Jump to content

TINMANPDX

Members
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    827

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Posts posted by TINMANPDX

    Coconut Oil And Enzymatic Spray

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    Just make sure the oil you buy is VIRGIN RAW, not processed (which is only good for ... lubricating things?)

     

    At this time of year, CO is pretty darn solid here. I've been using less than a teaspoon for my three hounds, just gouging it out, sticking it to the rim of the sink, and jamming the toothbrush bristles into it, some for each side. I rinse the brushes with super-hot water.

     

    I've also been using electric toothbrushes on all my dogs over the years. There's some initial "hey! what the ...???", but then I think they take to it easier than regular brushes. Maybe the buzz is sort of interesting feeling? *shrugging*

     

     

     

    If it doesn't say raw on the bottle, just organic, virgin co, is it processed? It doesn't say anything about processing .... Hope I'm not using the wrong thing.

    Coconut Oil And Enzymatic Spray

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    Where do you all buy your coconut oil from? It seems my small town isn't ready for something like that just yet...

     

    I know that coconut oil comes as a solid...do you do anything to it to melt it down before you use it for teethbrushing? TIA!

     

    I got mine at Trader Joes. You can also find it at whole foods, or most health-food stores. If you want to order it online, Vitacost.com has it for a great price. Right now their own brand is buy one get one half off. It is solid at room temp, but you can squish it into the brush bristles and use it that way if you want. I use about a tablespoon full and put it in a small ramekin and microwave it for about 8 - 10 seconds - just enough to soften it. That's usually enough for both hounds.

    Coconut Oil And Enzymatic Spray

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    I don't recall who posted recently about using coconut oil for brushing their hound's teeth, but THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! I have been brushing my furkids' teeth every other day with organic, virgin coconut oil, and they love the taste, so they let me get in and do a really thorough job. I have also been using an enzymatic dental spray daily . Their teeth look good, but more importantly, their gums look healthy, and no longer. bleed when I brush. I've also been giving chews a couple times a week - bully stick, beef trachea, tripe strips or chiken feeties. They are going in for their annual in January, and I am hoping neither of them will need a dental in 2013.

    On a side note, Best Bully Sticks, bestbullysticks.com is having a Black Friday sale - 12% off if you use code BFCM12.

     

    Trifectis

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    We switched vets about 4 mos ago and they use only use Trifexis. I was scared to use it at first, because like a spaz, I looked up all the possible side effects. When I gave it to them for the first time I watched them like a hawk the whole day - they were fine. I gave it after a meal and with turkey breast cold cuts wraped around the pills - they smell like rotten mushrooms, so I knew they wouldn't eat it with out something extra.

    I usually don't treat for fleas from Oct to Feb, and I don't like giving unneeded meds, but I like that Trifexis handles so many types of worms. Ticks aren't a problem where I live, so I'm not particularly worried about that. I guess this summer, I will like not having to mess with the frontline.

    Chewing Items For Teeth

    in Food and dietary discussion

    Posted · Edited by TINMANPDX

    Dr. Machery is a greyhound vet at Grassmere Animal Hospital in Nashville. She has 7 (I think) greyhounds of her own, and I trust her explicitly when it comes to advice. I asked her what to give Rosie to chew on, and she suggested beef trachea. She said they are great at cleaning the teeth, so much so that she does not do dentals on her own dogs. We buy the 12" trachea's at Nashville Pet Products, then use a bandsaw to cut them into 6 smaller pieces. We give Rosie one every 2-3 nights. She LOVES them, has done well on them for a year, and her teeth look good to me.

     

    I just got my order from Best Bully Sticks yesterday - green tripe strips, beef trachea, bully sticks and beef tendons. Can't believe the size of the trachea and bully sticks ... Humongous. Gave both of mine a trachea last night and it took Lea about a half hour to chew hers up. Elliott took about an hour, but he is missing a lot of teeth, and Lea has a full set. They went nuts over Them. The bbs site says the trachea are high in glucosamine condroitan (sp?) low in fat and high in protein too. They have a slight odor, but not offensive. They were only $1.61 apiece - cheaper than bully sticks.

    http://www.bestbullysticks.com/home/bbs_1353121878810/page_30_11/beef_trachea_12_inch.html.

     

    We also give the occasional raw duck or chicken feet and raw turkey necks now and again.

     

    Kirkland Lamb & Rice

    in Food and dietary discussion

    Posted

    We use it - switched from Costco's chicken and rice because it made our two gassy - no such problem on the lamb. They both do well on it. We are currently mixing with Nutro Natural Choice, as we won two huge bags at our annual adoption group's auction - no problems thus far and it has been a couple of weeks. Plan to switch back to the Costco brand after the bags are used.

    Licking Paint Off Wall

    in Training and Behavior discussion

    Posted

    Both of mine licked the same spot on the wall in our bedroom for awhile when they first came home with us. Our boy, Elliott, stopped after a week or two, our girl, Lea, did it for a little longer than that, but eventually stopped. She still licks other things, like chair legs,the hardwood floor or her bed now and again, but she is more high strung than Elliott. I think it is probably a calming thing for her.

     

    Both of mine stopped licking the spot on the wall after a time - hopefully yours will too. There is a spray you can use that imparts a bitter taste to things - that might stop the behavior if it continues.

    Limping Question

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    Glad to hear he had a thorough once over and isn't limping today. I get scared every time one of mine limp - they both have had corns, and the limp starts well before the corn is evident, so it's hard to know, and my mind always races to the worst thing it could be.

     

     

    Thoughts On "nitting"

    in Training and Behavior discussion

    Posted

    Elliott gooses me, or rather, pushes me along with his nose when he knows I am on the way to the kitchen and it's time for breakfast or dinner, or if i am heading for the leashes. He also gets his head up under my arm or hand and lifts it forcefully with his head when he wants attention or pets from me and uses the side of his mouth and mouths me when I won't get out of bed and feed him in the morning. He has never used his teeth when he mouths, he opens his mouth slightly and rubs his head up and down on my arm or leg to wake me up after whining and poking me with his nose fail to work. He never does any of these things to my husband, who says Elliott knows I'm a pushover. Funny thing is, I actually find his signals quite endearing, and aside from when he occasionally wants to have breakfast at 5:30 am instead of 6:30 am, I really don't mind at all.

     

    He nits (chatters his teeth), air snaps or mouths himself when he is really excited. He also nits sometimes when my husband or I just look at him or say his name. Lea, is not nearly as expressive, but she does tend to purposefully block or crowd me when she wants my attention. she started nitting only after we had had her for over 6 mos, and only once in a while when she is beside herself with happiness.

     

    If either of them used their teeth we would definitely give them a stern, "No", and focus attention away from them, which usually does the trick in most situations.

    Getting Him To Sit

    in Training and Behavior discussion

    Posted

    I taught Elliott how to sit by sort of scooping his back legs while holding him upright in the front with my other arm. I gave him a treat and told him, "good sit!". His bottom doesn't quite touch the ground, though. it only took a few sessions before he got it. He now sits for his treats, but he also sits whenever he wants me to share things that I am eating.

     

    I've tried to teach Lea, but she locks up her legs and skitters around when I try. She sits perfectly in the car when she wants to look out the window, so I have tried to associate that with "good sit" but can't treat her when she does it because she's too far away, and if I tossed a treat, Elliott would probably snatch it.

×
×
  • Create New...