How do you get plaque off dogs teeth?

Question

I got a one year old chow/lab mix last week and I was looking at her teeth while I was grooming her and noticed a lot of plaque. She's eating a high quality hard dog food. Her front teeth aren't to bad but her back teeth have a good bit on them. I know you can take them to have there teeth cleaned but I can't afford that right now. I havn't tried brushing her teeth yet but I don't think that will really get what's already on off. I've been brushing my other dog's teeth since she was a pup and she doesn't have much if any on her teeth and she's a year and a half. So, do you know of anything you can buy to help get rid of plaque? Thanks.

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

I have a dental scraper I purchased at walmart that I use on my dog's teeth.. I have been handling his mouth since he was a young puppy tho, so he will allow me to do that. That's all they do during a dental is scrape the plaque off anyways, the dog is just under anasthesia during the process.

I also brush his teeth.

You can try giving him raw meaty bones.. the act of ripping and tearing meat off the bones is what helps keep the teeth clean.. find a knuckle or leg bone that has meat on it. When he has the meat pretty well stripped, remove the bone.

many "dental" treats dont really do much good.. greenies and processed chewies like rawhides are not good for your dog, and they really dont remove the plaque either.

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Thanks

Answer 2

Feed raw bones (not raw hide). They will scrape plaque off of your dogs teeth.

There are also products out there to get rid of plaque and tartar. One is called Leba: http://www.thedogbowl.com/store/PPF/Para…

I've used it and it worked for my dog. There's also another one called Petz 4 Life I think and it works well too.

Answer 3

have your vet perform a dental exam and cleaning. This is done under anesthesia because pets may inhale the plaque when breating in which can cause a severe pneumonia. The link below has good information on dental disease.

Source(s):

www.freeonlinevet.com

Answer 4

Call your vet and ask for a pymt plan.......the dogs teeth are just as important as ours and if let go, the teeth could have to be removed.

Answer 5

There are speacil treats for plaque

Answer 6

If you have a petsmart near you, they have grooming specials that include teeth cleaning.

You can also get a tooth brush and dog paste and brush them yourself daily.

on Annual Vet visits have the vet check the teeth

And buy good chew toys that promote healthy teeth. There are some great teeth cleaning Nylabone products. If your dog is a serious chewer, try Kong toys.

There are also healthy edible nylabones my vet recommended that help promote tooth cleanliness.

Avoid greenies... My Vet doesn't like those. Ask your vet about recommended hard treats that clean teeth.

also avoid rawhide like someone recommended. They can cause digestive issues such as diarrhea, and if chipped off (Which they can easily) they can cause blockages or tear into the lining of the esophagus or intestines. They have no nutritional value.

Vets will tell you pigs ears and rawhides are no no's for your dog's health.

their are healthy alternatives and treats you can feed your pet to help with teeth.

Source(s):

http://petcareispossible.blogspot.com/
Pet care Advice website

Answer 7

Don't give rawhides or greenies, they both pose choking hazards since dogs can break off chunks of them. Try giving a large raw beef bone each week with some meat still clinging (I buy big bags at a local butcher inexpensively and keep them in the freezer). Also provide Bully Sticks and Flossies to chew on, most dogs love them and they are great for cleaning their teeth, plus they are safer than rawhides and many other chews. I took in a rescue a couple months ago, the vet originally said she had dental disease and needed a teeth cleaning badly, she had lots of tartar buildup, but within 2 weeks of starting her on the raw bones, bully sticks, and flossies, her teeth were shiny clean and white and the vet said she didn't need a cleaning any more! So, they really do work. I have also heard that raw chicken necks can help, but I have not personally used them.

Answer 8

Buy her rawhide bones (not pig ears), as they chew it, it wears away the plaque. I think brushing would help out a lot, you should go ahead and give it a try because its not very expensive.