How Common is Tooth Extraction

Schnauzers as a breed seem to retain a lot of tartar on their teeth (especially with kibbled diets), and Zipper and Shimmer have both had extractions during the one dental they each had. Since starting raw, their teeth are MUCH cleaner and I suspect they will not need another dental. Gaci is 7.5 and has never needed one, as she's always been a good chewer and has kept her teeth clean.

 I'm learning a lot.

What about switching from dry kibble to canned or raw or just vwatering their dry food?

Is there a preferred dental bone?

 I just hate leaving our dogs w/ the vet all day.  This was their first time since we got them 6 years ago.  And after Sissy's first and only cleaning, she was petrified to be in the vets office thereafter.  I hope Red and Peanut react better than she did.

More and more vets are recommending cleaning because it's becoming more well known that teeth health impacts the heart and every other organ in the body.  Bacteria from the mouth can be a leading cause of heart problems both with humans and dogs.  Keeping teeth clean is a HUGE help to longevity generally.

Extraction is VERY common -- when we took Kee Shu almost 6 years ago my vet had to pull 14 teeth.  But they really get beyond that and she even crunched kibble/treats when she wanted to.

I take my ever-present treat bag to the vet -- I make a small baggie for the staff (or take a toy if they have to be fasted) as well so they leave the dog IN a crate they get a treat or get a toy.  But my dogs at this point think the vet is the funnest place EVER and the vet and their staff love to be the "good guys" and dole out treats.

Try recreational bones -- things like raw chicken backs ROCK for cracking off tartar from teeth.  Take off the skin and excess fat, and I generally plunge them into boiling water only for 5 seconds to kill bacteria and then store in the fridge.  (I don't like thawing frozen stuff because by the time it thaws bacteria can grow again).  You just DO NOT COOK bones!! 

But even long marrow bones, or shortribs can be great recreational bones periodically and it cleans teeth.  Always a crate treat (you don't want grease all over) but it really reduces tartar.

Then when I have a dog with a crappy mouth (Foxy the MOstlie Sheltie had the worst -- that narrow sheltie mouth was hard-wired for dental problems) I have their teeth done every year.  AT this point my vet doesn't sedate with oral meds.  He just masks them down as needed to do the dental.  The high risk of "surgery" comes with that combo of the sedative and anesthetic far more than just the anesthetic.

Try recreational bones -- things like raw chicken backs ROCK for cracking off tartar from teeth.  Take off the skin and excess fat, and I generally plunge them into boiling water only for 5 seconds to kill bacteria and then store in the fridge.  (I don't like thawing frozen stuff because by the time it thaws bacteria can grow again).  You just DO NOT COOK bones!! 

Which bone? I thought chicken bones were very dangerous.

Cooked chicken bones are lethal.  Raw are very digestible.  The best ones are the non-weight bearing bones like backs, wings, necks.  Backs are *cheap* and so are necks.  You just want to discard the skin and fat that peels off easily.

 When I say plunge them into boiling water for FIVE SECONDS I literally mean just that.  That's ALL.

 I supervise this ALWAYS -- stand right there while they eat them.  But they are excellent for teeth.

 I supervise this ALWAYS -- stand right there while they eat them.

What are you on alert to see?

Good question -- but basic good mom stuff.  Luna -- You keep your nose in YOUR bowl and Tink -- YOU keep your nose in YOUR bowl!!

I watch to make sure they are really crunching it up and not just trying to swallow massive pieces whole.  You will hear CRUNCHING.  I hold onto pieces if I think they will try to just swallow it whole.  And yeah -- you best leave my fingers in one piece too!!  Typically at first they don't know what to DO with these things -- I mean PA -- YOU DIDN'T COOK IT!!! -- *grin* -- but it sure smells good!!

Marrow bones are great too (long shank beef bones -- you can scoop out some of the marrow if you want) -- but try to get them at least 2" long or longer.  They will work for HOURS to get that marrow out -- but keep these in crates.  Dogs can fight over raw bones so don't let it start.  But you can just freeze them to kill bacteria and then give them softened in the fridge for a few hours. 

Now Florida is Bacteria Heaven so once they are in their crates for an hour or two I'm throwing them out.  But you *can* refreeze them or you can take an "empty" bone and run it thru the dishwasher (yeah, for real) and then stuff it like you'd stuff a Kong.

But for a big dog you can even get big knuckle joints and those make good chewing too.

I don't do a lot raw -- Amanda and some of the others feed raw and are a better source of wisdom for you. 

 Thanks Callie.  I passed this info on bones to Martha. 

I thought I'd shake apart the first time I gave chicken like this -- first, because of where I live, I sweat just cooking chicken for David and I but those tiny bones in the ribs seem so sharp, but that's part of what helps it clean. 

 You will also want to decrease food when you give these -- probably by half if you give a back.