My dog doesn't have opposable thumbs so finds holding a toothbrush difficult. He doesn't like mint or xylitol either so it seems like it is up to me to work out how best to clean his teeth.
He gets dental chews when I remember, usually about once every three days or so, or when he breathes his stinky dog breath in my face. Yuk.
So, can anyone offer some suitable advice? Brushes? Wipes? Silicone finger brushes? Powders? Paste? Regime?
I'm keen to keep my full complement of digits.
My dog was in a toothpaste tv advert. A stage hand had to brush her teeth with a toothbrush. She licked the toothpaste before the brushing started.
My vet recommended that brushing without dog toothpaste was enough to reduce the plaque. But, like with toddlers, you need to find some reward to make it worthwhile / safer / less bitey.
Xylitol is toxic for dogs, don't try that.
Toothbrush and dog toothpaste every night when we remember. He hated it a first, now it’s routine at 5 yrs old.
dental chews are notoriously unhealthy. Dried fish cubes/sticks are good, and double up as tasty treats
We use 'Logic' oral hygiene gel every 2 or 3 days, which he likes the taste of (chicken flavour, allegedly) but he's not keen on the brushing action of a cheapo toothbrush. He puts up with it, rather than enjoying.
My dog was in a toothpaste tv advert. A stage hand had to brush her teeth with a toothbrush. She licked the toothpaste before the brushing started.
My vet recommended that brushing without dog toothpaste was enough to reduce the plaque. But, like with toddlers, you need to find some reward to make it worthwhile / safer / less bitey.
Xylitol is toxic for dogs, don't try that.
Oh come on, surely you have a link so we can all see how it's done. Please!
Sliced Bread on the BBC did an episode on this. Well worth a listen
The independent research was pretty much Brush, but if you can't because for example the dog is old (came to us old) and is having none of it*, dental chews where significantly better than 'food'.
They aren't particularly unhealthy they just need to be accounted for in their calories for the day.
*Lola would never bite but my god she can keep her mouth jammed shut when she wants to. She also has lovely teeth, she knocked one out on my head and she had one bad one. The vet was extremely happy with them for a 13 year old
For ours we used a silicone finger brush and chicken flavour doggy toothpaste. He came to us with bad teeth though and was due to have the tartar removed by the vets, but then he, well, died 🙁
The real key is lots of crunchy food to stop it appearing in the first place.
Toothbrush and dog toothpaste every night when we remember
This is us, I reckon it's done 5 nights out of 7. He loves the taste and doesn't particularly like the process. Giving him the brush to lick afterwards is his treat. He's a greyhound who have notoriously bad teeth so it's pretty essential for us.
The real key is lots of crunchy food to stop it appearing in the first place.
Came here to say this. We got a 3 yr old Cocker with bad breath and a fair bit of black plaquey stuff on her teeth. 6 months later feeding her on straight kibble that she crunches it's all gone and breath is (somewhat more) fresh.
One of our cats had to have a few teeth removed as the result of gingivitis & the vet recommended PlaqueOff (they do cat & dog versions).
It's made from seaweed and you add a small amount to their food (I assume it makes it gritty). Our cats, who can be absolute terrors for picking tablets out of their food, don't seem to mind it at all.
One of our cats had to have a few teeth removed as the result of gingivitis & the vet recommended PlaqueOff (they do cat & dog versions).
It's made from seaweed and you add a small amount to their food (I assume it makes it gritty). Our cats, who can be absolute terrors for picking tablets out of their food, don't seem to mind it at all.
Its not abrasion its to do with saliva production after its absorbed into the bloodstream i think. I forgot we used to use that, helped with breath more than anything else really.
Important point seaweed is high in iodine which can be problematic for some dogs cats (and people) so do read the label.!
We use Bephar enzyme based toothpaste, quick brush twice per day, with cheap supermarket own brand toothbrushes. We also use Vets4Best clean teeth finger pads. I say we, my wife does as she brushes them in the morning before a walk and brushes their teeth at night.
One dog has perfect teeth, the other less so and has had a few extracted. I'm sure her teeth would be worse if they weren't as well maintained as they are.
Dunno if it's a thing or not, or if it's healthy.
But my parents found their spaniels teeth were like something from a Colgate advert after a trip to the beach where he chewed Bull Kelp.
His problem was he would just inhale any denti-stick type chew, and was a rescue so no chance of teaching him to have his teeth brushed.
or if it's healthy ... he chewed Bull Kelp.
Can't imagine the salt intake was ideal for his blood pressure, but thats a different subject altogether.
I brush our pooches teeth with ordinary toothbrush and children's toothpaste. I started doing it from an early age and he usually happy to have it done .. the times he isn't, and appears to pull away I don't force the issue and stop straight away.
He will tolerate ordinary toothpaste, but his reactions appear to suggest its too strong a taste for him.
*He insists on licking his genitals straight after so never checked his breath .. lovely white teeth on the old boy though.
