Can anyone suggest something for getting tartar off teeth. I have an old girl, and although she gets chicken wings and is raw fed she is getting a bit more tartar than I would like. I know someone years ago told me about a herb or something quite natural that did this but for the life of me can't remember - oh old age, what a joy :)
Interested in any suggestions, it doesn't have to be the herb one!

Thanks
Kat

My vet recommended Plaque Off for my dogs. He was very sceptical until he tried it on his own dog. I bought mine from my local vet chemist but you can get it on-line.

I've just checked and will need to get more - I'm running out ;-) It can take a while but it does work.

There's a new one which you put in the drinking water. Can't remember the name but my vet recommended it after one of my young bitches has just had to have a scrape and polish.

Fragaria is the natural remedy. 

Copper's going in to get his terrible teeth done again on Monday - nearly £200!!  The vet recommended a plain old toothbrush and dog toothpaste - which I've got - but its really hard to clean a dogs teeth.  It's not like he'll sit there obediently with his mouth wide open :)  So the tartar builds up.

I'd be interested to hear everyone's suggestions for keeping teeth clean.

CG

Both fragaria and plaque off are available HERE - personally, were it me, I would use them both daily as neither is fast working and TBH not everyone finds success either.

Large recreational bones are better for keeping teeth clean than RMB used for feeding (that is if tartar has already formed to a considerable extent or a de-scale been done before).  Feeding RMBs should prevent tartar & plaque build up but isn't a 100% cure all for existing problems if they've been going on for some time.

Brushing is tricky - some dogs just don't like it - use actual dog toothpaste if doing so, not only flavoured but doesn't foam and froth the way human paste does (not easy to get a dog to rinse and spit LOL).  If going down the brushing route immediately after a de-scale or from puppyhood (post either time is pretty much pointless) then it has to be done thoroughly and religiously EVERY day otherwise effectiveness drops by as much as 50% if only done every second day (at least this was what I was told by a canine orthodontist).

HTH, Teri

With my elderly cats I used LOGIC gel :)  just squeezed around the tops of their gums to help it stay in the mouth longer ;) after a couple of weeks I was able to flick off the tartar with a fingernail (they wouldn't chew on bones LOL )  not sure if it would be as effective with a dog as they seem to have more mobile tongues ;)

http://www.hyperdrug.co.uk/prodinfo.asp?number=LOGDG

My dogs get similar to plaque-off and plenty of recreational bones ;)

Thinking about it, as I use cream cheese/fish paste/pate to encourage them to chew their bones you could try putting the logic gel inside a bone for them to lick out ;)

Fragaria has never worked on any of my dogs.  Plaque Off was great with Lastar who had lots of plaque, but to me the best things is a good chew on a bone at least once weekly.

Plaque can be flicked off with a nail (if you dont bite them like me) but is not a cure for the problem. Regulare brushing with a doogy toothpaste and brush works well.

Which bones are best for sparkly teeth?
Mine get raw chicken wings and the older dogs teeth have come up great but is there anything else I can give as a preventative?

Thank you all!!
Fragaria - that was it :) Perhaps I'll get them both.

Plaque build up is not too bad, but I don't want to wait until it is, and I don't want an oldie going in for a dental if I can help it!

Thanks again

I get Middle cut marrow bones ( Not the knuckle as this is soft, just middle) for my girls. my 10 yr old has alwasy had pure white, no plaque at all.  In my kitchen there must be about ten bones.  The dogs clean them so they can lay around for weeks/months. sudenly one will pick up a bone thats been laying around for ages and its as though it has just discovered it!

I have 2 toy poodles one aged 3 and the other 20 months, I started cleaning their teeth as puppies with a tooth brush and dog toothpaste every night and so far their teeth are still very good. They don't seem to mind having them done. I have had poodles before and know that they are prone to bad teeth so have got into this nightly routine which I hope will help them in the long run.

I have never cleaned any of my dogs teeth manually and they ahve always had pretty dlean teeth until 13 plus years.  they get either marrow bones or cow hoofs to chew to keep tehm tartar free.

My oldest girl Elka always had compliments from the Vet abotu her teeth.

Hi,

I give my dog sea jerky once a day (little cubes of 100% fish scales) and this has worked wonders. Even the vet couldn't believe the difference when I took her for her jabs and yearly check up. She loves them too so no stress for either of us.

I think PAH now do them although I get them online.

I tried Plaque Off but stopped after a about two weeks. Harvey started taking ages eating his dry food so I checked around his mouth and his gums were very red and bleeding a little in places. I haven't used it since - I have a little finger toothbrush with rubber bristles now and use that with doggy toothpaste which seems to work nicely.

When my eldest was speyed at 6 years the vet said that they'd 'do her teeth' at the same time.  My answer was that they could try LOL   When the vet asked what I meant I suggested she look in my girl's mouth.  After she picked her jaw off the floor I told her it was the result of having bones to chew on, they learn something new every day ;)   she's 8 in April and her teeth are still sparkly :-D :-D 

When people talk of giving bones to chew on - what type exactly do you mean? The thought makes me feel quite ill - I have visions of a raw bone with a gungy bit in the middle which will ooze onto flooring ect and leave the house full of bacteria - I couldn't cope with that.

They either get large marrow bones with the ends cut off (when available) or the steamed sterilised bones that are hollow in the middle.  I put nice things in the middle of the steamed ones so they have something to work for ;)  cream cheese, peanut butter, pate, fish paste, that sort of thing ;)  The bone is always larger than the dog's muzzle so difficult to crunch up - it's for chewing only.

Are these like the ones you can buy ready stuffed?  Can you remove the brightly coloured dubious looking filling and add your own or am I thinking of the wrong ones?

Marrowbones - do they stink the house out???

toolz
Is the stuff you're thinking of called Pet Dental ? its a blue mint smelling liquid that you put in the water?
I brought it but they just know when it has been added, and even though they like mint sweets, they won't touch the stuff *rolleyes*
I give mine sea jerky, their teeth aren't too bad but could do with a bit of a brushing :) 

> Marrowbones - do they stink the house out???

I have old marrow bones and they don't stink the hosue out once the marrow has been chewed out.

Hi Missie,
Is the stuff you're thinking of called Pet Dental

yes I think it is...and oh dear I have no hope of getting them to drink anything minty-fresh. Now if it smelt like rotten crab or goose poop I'd have no probs. :-)

Wondering whether I can give my puppy a bone - he hasnt had one yet. Also his top teeth look like they are only just poking through with his bottoms a little bigger. His canines are through though and he chews raw carrot and nyla bones sometimes (but usually my old trainer :) ) Should I just get him a largish bone ?

My pups have had bones from about 4 weeks once their baby teeth are in.

>Should I just get him a largish bone ?

A nice marrowbone for him to gnaw will be just the thing! Be prepared for him to be possessive over such a magnificent treat, though. ;-) I find it helps prevent this by holding one end of the bone while the pup gnaws the other.

> Be prepared for him to be possessive over such a magnificent treat, though. ;-)

Of course once they are no longer such a big deal he will relax about the bones, so don't make a big deal about it if he is a bit guardy about a bone.  having two pieces is a good idea as you can play swaps so he relaxes about any move to take it from him.

Will get him one today :)

Glad of any excuse to buy him something....LOL

And it doesn't matter that his teeth are really tiny? The tops really do look like little white dots - you can feel them more than see them. They are smaller than the head of a matchstick!

He has never minded us taking anything from him, ( i put my fingers in his bowl sometimes adding bits of food) so I wont worry :) he even takes food from our mouths really gently. He can bite hard when he wants and we tell him NO sternly and he does listen but we try not to let him mouth our hands too much as we dont want a nippy little fellow