Stanley's Teeth

• Stanley's Teeth Stella K. Posted : 9/29/2006 2:40:39 AM We went for a check-up to the vet & the vet told me that our Stanley shouldn't have any more bones 'cause he's grounded his front teeth down to almost nothing. I'm not sure if it happened w/ us or before us (we've had him for one year, he's about 7 years old now) but we did give him a lot of marrow bones. Are older dogs not supposed to have marrow bones? (I've read about 100 bone-related threads here and don't recall reading anything about it!) Should I start brushing his teeth now if we stop giving them to him? Any information would be much appreciated! We're bummed 'cause Stanley LOVES his marrow bones, like a lot of other dogs here! LIKE 15 REPLIES 940 VIEWS LAST POST JENNIE_C_D Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• Xebby Posted : 9/29/2006 2:53:27 AM As long as the bones are raw he should be alright.  If your buying the bones from a pet store your probally getting something along the lines of cooked bones with artifical flavor and coloring added, not good.  The bones you want to buy are the raw soup bones you find at almost any meat department of any supermarket.   Are you shure bone can be the cause of the teeth being so short?  I have meet a dog who would chew on rocks and grinded his teeth down, other dogs have known to chew on wood and strange stuff like that.  Is there anything odd like that he also like to chews? 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• Stella K. Posted : 9/29/2006 3:13:15 AM We only give him marrow bones from super markets. I've never seen him chew on anything weird... well, tennis balls he chew plenty! But nothing really hard, unless he's being sneaky about it... hahaha. 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• Xebby Posted : 9/29/2006 3:23:50 AM humm... strange, it must have been from something he chewed on before he entered your life.  Maybe you could try something even softer like raw chicken necks.  As long as you have him on a high quality diet then his teeth should not need brushing.  I give mine ice, as suggested by my vet, to help clean her teeth.  She loves to chew on ice and it really does help keep her teeth white. 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• labcrab Posted : 9/29/2006 8:56:55 AM Hey Stella!!!! Long time no see girl!  I'm sorry to hear that the Stanley man is having tooth trouble..  The thing with marrow bones is that they are weight bearing bones and really are too hard for regular use.  They absolutely will wear down the teeth and even crack the teeth in many cases.   For teeth cleaning, you may want to switch to RMB's instead.  They do the best job and carry less risk of damage to the teeth.   How're you guys doing??  0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• labcrab Posted : 9/29/2006 8:59:53 AM ORIGINAL: stanleysmom We only give him marrow bones from super markets. I've never seen him chew on anything weird... well, tennis balls he chew plenty! But nothing really hard, unless he's being sneaky about it... hahaha.   Oh!!! sorry I missed this important bit of evidence.. Tennis balls are BAAAAD for the teeth and are probably as much to blame (if not MORE) than the marrow bones.  That's probably it.  The fiber on the balls is like *sandpaper* on the teeth.  He should not be chewing tennis balls anymore!  Poor guy.  Everything he loves is bad for him!   0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• DeAnna Haase Posted : 9/29/2006 10:25:13 AM My vet tells me that bones, ice and tennis balls will all wear down teeth. I have a dog that loves to chew ice so much she waits by the freezer door anytime someone opens it. The ice causes tiny fractures..as my own dentist keeps telling me. My flyball dog does have wear on his teeth from mouthing tennis balls, it's a 24/7 thing for him. He is five, has beautiful white teeth..but they are wearing down in places. All my dogs get raw bones, but not all marrow bones all the time. I guess I feel like the benefits outweigh the bad, so they will keep getting bones. I have stopped giving Annie ice, and we may try to limit Dooley's ball chewing..but the raw bones are here to stay. I can't find the web site now..but I read somewhere that it's not actually the bones that clean teeth so much as it is the ripping and tearing of flesh off the bone that does the cleaning..anyone else read this? Got a link? 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• Corry Engelbrecht Posted : 9/29/2006 12:37:37 PM ORIGINAL: labcrab ORIGINAL: stanleysmom We only give him marrow bones from super markets. I've never seen him chew on anything weird... well, tennis balls he chew plenty! But nothing really hard, unless he's being sneaky about it... hahaha. Oh!!! sorry I missed this important bit of evidence.. Tennis balls are BAAAAD for the teeth and are probably as much to blame (if not MORE) than the marrow bones.  That's probably it.  The fiber on the balls is like *sandpaper* on the teeth.  He should not be chewing tennis balls anymore!  Poor guy.  Everything he loves is bad for him!   I didn't know that! My dog loves playing fetch with her tennis balls, but she doesn't CHEW on them really....is that still bad? 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• labcrab Posted : 9/29/2006 1:05:33 PM I think fetch is safe, it's just the gnawing/chewing on the ball that's bad.  There is a Golden in my building who has worn his canine's down to almost nothing chewing on tennis balls.  Now he only gets those Orbee balls that look like tennis balls.  0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• Stella K. Posted : 9/29/2006 6:05:58 PM Thank you very much, everyone, for your answer! I feel much better now knowing that I can still give him RMBs and chicken necks and stuff. And tennise balls, that was it! Thanks Christine! How the heck are you? I hadn't seen you here in a while. I see Slick still looks handsome as ever. We've been well, even through the sweltering heat of New York summer. We feared electronic bills every month though, hehe [] Kisses and hugs to Slick. 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• Dan H Posted : 9/29/2006 7:14:24 PM [align=left]Wow!  Our dog's name is stanley also!  I thought he was the only one. 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• jeano Posted : 9/29/2006 11:17:55 PM I've seen dogs whose front teeth were worn down to nothing from chomping after fleas. So maybe Stanley had problems with his teeth before you even got him? 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• jennie_c_d Posted : 10/1/2006 10:35:10 AM I have a friend who's JRT *broke* a tooth catching a tennis ball. The fuzz is bad for their mouths. 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• Stella K. Posted : 10/1/2006 11:18:11 AM I sure hope that's the case, Jean! Whoda known tennis balls are that bad for their teeth? I suspect a long game of chase every time we go to the dog run now, since there are always tennis balls on the ground! 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• jennie_c_d Posted : 10/1/2006 8:15:24 PM Yup! Get that boy some Orbee balls! They last a dozen times as long as tennis balls, and they seem much better on the teeth. 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login