head, their genetics, their diet, age, general health etc all factor into how clean their teeth will be if left alone. Breeds with tight skin on their faces have dirtier teeth in general - I think it has to do with the amount of saliva that constantly pools around the teeth, preventing/slowing plaque. Toy breeds also tend to have bad teeth, maybe because the teeth are crammed closer together.

The research I've heard is that most pet dogs have some level of periodontal disease by the age of 3 years.

I occasionally give my Poodle raw bones, and I scale his teeth when needed. I've been really lucky with him, and only need to pick off a little plaque every 4-5 months. I brush his teeth every once in a while, but he really never needs it - it's more for training purposes.

For tiny dogs you may want to get dental wipes - they are kind of like baby wipes, but the fibers are more abrasive and they are moistened with something that's good for teeth.
There is also a liquid that you put into their drinking water that is supposed to help. I've tried it, but didn't have problems before or after, so I'm not sure if it worked, lol.

Regardless, be careful that any toothpaste you use doesn't have floride - apparently there are some dog ones on the market now! Essentially just beef-flavored human toothpaste

 

[Sasha'sMom]

I feed my dog prepared raw, does nothing to clean her teeth. Home raw with chicken quarters, turkey necks and meaty bones clean a dog's teeth as they have to crunch and chew.

This is what we do as well.