Redeeming dental health in an older dog

[Rosie]

If you were to obtain an older dog who was already experiencing poor dental health due to having a very small mouth - lost teeth, dribbling and very bad breath - how much would you be able to do to build their dental health back up? What would you need to do and how labour intensive would it be?

[Kristi]

I would start with the petzlife products for about 2 weeks. Spray 2x or 3x a day with no water or food before or after for 45 minutes. Weeks 3 and 4 I would start brushing the teeth with a toothbrush dipped in hydrogen peroxide, and keep at it, indefinitely, til I saw improvement, while keeping up with the spray am and pm.

Its tough to say w/o knowing how bad they are. Honestly if they were bad, I'd get a dental and start the same regime immediately after the dental.

[rachel]

I think i would do the same. Opt for a dental and then start off from a clean slate so to speak.

[Rosie]

What exactly would a dental involve? Never had to have one done on a dog - would they need to put him under?

[Kristi]

Yes they put them under and scale and clean the teeth with a polisher, they are able to get up under the gum line and remove all tarter /buildup etc. so that the dog's mouth can become healthy again. It can be very hard to work with an older dog's mouth yourself because of how painful it is for them but a dental allows their mouth to restore some semblance of health for you to work with.

[brodysmom]

I would start with a dental too, after a complete bloodwork panel to be sure kidneys and liver were healthy enough for anesthesia. I would want all bad teeth pulled as well.

Then keep up the petzlife afterward and also raw meaty bones.

[Lucy]

Not to thread highjack here but just wanted to ask which Petzlife products? Is it better than Tropiclean?

My 3 are on a raw diet, they all get their teeth brushed daily but still have a tartar build up so I'm want to buy something to help get rid of it before it gets to the stage of needing a dental!

[Kristi]

Lucy if there is tarter build up, I use a 1/3 hydrogen peroxide (the 3% stuff), 2/3 water mixture. I dip the toothbrush in it before I brush, and add a dab of toothpaste for flavor:) You need to be consistent and do it every day.

I don't think the Petzlife or Tropiclean are much different, I just prefer the Petzlife, as it's been around longer. The Tropiclean is certainly easier to apply with the bottle it comes in. I use the Petzlife spray, once around noon, and once before bed. Their teeth are brushed and brushed well every evening while we watch TV. Birdie isn't too keen on all of this yet.

Periodically I give chews that have chlorhexidine on them. www.amazon.com/HEXtra-Premium-Hygiene-Chlorhexidine-Petite/dp/B001P3NU3K/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1311007590&sr=8-4. These ARE rawhide...they only get them 2-4 times a week, ... but they are compressed rawhide, so really a bunch of tiny pieces of rawhide stuck back together. They really can't cause a blockage as the pieces are too tiny, and we have never had a problem with them. But obviously some people won't be comfortable with them.

I put the Tropiclean fresh breath stuff in ther water, and they also get raw meaty bones at least 2-3 times a week. They also have bully sticks and ostrich available all the time.

A few of mine seem to get a tiny bit of tarter on the very back molar, and on the 1st premolar because of how the tooth is grooved? I keep an eye on the teeth and remove the plaque with a dental scaler before it gets bad or up to the gum-line. I then brush extra long on the tooth with an electric toothbrush to help polish out the scratches I made.