Dental Treats

[smt]

Any recommendations on dental treats? Our recently adopted 2-year-old girl has pristine teeth. We know that this can change, and dramatically so. Our last grey had to have every tooth in the head removed, and we want to be proactive to avoid that fate for Ruby, if at all possible. Our vet gave us a sample called Oravet Dental Hygiene Chews and suggested giving them to her once or twice a week. Besides brushing her teeth, what treats do you use to help your grey with dental hygiene?

[ShebasMom]

Sheba had great teeth when I got her at 22 months. Lucky me. Had really good luck with her teeth year to year and didn't start vet dentals until she was about 7. Now at 11 years old she gets dentals every year but still has all her teeth and doing well. She didn't like the Oravet chews but loves the large Virbac C.E.T. Hextra Premium Chews and gets one every day after breakfast. She also loves the regular Greenies and gets one every day after her dinner. I don't brush her teeth, but I put an additive to her water bowl twice a day. She also gets a bully stick every so often.

[greysmom]

Lots fo folks use RMB (raw meat bones) to keep their dog's teeth in shape. Something like chicken wings or legs, or pieces of backbone cut up - parts that are more bony.

 

None of my dogs actually *like* RMBs ( ) so we use Dentasticks and Whimzee bones, a smaller size, after every meal. Sort of like tooth brushing!

 

But really, a lot of how your dog's teeth will turn out is based on genetics. I had greys that could have had a full dental every 6 months, and some that had never had a dental since we got them. And all fo them ate the same food, and got the same treats.

[DaintyDutchess]

Pedigree Dentastix. bacon flavor or original. I brush my greys teeth every couple days although daily is ideal. My grey loves naturally shed antlers but not sure how well those help with plaque and tarter. No dentals needed yet.

[HeyRunDog]

I give Grace a Purina Dentalife chew once a day and add Plaque Magic, which is a seaweed based additive, to her breakfast.

[racindog]

Oravet makes a gel that you put on their teeth once a week that works great. I was brushing Octane's teeth every night and losing the battle until I started putting the OraVet gel on which really works great. So I would vote for the Ora-Vet chews so long as your dog actually chews them and doesn't swallow them whole(like Octane would do if I gave them to him). Petz-Life Spray also works wonderfully. The OraVet gel comes in packages of 8 so one ~$22 package last 8 weeks. The Petz Life comes in different sizes but is also very reasonable. I had one vet dental specialist tell me not to brush if I used the gel because it would brush the gel off. I had another-also a credentialed dental specialist- tell me to use both. So who knows. Dr. Qaak did say that the CET Toothpaste was best because it actually carried oxygen into the gum line. I am delighted with both the Ora Vet gel and the Petz-Life. Both work great.

[LaFlaca]

Raw, meaty bones like turkey necks and lamb shanks are great for keeping teeth clean. Proden PlaqueOff has worked very well for my Greys over the years to keep already clean teeth clean. Nothing can really take the place of daily brushing, though.

[EllenEveBaz]

I was alerted to this list years ago here at GreyTalk. I don't know what the criteria are, but it reassures me I'm not buying just the advertising.

 

http://www.vohc.org/VOHCAcceptedProductsTable_Dogs.pdf

[smt]

Greenies are so ubiquitous. Anyone use/have an opinion on them?

[palmettobug]

I like them, but they are pricier as opposed to the Milk-Bone brushing chews. The flavored ones are even pricier, but sometimes PetSmart has a good sale.

 

My new boy Gino has missing and worn teeth, and he has no problem with the Milk-Bone ones, so I'm thinking he'll do fine with Greenies, too.