[NAGDU] Dental care

[Tracy Carcione]

Last night I listened to a lecture by a veterinary dentist from a big vet
hospital in New York City.  I thought I'd mention some of the useful things
I remember.

 

You should brush the dog's teeth at least every other day.  He said
toothpaste isn't necessary, but makes it more tasty for the dog.  He thought
a soft child's toothbrush was the best.  Personally, I prefer the finger
brush, because I can tell exactly what I'm doing, but there you go.  Brush
the teeth for at least 30 seconds.

He said, if the dog isn't used to teeth-brushing, start by letting him lick
a little toothpaste off your fingers, then, in a few days, use your finger
to rub a little on a few teeth, and slowly move on from there.  (We just
jumped right in when we learned it in class, and my dogs have been fine with
it, but I guess that's not always the case, even among guide dogs.)  He
confirmed you only have to do the outsides of the teeth, not the tongue
sides.

 

He said at least 75% of dogs have dental issues, but less in large dogs like
labs than in small dogs.  He said the only way to really find dental disease
is with X-rays taking while the dog is sedated, and should probably happen
yearly.

He said to stay far away from vets who say they can do dental work on dogs
without anesthesia; it's dangerous for both the dog and the vet.

 

He said that if a toy is too hard to make an indentation in it using a
thumbnail, then it's too hard for a dog to chew.  Krokus loves his
Nyla-knot, but it's definitely too hard by that test.  He also said tennis
ball covers act like sandpaper on teeth.

And lastly, he said bad breath is an indicator of dental disease.  Uh-oh.

Tracy