MattB Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 I've got two greys, my first (got him 6 months ago) had no problem with having his teeth brushed and stood patiently while I cleaned. He's since gone off the idea but he loves tough chews and uses his back teeth which seem pretty spotless. Our second grey is a very shy girl. It's taken quite a while for us to be able to show her affection without terrifying her so tooth brushing at the moment is out of the question I think. She'd been in the kennel a year and I assume she'd had her teeth cleaned on arrival. They don't look too bad but aren't as clean as our other grey. I've read rave reviews on amazon about 'plaque off' but am still dubious so just wondered if anyone had experience of this product? Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramonaghan Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 I tried Plaque Off and did not notice any difference with Sweep. We use a water additive (Tropiclean) and give her a nightly "dental" treat like a lamb ear, bully stick, or beef trachea. So far, so good. Nothing beats brushing, but you do the best you can. Quote Rachel with littermates Doolin and Willa, boss cat Tootie, and feline squatters Crumpet and Fezziwig. Missing gentlemen kitties Mud, Henry, and Richard and our beautiful, feisty, silly Sweep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattB Posted January 6, 2015 Author Share Posted January 6, 2015 That's the other thing about Daisy - she rarely gets into the hard chews, maybe we need to try some more tempting ones. Is there a risk of too many hard chews wearing out their teeth? I had a retriever who loved collecting stones, lovely white teeth - just very worn down. Never heard of beef trachea - do you get that from a butcher? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattB Posted January 6, 2015 Author Share Posted January 6, 2015 That's the other thing about Daisy - she rarely gets into the hard chews, maybe we need to try some more tempting ones. Is there a risk of too many hard chews wearing out their teeth? I had a retriever who loved collecting stones, lovely white teeth - just very worn down. Never heard of beef trachea - do you get that from a butcher? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramonaghan Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 That's the other thing about Daisy - she rarely gets into the hard chews, maybe we need to try some more tempting ones. Is there a risk of too many hard chews wearing out their teeth? I had a retriever who loved collecting stones, lovely white teeth - just very worn down. Never heard of beef trachea - do you get that from a butcher? I get the beef trachea from a natural pet store in town. They're sometimes known as moo tubes or windies. They're also a good source of chondroitin so they help joints in addition to teeth. My now-retired vet who has owned 16 greys and fostered countless others recommended them to me. She gives one to her pack every night. Not sure where you're located, but you can find them at bestbullysticks.com and even Amazon. I give Sweep the 3-inch ones but you can get 6 or even 12 inch. Start slow because they can cause soft poo. Lots of people here give turkey necks (from a butcher or specialty grocery store) for dental health too. I have never tried them. I will let others with more experience chime in on the wearing down question--no issues with any of the treats I mentioned, but marrow and knuckle bones could be a concern. Quote Rachel with littermates Doolin and Willa, boss cat Tootie, and feline squatters Crumpet and Fezziwig. Missing gentlemen kitties Mud, Henry, and Richard and our beautiful, feisty, silly Sweep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Time4ANap Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 Be careful with the water additives. many of them contain Xylitol which can cause nasty side effects. We use Oratene water additive (also purchased on Amazon.) It takes a while to see results, but eventually you do notice that the teeth are cleaner. Quote Camp Broodie. The current home of Mark Kay Mark Jack and Gracie Kiowa Safe Joan. Always missing my boy Rocket Hi Noon Rocket, Allie Phoenix Dynamite, Kate Miss Kate, Starz Under Da Starz, Petunia MW Neptunia, Diva Astar Dashindiva, and LaVida I've Got Life Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Johberry Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 We use DentaSure: http://www.natural-wonder-pets.com/dog-dental.html It was recommended by fellow board members here. Our hound doesn't mind getting his teeth brushed so we use the gel twice a day. We have the spray as well which is convenient when travelling. We have been using DentaSure diligently since his dental a few months ago. While it does prevent plaque build-up, I can't confirm the claims that it whitens teeth. Read: It keeps our boy's teeth clean but sure doesn't whiten. Althought relatively pricey, I like that it's made up of all-natural ingredients and our boy actually likes the taste. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbhounds Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 Pursue brushing. Baby steps. Save your money on all the other products. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LazyBlaze Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 I've never had all that much success with Plaque Off, with any of my dogs. Daily brushing is really the thing that has kept teeth the best, although currently Blaze also has Dentagen chews, which have some component called RF2 which is supposed to stop the plaque bacteria from adhering to the teeth. Blaze's teeth are looking great, but we're still brushing daily as well. We had some success when he first came to us getting hardened plaque to soften and come off with Fragaria. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeylasMom Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 We just had our post-dental follow-up with the veterinary dentist who did Violet's dental. He said brushing really is the most important thing you can do. Once a day, toothpaste isn't even needed, though you can smear the enyzmatic toothpaste on afterward and it may help (for dogs for whom the toothpaste is more of a distraction). He wasn't familiar with every single product out there that claims to help teeth, but he did say that there is one line of products that are all natural and actually have some research to support their use. The brand is Healthy Mouth and he specifically mentioned the water additive. He also said I could look into Maxi Guard gel, which I believe needs to be obtained from a vet. I know nothing about Plaque Off, but thought I'd share what he told me fwiw. I trust him based on my experience and the fact that he's actually a veterinary dentist so I'm not going to waste my money on other products. It's time for us to get serious about brushing. I was happy to hear that it's fine to brush even if they're going to get food or a kong afterward. I felt like I had to brush at night before bedtime, which was a real hindrance because I sometimes can't motivate myself to brush my own teeth before bed. So I'm going to see if I can make brushing part of our morning routine, alongside them getting their meds/supplements. Quote Jen, CPDT-KA with Zuri, lab in a greyhound suit, Violet, formerly known as Faith, Skye, the permanent puppy, Cisco, resident cat, and my baby girl Neyla, forever in my heart "The great thing about science is that you're free to disagree with it, but you'll be wrong." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feisty49 Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 No additive in water has made a difference in Annie's teeth. Try to introduce your girl to teeth brushing by starting slowly. Pet her mouth and touch her lips on and off during a few days. If she's OK with that, slide a finger into her mouth and gently touch her teeth, move your finger back and forth. When she tolerates this type of touching, put some toothpaste on the finger. Go slowly, introducing something new as she tolerates and hopefully one day you can introduce a toothbrush. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattB Posted January 8, 2015 Author Share Posted January 8, 2015 Thanks that's really helpful. I'll get going on the brushing, she is getting much better at letting me inspect her teeth. Out if interest At what point do you take your dog for a dental? I'm assuming that it's a balance between risks associated with anaesthetics and treating early? I recently took my mums grey to the vets and they did a quick scale when he was lightly sedated. I'm assuming they could do this as they knew they were in pretty good condition and they wouldn't need to extract any. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeylasMom Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 I recently took my mums grey to the vets and they did a quick scale when he was lightly sedated. I'm assuming they could do this as they knew they were in pretty good condition and they wouldn't need to extract any. Unfortunately you really can't tell that without dental x-rays, which require sedation. When you see buildup on the teeth, it's time to get them in and talk to the vet about when they'll need a dental. Red inflamed gums are another sign. If their breath stinks, they definitely need to go in. As expensive as it can be and as much as I fear the sedation, I think keeping teeth healthy is so important. Poor dental health has been linked to systemic disease (thinks like heart & kidney disease) in humans and there's no reason to think dogs are any different. Case in point regarding the dental x-rays/extractions - as I mentioned I took Violet to a specialist, an actual veterinary dentist. He did an oral exam and with the clear caveat that they wouldn't know for sure until they got the x-rays he said it looked like she would need to lose 3 teeth. She lost 7, including one that was badly abscessed. There was no visible indication that that tooth was abscessed. FWIW. Quote Jen, CPDT-KA with Zuri, lab in a greyhound suit, Violet, formerly known as Faith, Skye, the permanent puppy, Cisco, resident cat, and my baby girl Neyla, forever in my heart "The great thing about science is that you're free to disagree with it, but you'll be wrong." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattB Posted January 8, 2015 Author Share Posted January 8, 2015 Thank you. Out of interest had you gone to a specialist because of symptoms? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeylasMom Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 Thank you. Out of interest had you gone to a specialist because of symptoms?I knew she needed a dental. I chose the specialist because we had increased concerns about anesthesia because of Violet's rhabdo episode last yr. And it turned out to be a good call as she started urinating a lot of blood once she was out of anesthesia and had to be hospitalized overnight. Quote Jen, CPDT-KA with Zuri, lab in a greyhound suit, Violet, formerly known as Faith, Skye, the permanent puppy, Cisco, resident cat, and my baby girl Neyla, forever in my heart "The great thing about science is that you're free to disagree with it, but you'll be wrong." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbhounds Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 Unfortunately you really can't tell that without dental x-rays, which require sedation. When you see buildup on the teeth, it's time to get them in and talk to the vet about when they'll need a dental. Red inflamed gums are another sign. If their breath stinks, they definitely need to go in. As expensive as it can be and as much as I fear the sedation, I think keeping teeth healthy is so important. Poor dental health has been linked to systemic disease (thinks like heart & kidney disease) in humans and there's no reason to think dogs are any different. Case in point regarding the dental x-rays/extractions - as I mentioned I took Violet to a specialist, an actual veterinary dentist. He did an oral exam and with the clear caveat that they wouldn't know for sure until they got the x-rays he said it looked like she would need to lose 3 teeth. She lost 7, including one that was badly abscessed. There was no visible indication that that tooth was abscessed. FWIW. :-) !! Can't stress the importance of daily brushing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattB Posted January 8, 2015 Author Share Posted January 8, 2015 Tomorrow we're on it! But that is purely preventative isn't it? Won't get rid of any actual plaque? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbhounds Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 Correct-an ultrasound cleaning will need To be performed to rid of the existing calculus bug, brushing daily will prevent further buildup and make for healthier gums. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeylasMom Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 Correct-an ultrasound cleaning will need To be performed to rid of the existing calculus bug, brushing daily will prevent further buildup and make for healthier gums. I think I remember seeing you say you're not a fan, but what do you think of the "awake dentals", not as a substitute for dentals but as part of your maintenance/prevention. I totally forgot to ask the dentist about this when we went in for our follow-up. I'm wondering if alongside brushing it might be a decent option for Violet to just further extend the time between full dentals because of all of the crap with her and anesthesia (and while I REALLY try not to let money factor into care for my dogs, I can't handle another $5000 dental bill anytime soon ). Quote Jen, CPDT-KA with Zuri, lab in a greyhound suit, Violet, formerly known as Faith, Skye, the permanent puppy, Cisco, resident cat, and my baby girl Neyla, forever in my heart "The great thing about science is that you're free to disagree with it, but you'll be wrong." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbhounds Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 Yikes-that's a very hot topic in the industry. As you know one can't detect periodontal disease without intra-oral rads etc... However, I must admit I'm guilty of cosmetically cleaning in between full prophys. The key word is cosmetically --cleaning the crowns of the teeth is only grooming the crowns-it will not address the disease below the gumline, check for pockets, abscesses, the use of antibiotics etc.. The topic is a hot potato. The way I feel about it is that free standing dentals can not replace a proper cleaning but, may have a place in the industry if used with discretion. The big problem I have about these anesthesia free dentals is it gives the owners a false conception of their dogs true oral health. Kills me to think that there are dogs walking around with pretty pearlies and an underlying root abscess. http://www.avdc.org/dentalscaling.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattB Posted January 10, 2015 Author Share Posted January 10, 2015 That's interesting. My intuitive thought on that is that as with humans, surely cleaning above the gum line is helpful for general oral health in the same way as we have scale and polishes which aren't the same as root planings. Isn't the start of the gum disease process the build up of plaque on the teeth allowing bacteria to get under the gum line? I guess as you say if there's established problems the cosmetic clean isn't going to solve so it's important that pet owners are told this. Saying that, I've never heard of anyone who does this in the uk. $5000! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeylasMom Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 Well at least $2000 of that was the emergency vet services for her overnight stay on fluids, tests, etc. But yes, in the area where I live dentals are really expensive (Zuri's was nearly $1500 earlier this year at my regular vet) and a specialist is going to cost significantly more. Quote Jen, CPDT-KA with Zuri, lab in a greyhound suit, Violet, formerly known as Faith, Skye, the permanent puppy, Cisco, resident cat, and my baby girl Neyla, forever in my heart "The great thing about science is that you're free to disagree with it, but you'll be wrong." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moofie Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 There was an greyhound rehoming kennel that trialed plaque off & they didn't feel it made much difference, but it works for some dogs as people do recommend it. I couldn't see much of a change but I'm not sure DH always put it in the food daily. http://www.millieswolfheart.co.uk/ do the beef trachea's and allsorts of other chews. I got my dogs a MW hamper for Christmas so I could see what they liked. Zooplus is also a popular place online to buy a range of natural chews from what I read on dog forums. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patclara Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 Nothing worked for mine. Brushing =0 chews = 0 My Vet calls it, "Greyhound Teeth" We take the pricey, effective way, the Vet does it .Every few years we have them cleaned. Wish there was a better solution to keep them becoming mungy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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