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Old April 16th, 2015, 07:43 PM
cockertail cockertail is offline
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Vet teeth cleaning

Was just at the Vet with my 12 year old cocker spaniel and as always they push for teeth cleaning .
What are others thoughts on this?Do you get your dogs teeth cleaned,and how often?
I have had Henry for 3 1/2 years from the SPCA and when I got him, they cleaned his teeth and then 1 1/2 years later the Vet talked me into it again and then today they want me to do it again.The estimate is just under 700.00 each time.At his age is it worth doing it? Are the Vets just pushing something that is not really required, or is it something everyone does all the time?I've had dogs all my life and years ago no one cleaned a dogs teeth .
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Old April 16th, 2015, 09:26 PM
Barkingdog Barkingdog is offline
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People never cleaned their dogs teeth when I was growing up , they gave their dogs nice big beef bones they got for free from the butcher. All that chewing on the bone helped keep their teeth cleaned. How do your dog teeth look to you? You could buy some doggie toothpaste and toothbrush , do NOT use people toothpaste and try brushing your dog teeth. I tried to brush my Standard Poodle teeth with
chicken flavor dog toothpaste and my dog kept trying to eat the toothbrush . LOL!
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Old April 16th, 2015, 10:50 PM
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hazelrunpack hazelrunpack is offline
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We do have our dogs teeth cleaned--depending on the dog, they'll get a cleaning once every 1 - 3 years. Generally we schedule cleanings when I notice gingivitis beginning to develop. In between cleanings, we brush their teeth daily with an enzymatic toothpaste formulated for pets.

Ask your vet to show you what it is that they see that tells them your dog needs his teeth cleaned. Once you know what to look for, you can better decide when, or if, your dog needs the procedure.
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Old April 17th, 2015, 01:42 AM
MaxaLisa MaxaLisa is offline
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Dental issues can cause illness, including problems with the heart, so it is a good idea to keep the mouth and teeth in good shape. I've used raw bones and also had them cleaned under anesthesia. Some of it depends on how bad they are.
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Old April 17th, 2015, 06:48 AM
Longblades Longblades is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cockertail View Post
Was just at the Vet with my 12 year old cocker spaniel and as always they push for teeth cleaning .
What are others thoughts on this?Do you get your dogs teeth cleaned,and how often?
I have had Henry for 3 1/2 years from the SPCA and when I got him, they cleaned his teeth and then 1 1/2 years later the Vet talked me into it again and then today they want me to do it again.The estimate is just under 700.00 each time.At his age is it worth doing it? Are the Vets just pushing something that is not really required, or is it something everyone does all the time?I've had dogs all my life and years ago no one cleaned a dogs teeth .
Absolutely. If teeth need cleaning then I'd get it done. Some dogs need only a light sedation. Even if they need more Vet and human medicine is very advanced and anaesthetic is, still a worry, but not as much in older patients as it used to be. Cockers are a small breed which tend to be longer lived than larger dogs. You might have Henry for several years yet, I hope you do.

My dogs and cats have varied in their needs. OUr first Lab's teeth were never cleaned in all her 14.5 years. I think one of the reasons people always thought she was younger than her age was her sparkling white teeth. Just a lucky dog.
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Old April 17th, 2015, 01:01 PM
cockertail cockertail is offline
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Thanks for the input.His teeth are coloured ,but they don't look that bad to me.It is just the big long ones up top and the bottom ones are all pretty white.It was done 1 1/2 years ago ,so how quickly can they deteriorate to the point when it is necessary to pay 700.00 to have them cleaned,again.I have tried brushing them,but it is a fight,and I tried the Vets special dental dog food at an inflated price,and denta stick type things ,but those things don 't really do much.He doesn't like chewing on beaf bones.( Strange dog me thinks)
So think I'll monitor it and maybe wait till next year.
Still interested to hear from anyone ,as to their thoughts on this.
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  #7  
Old April 17th, 2015, 03:33 PM
Lynne&Co. Lynne&Co. is offline
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In addition to brushing every other day, I purchased dental tools and scaled my dogs canines myself. He was extremely calm and the perfect patient which is extremely important so as not to damage his gums should he struggle. Once I switched him to RAW food, his weekly bones took care of his teeth. They actually became bright white...........much whiter than when I was his hygienist
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Old April 17th, 2015, 10:53 PM
Digston Digston is offline
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Some dogs are predisposed to dental disease. I have 2 dogs, 1 of which I don't need to do a thing with and he keeps nice clean teeth. My other requires a dental each year(he could probably even have 2!). Sometimes the suggestion for frequent dental cleanings comes from the dental radiographs(x-rays) taken by your vet at previous cleanings. If some teeth are questionable but may be salvageable they will be left and monitored.

If you are unsure, your vet should be more than happy to explain to you what it is they saw that prompted them to recommend a cleaning. If not your vet, then one of the technologists.

If you are still uncertain, visit another clinic to see if they suggest the same. Most clinics offer free dental exams performed by a technologist.

As previously posted, age is not considered a factor in whether a pet can be safely put under general anesthesia. With all pets, but especially seniors, it is important to do some preliminary blood work to make sure that the organs, primarily the liver and kidneys, are functioning normally.
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  #9  
Old April 18th, 2015, 02:45 PM
MaxaLisa MaxaLisa is offline
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There are some holistic clinics that do anesthesia free cleaning, which is a much cheaper option, and easier on the pet. However, this only works if you do it before there is a lot of gunk on them, and it's done fairly regularly, I think.
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  #10  
Old April 18th, 2015, 06:34 PM
cockertail cockertail is offline
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After paying for cleaning every year,and hart worm,tick,meds,wellness exams , having a dog is slowly becoming a luxury item soon only to be enjoyed by the rich.
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  #11  
Old April 19th, 2015, 03:24 PM
Barkingdog Barkingdog is offline
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http://peterdobias.com/blogs/blog/11...in-dental-care



This web say giving you dogs the right size bones will help clean their teeth and safe money. People did not get their dogs teeth clean when I was growing and their dogs lived a full life.
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