Routine check at vets today before my bitch comes into season. (Hoping for pups).  All was fine apart from the vet being horrified at how old she was because of her bad teeth (at the back)!  I felt really awful.  She is two but has terrible plaque usually seen in old dogs.  He suggested that at this stage we just "pick it off", clean her teeth regularly and see how it goes.  I went out to the car to get my other dog for him to be checked, and he was fine!

They are fed Autarky which I do really like and seems to suit their digestion, coats, etc. and I will be reluctant to change food.  They both have raggy things and bones.  She's never been the sort of dog who likes to be "fiddled with" and I have just got her happy with having her feet trimmed, tail brushed, etc without any hassle so I will persevere with tooth brushing.  He explained that some dogs are just more prone to plaque than others, enzymes and constitution of the saliva, etc is to blame and perhaps heriditary.  Does anyone else have a working cocker with bad teeth?!!!

Can you buy dental instruments to get the plaque off?  Will I cause her any damage doing this (I wouldn't like it myself)?  What is the best stuff in way of toothpaste to use?

I'm now hanging my head in shame in the same way I do when the dentist tells me I need a filling!

Hi,
  I've had this problem just recently with my dog, who is nearly 2 (though he's an Aussie, not a working Cocker!).  I'd heard a while ago that chicken wings are good for cleaning teeth, but those didn't really work out for us - not enough to chew on.  Managed to get a big marrow bone from the butchers which actually helped remove a lot of the plaque that had built up on the back teeth.  I'm now carrying on with Logic Oral Hygiene Gel, which you just put into the dog's mouth, or mix it with food.  Too soon to tell yet whether it's any good, but the vet did mention it ages ago as being good.  Got 3 tubes of it for £15 from Vetmedic.  I did buy a descaler a while back, but couldn't use it - my dog was fidgeting, and I found I couldn't press on it hard enough to get the plaque off, also was worried it was going to hit his gum.  I hope this Gel works for us anyway!
  Hilda

Hilda do you mean a descaler like the dentist uses - a metal "pick"?  Where did you get it?

I did read about the Gel on www but didn't know if it really worked as they said it would.  It's worth a try but I would be interested to hear if others had success.

Mine already has marrow bones but it's quite a lot of hassle with two of them as they need to be kept separate to avoid confrontation! 

Hiya, I use a dental scaler on my bunch. I got mine from petcetera at a show their website is www.petcetera.co.uk sorry I don't do link thingys.
Dawn R.

I have loads of experience of bad teeth, bad gums, etc., because I have rescue cockers!  Cockers are really prone to bad teeth and gum disease.  My old rescue Jamie even needed plastic surgery to deal with 'cocker mouth', and still needed to go under every 6 months to deal with serious gingervitis (sp?) and its effect on his teeth - he still lived to 16/17. 

My 6/7 yo cocker rescue from Ireland came to me with very few teeth and I've had to have another two removed since he came to me, despite my best efforts.

Fletch, my rescue working cocker also has a couple of bad-looking back teath which will end up needing to be removed.

I use Logic - which a dog will lick from your finger.

Feel free to PM me.

Fragaria, a homeopathic remedy available from Dorwest Herbs is reputed to work; you just give them the pills I believe.  Not ever had a problem with teeth fortunately :D

Does anyone know of anywhere I can buy Logic Gel AND a descaler at the same time?  I am relucant to spend as much a the products would cost on postage alone and if I can get both things together that could be great.

http://www.vet-medic.com/indexuk.asp

Thanks Tohme, the link you gave is the site recommended by Sunbeams in the first response to my post.   I have been able to find both products although not both on the same site.  One site charges £3.99 postage and the other £2.75 so it seems a bit of a shame to pay postage twice if I could get both Gel and Plaque picker from the same place.  Vet medic only do the gel.

Hi you can get both Here HTH Gillian

We'll all be trying the Logic now!  Anyway, thought you might be interested to know that my friend's vet actually uses a 5 pence piece to get plaque off his collies teeth, not a descaler!  He reckons they're too sharp if the dog is 'awake' and can too easily cut into the gum.
  Hilda

I use the edge of my nailfile. It's easier to grip than the coin my mentor told me to use many, many years ago ...
:)

Wonderful!  She won't know what's hit her when I start picking at her teeth with a coin and a nailfile!!  I've given both of mine a huge marrowbone today, even bigger than they are.  It won't do much for my cocker's teeth as both dogs are in "stand-off" mode at the moment guarding their possessions!

Thanks for all your advice.