Kassa and Ricky had a good week. They had some good greyplay today. The recent heat has been a bit hard on the guys and the dogs do more lounging than running. So do their peeps. While Ricky was between soaks last week one of my friends picked quite a bit of tarter off of one of his teeth. Now I can always count on this particular friend to call it like she sees it. This time was no exception. Now I must admit I had gotten lax in regards to tooth care for the boys. Early in Kassa's adoption I gave him a big raw hide chew to work on every evening. When tarter built up on his canine teeth I got a dental scalar to pick it off. The last few times I was at the vet they said his teeth looked like he had just had a dental. After researching raw hide more, I decided to back off of it and use pig ears (made in the USA) instead. While tasty, the pig ears are a quick snack. The dogs nosh them up pretty quickly in comparison to raw hide.
When I got Ricky I was told he didn't tolerate brushing well. Beyond the pig ears I haven't been spending much time on it. Now the honeymoon is over. Ricky is getting reasonably comfortable with me working on his mouth with the dental scalar although I'm at the mercy of which side he chooses to nap on. Last week I got a lot of the tarter off in a few problem spots, but there is more to do. I gave them both some raw hide this evening to break stuff up and plan to give them another marrow bone soon (which works really well but is stinky). Hopefully with practice I can get Ricky to be comfortable and hold still so I can feel confident working closer to the gum line. It isn't that going to the vet to have a dental done is the end of the world or anything, but it is the fact that they have to administer an anesthetic that makes me nervous. Greys are particularly problematic when it comes to anesthesia and so if there are simple things I can do to avoid it, I will.
Kassa and Ricky had a good week. They had some good greyplay today. The recent heat has been a bit hard on the guys and the dogs do more lounging than running. So do their peeps. While Ricky was between soaks last week one of my friends picked quite a bit of tarter off of one of his teeth. Now I can always count on this particular friend to call it like she sees it. This time was no exception. Now I must admit I had gotten lax in regards to tooth care for the boys. Early in Kassa's adoption I gave him a big raw hide chew to work on every evening. When tarter built up on his canine teeth I got a dental scalar to pick it off. The last few times I was at the vet they said his teeth looked like he had just had a dental. After researching raw hide more, I decided to back off of it and use pig ears (made in the USA) instead. While tasty, the pig ears are a quick snack. The dogs nosh them up pretty quickly in comparison to raw hide. 
6 comments:
I use a scaler, too, but getting those back teeth is darned near impossible for me! Besides hating the idea of having them under anesthesia, it's a lot cheaper to spend time with the scaler than for the vet to clean their teeth!
You're way braver than me! Frankie doesn't have a tartar problem, not so I've noticed anyway. But when Beryl had her tail chopped off I looked at her teeth when I left her at the vets and they weren't good despite having had them done when she was spayed about a year prior. So I got the vet to clean them while she was under. Cleaning dogs teeth is just something I've never been able to bring myself to do ... and Beryl has got such big ones, lol!
Have you tried deer antler as a chew? It's supposed to be good for cleaning their teeth as well as amusing them for hours/days. You can't buy them in the shops here but next time I come across a friendly deerstalker I'll see if I can get some for the kids. I'd like to try them out.
The boys look happy:)
I use a scaler too, on my three greys and it's funny that you said that about depending on which side they are lying on, I just said that to myself when I was doing it yesterday, lol. They always seem to be laying on the same side and I can never get the other side done very well.
Wow, I am impressed! I give mine pigs ears, bully chews, and chicken backs. I have a gel, but I always forget to use it. I might have to try the scaler.
my girl berlin will let me brush her teeth, spider trys to eat the toothbrush.
i feed bones twice a week, have you tried green tripe? it stinks but is very good for them to chew
Post a Comment