Tooth brushing!

my dogs brush their own teeth with raw meat and bones....chicken necks work reallyw ell.

 Yep! He gets his teeth brushed basically everyday. He also has this liquid we put in his water and he also has some bones that I think help as well.

I have two toy dogs, of breeds known for horrifying teeth. Jewel was eight, when I got her, and had never had a dental. She lost several teeth in her first two dentals. I brush, twice a week, with enzymatic toothpaste or the gross minty stuff that they hate. I give various chews on a daily basis, and a RMB or rec bone at least weekly. So far, so good. Bean will be three, this month, and still has beautiful teeth.

Raw meaty bones are what we do here.  Big beef or buffalo leg bones for recreational entertainment.  They don't actually "eat" these except for the marrow.  But the gnawing and chewing they do when they have these bones keep teeth pretty clean.  Good thing too.  As fastidious about their nails as I am, I have never brushed a dog's teeth.

If you try a raw beef marrow bone and just scoop out the marrow your dog will love it.  And, you will see a very noticable difference in the teeth in just one time.  I will never brush her teeth again-that did nothing compared to what the bones do.  I've only used the raw beef marrow.  I get them at the grocery store-very inexpensive.  I've seen them from the raw food companies for dogs at very high prices.

We brush nightly.

On several occasions vets have commented on how good her teeth look, so I like to think that the brushing is helping.

Since Buddy had to go back on a corn-based food (RX), I noticed his teeth were not as clean and pretty...so I started brushing his teeth.  We do this about once a week.  The Hooligan's teeth and gums look good, but I'll still brush those periodically.  The food they eat and the chews they get, help keep them healthy, I believe.

 I think that nothing works better than brushing. I try to do it regularly and when I don't a rough cotton cloth on a finger is a quick substitute for my dogs.

Since Lily's cracked tooth, her teeth and breath have not been the same. She's been treated with antibiotics and everything is healed, but I can no longer stand her yucky breath and dirty teeth. She used to have beautiful teeth before the crack and that was done with marrow bones. I just ordered some enzymatic toothpaste so we'll see how this goes...

lilys_mum07

Since Lily's cracked tooth, her teeth and breath have not been the same. She's been treated with antibiotics and everything is healed, but I can no longer stand her yucky breath and dirty teeth. She used to have beautiful teeth before the crack and that was done with marrow bones. I just ordered some enzymatic toothpaste so we'll see how this goes...

 We use the finger brush and then go over the teeth with a children's electric toothbrush and more doggy toothpaste which seems to work well.

 If the tooth is cracked, it has to come out. Specially if there is a smell already associated with it.  There is (admittedly low) possibility that the tooth infection could spread and become systemic.

TheMilkyWay

 I think that nothing works better than brushing.

raw bones work much better.

willowchow

raw bones work much better.

Neither my dentist, nor my dog's dentist have ever recommend raw bones over brushing.

My dogs have gotten raw bones and raw meaty bones since they were pups and their teeth look like they are STILL pups.  When i had to take Sheba to the e vet this past summer, one of the things she asked me was how recently she'd had a dental.  The answer was never.  None of my gsds have ever had or needed a dental.  And I don't brush their teeth.