Doggy dental care: How often do you brush?

[2porscheguy]

My 6 year old Vizsla, Bodi is starting to develop some plaque and tartar build up on his upper canines. Do you guys brush your dog's teeth regularly or do you advocate getting them "professionally" cleaned periodically by your vet?

[uncle_scott]

We have done the periodic cleaning by the vet, and regularly give them bones to chew which seems to help a bit. Try the Greenies bones. I think they are sold on the premise that they help with interim teeth cleaning.

[Jim Richards]

Our mini schnauzer gets her teeth brushed daily.

[Tobra]

not often enough

[VincentVega]

milkbone, thats the closest to brushing my dogs ever got

[DerkPerk]

Sticks and Nyla bones here. I have picked off the big build up with my thumb nail. Comes off in a big chip. Vet told me that's a great way to do it and use nothing harder than your nail.

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[GWN7]

My sister says every day. It gets the dog used to having it done, but what it really does is train you to do it.

My beasts like the liver flavored kind.

[Chocaholic]

That's crazy. We keep about 6 large nylabones around the house. We have three large dogs (St. Bernard, Lab and Golden) and they're routinely grinding away on them. Have never had their teeth cleaned and never had a vet indicate it was needed.

[2porscheguy]

Originally Posted by DerkPerk

I have picked off the big build up with my thumb nail. Comes off in a big chip. Vet told me that's a great way to do it and use nothing harder than your nail.

Hey, I tried that and yah, it came off in a single big chip about the size of a small cornflake! ....right from under the gumline as well. The enamel underneath appears in pretty good shape as do the gums. We've had him on the Greenies for a couple of weeks. I'll continue with the brushing every other day as I saw recommended on some doggy websites...using peanut flavoured toothpaste..he likes it! Maybe I should try it for myself?!

[fingpilot]

I had never considered this to be a problem until I dated a lawyer in the Marina. She brushed her little dog's teeth every night. Wearing only panties.

The relationship didn't work out, she didn't like sailing, but it is one of my favourite mental images 20 years later.

My Black and Tan Coonhound gets greenies.

[NoRush993/951]

I have the teeth for both my Shih Tzus cleaned professionally every other year. You have to do a blood test first. I consider it the best investment in their health which leads to sparkly white teeth, fresh breath, and no issues with their teeth. One of them just turned 18. I strongly encourage it and consider it money well spent.

[wdfifteen]

Nightly for Madison (miniature poodle). She has the poodle genetic issue of bad tear drains (I'm sure there is a technical term for it). Her tears drain onto her face instead on into her nose. I need to wash under her eyes every night and I do her teeth at the same time.

[porsche4life]

Our min schnauzer is due for a professional cleaning. Doc thinks he'd been eating only canned food and poo is why his teeth were so dirty and bad breath when we got him. Two month of a daily greenie, water additives and mixing dry food in with his canned and his teeth look much better and his breath is way better too.


Still need to do the cleaning though.

[aigel]

Oh, come on! Brush your dogs teeth daily? I mean, I can hardly do that for myself or my kids.

Mine have chew toys, namely KONG that are loaded with treats and will keep them going for long enough where the teeth stay nice and white.
http://www.amazon.com/KONG-Stuff---Ball-Dog-Large/dp/B0009YK3OU/ref=sr_1_18?ie=UTF8&qid=1455173764&sr=8-18&keywords=kong+dog

G

[zelrik911]

Our poodle used to get hair caught between his teeth.
He didnt like grass seeds or burs in his fur & would bite them out leaving fur around some teeth.
He hated you inspecting his mouth but it had to be done.

Wifey said he couldnt have this bone or that bone so fur would build up and I would have to extract the decaying fur. Even a poodle can bite like a pitbull when there annoyed!!!!

God I miss that little guy - hope he's waiting for me at the gate when I go.

[ckelly78z]

Originally Posted by VincentVega

milkbone, thats the closest to brushing my dogs ever got

^^^^THIS, It has never occured to me to brush my dogs teeth, they are farm dogs, and take a daily bath in the creek, or the horse pasture.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by fingpilot

I had never considered this to be a problem until I dated a lawyer in the Marina. She brushed her little dog's teeth every night. Wearing only panties.

The relationship didn't work out, she didn't like sailing, but it is one of my favourite mental images 20 years later.

My Black and Tan Coonhound gets greenies.

So the dog was wearing panties, that is kinky.

[Craig T]

I'm cracking up. I've had two dogs at all time since I was 16…and never brush one dog tooth. The teeth on every dog I've owned have outlived the dog. Dry kibble, an occasion marrow bone, hard snack treats, and forget-a-bout-it.

[jamesnmlaw]

Every time my wife pisses me off.

[ben parrish]

From an early age, with all my Labs, I have trained them to be comfortable with scraping and brushing their teeth. Our yellow Lab, Lilly, has the worst plaque buildup of any Lab I've had. About every two months I scrape the tartar off and brush her teeth. Makes me laugh when she starts licking her lips because of the tea tree and neem toothpaste.