[nagdu] dental care and raw feeding

Tracy Carcione carcione at access.net
Fri Oct 28 13:27:27 UTC 2011


Hi Robert.
If Bailey has an ear infection, the first thing I'd look in to would be
his food.  Does it contain corn or wheat?  Many dogs are allergic to those
ingredients.
I agree with Julie J that dog food standards are pretty low.  IMHO, it's
worth the bit extra to feed high-quality food, if at all possible.  I'm
feeding Canidae, which has human-quality ingredients.  My dogs have done
well on it for years.  As others have said, there's a lot to choose from
when it comes to dog food.
I tried raw for a while, because friends of mine have had great success
with it, but I did not.  I have never yet had a dog whose digestion could
really cope with raw bones.  The result has always been diarrhea.  But,
like I said, my friends' dogs are thriving on raw food.

I use a finger brush and meat-flavored toothpaste for my dogs.  It took a
little effort to get past the licking, but now we do OK.  But I mostly use
the toothbrush to wipe the toothpaste over the outside of the teeth.  I
don't try to brush their teeth the same as I brush mine.  It's my
understanding that the toothpaste contains an enzyme that helps break down
plaque, so wiping it on is enough.
I try to brush the dogs' teeth 4 or 5 times a week.  I also give them
Nylabones to chew on, but that's more recreational; I don't think it
actually helps clean their teeth.
I don't know if the teethbrushing helps, but I haven't had any doggy
dental problems ever, and I'm sure the teethbrushing doesn't hurt.
HTH.
Tracy

> Hello All:
>
> I am writing regarding the subject line of this message, curiously enough.
> I was told at TSE about the importance of brushing my dog's teeth. I am
> writing to "test the waters", if you will. I was wondering what products
> everyone uses, what health concerns of which I should be aware,, etc. For
> example, is there an evil ingredient the seductive pet market is trying to
> make me use? Is there a definite proven method that works better than
> others? At TSE, we were given dental wipes and instructed to use them
> daily. While I have determined through research that these are fine, I
> have also determined that actual toothbrushes are more effective. I have
> also found that giving dogs raw bones is supposed to be the most healthy
> way of teeth cleaning. Any suggestions on that front? I don't doubt that
> raw bones are healthy, but as far as methodology goes...it just seems as
> though it would complicate life (one of the reasons I have not looked
> further into raw feeding as well). Any opinions
>  regarding dental care and/or raw feeding would be appreciated. For the
> record, I have ordered a DentaClean finger toothbrush and C.E.T vanilla
> mint toothpaste, as C.E.T seemed to be the most highly regarded brand.
> Also whilst at TSE, I was advised to get a neutral-flavored (or at least
> non-meat flavored) toothpaste, as the dog's trying to get at it would
> hinder the actual teeth brushing process. However, many online sources
> don't mention that aspect and actually recommend beef or poultry flavored
> toothpaste. So, any guidance, opinions, anecdotes, or experience
> regarding that would be also appreciated.
> Another note about raw feeding: on my vet visit at OSU, I was discouraged
> from looking into raw feeding. The reasons given were that dogs are
> naturally omnivores and an all meat diet wouldn't necessarily be the best
> option. I was also assured that the name brand dog foods undergo stringent
> testing to ensure their quality and nutritional value. Currently, Bailey
> is on the food he was on at TSE, which is Eukanuba Adult Maintenance.
> Needless to say, any opinions, comments, facts, etc. regarding what my
> veterinarian said and/or the food on which Bailey is currently dieting
> would also be welcome.
> Sincerely,
> Robert Hooper
> Hooper.90 at buckeyemail.osu.edu<mailto:Hooper.90 at buckeyemail.osu.edu>
> The Ohio State University
> 0653 Buckeye-Cuyahoga CT
> 653 Cuyahoga Court
> Columbus, Ohio 43210
> (740) 856-8195
>
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