Question on teeth

[Teresa]

I plan to get the Petzlife this week and try it on Schatzi. She is a perfect candidate for it and I should be able to see results. If it doesn't make a difference on her, then I'll schedule a dental for her at the end of the summer.

[scootersmom]

DD!  I will check my CET tonight and see if there's an expiration date on it.  (I have the toothpaste and the mouth rinse)   I will work backwards from when I bought it and see if I can figure a shelf life. 

I'm going to call up a local holistic vet and ask her her opinion on Petzlife.  I will definitely let you know what I find out, and any results I have with Scooter!  He is doing just fine with his silly old gummy mouth, thanks.      He loves his Wellness canned food and all the little soft cheese bits he gets as treats.  He does NOT love me brushing and scaling his (few remaining) teeth daily and squirting in his mouth with the mouthwash.  He sulks a lot at me for that, and gives me lots of sad "MOMMY WHY YOU TORTURE ME?" looks.  *sigh*

I'd really love to get a good picture of Scooter with his bottom two fangs sticking outside his lips.  It's both hilarious and adorable.  Perhaps I can magically transport you and Hallie here to take the photo?  I do have deep admiration for your mad picture-taking skills.  *looks fondly at DD-taken photo of Scooter at Mt. Ranier sitting on desk*

Scooter would like me to pass along his love and kisses to Ms. Hallie.   

[scootersmom]

DD, I checked my CET dental rinse, and its expiration date is September of this year.  I've had this bottle for several months alredy, so it looks like the shelf life is at least a year.  I have no expiration date on the toothpaste.  However - I am going to go buy different stuff - some special tartar-control variation, and I will ask the vet when I buy it how long it lasts.  Will keep you posted!

[Dee Dee and Hallie]

Thanks for checking that Noel! I don't think it's been much more than a year. I will give it a try.Will be curious if you try the petzlife too I plan to find some too. I had the vet look at Hallie's teeth today and she said it wasn't bad but it's the worst her teeth have ever been I let it get out of hand when she was resting her back because I didn't want to have her straining while I was working on her teeth. The vet got some of it off today but Hallie let out a yelp once and I said to stop I will work on it myself she trusts me more.

Ohhh Scoot Man...I can just see his little toofless grin! You are a good Mom working so hard on his remaining teeth. Seems some are more prone to losing teeth than others no matter what you do! I sure do wish you could transport him for an Auntie DD photo shoot. That would be more than fun! How can so many years have passed so quickly since we got these guys.

Hallie sends neck nibbles back to Scooter!

[LUVMYGUNNER]

I belong to a couple of other boards and everyone used Petzlife with no problem. Leba is also good also. I took paper work on both  to my vet... and he approves it, especially for older dogs especially, he even put the paper work in Gunner/Petunia's folder and he is an orthopetic surgeon/vet.   Gunner just had back surgery and I use it on him,,,,  and the vet is very pleased with his teeth. I would never give him anything that would hurt him. It has no alcohole smell or anything...I also would never recomment anything that some of the people on these other boards use--they are fanatical about homopathic, holistic products--they check everything out and research it..Some have checked it out with their holistic vets... before they use it.... There are some people on dodgerslist that also use it...I also use a Natural toothpaste.. that smells like vanilla a few times a week, I use a soft baby toothbrush.  You can also buy a blue liquid that goes in their drinking water to cut down on tartar. CET uses xylitol in theirs... so watch for the ingredients, I bought some from my vet and when I checked the ingredients i told the office manager and they pulled it--not sure if they took out the xylitol since then. I buy mine blue liquid at a Hay and Feed Store.

For those that are questioning petzlife: Hope this helps...
http://www.petzlife.com/productsafety.html

I know people that use Rescue Remedy on their dogs,  before the alcohole free one came out,  for pets,  with no problem.

Best deal on the Petzlife is at www.petedge.com

[Dee Dee and Hallie]

I took paper work on both  to my vet... and he approves it, especially for older dogs especially

Did you mean the petzlife or the Leba? I will definitely get some for Hallie. Thanks so much!

edit: I just ordered the petzlife gel...here's hopin'! I had the vet check Hallie's teeth when she got her shot Friday and she said they weren't bad but there was tarter (to me they looked bad as they are the worst they've been for her) The vet scraped a fair amount off (it's harder when the tarter is thin...when it's thick it comes off in a big chunk but Hallie's is very thin yet) and Hallie was so good but at one point she let out a yelp...Hallie doesn't yelp for hardly anything so I made her stop. I will work on it here at home. Anxious to try the petzlife.

[Dee Dee and Hallie]

Teresa I missed your post! Did you get some for Schatzi? Will be very interested to see how it works for you, did you get gel or spray?

[LUVMYGUNNER]

I took papers on the Petzlife and Leba. But since I haven't used the Leba,  I don't know how it works. There are 4 girls on different boards,  that just bought the Leba and they also like it. One is a friend from another board,  and she also belongs to dodgerslist--her dog also had back surgery in October--she also researches everything... and I know she would not use it... if it was bad for her dogs. She does a lot of traveling for agility--so i'm sure the Leba is discussed.

[papbouv]

Gizmo lost one tooth she was my first little dog always had big dogs before her. My vet told me little dogs have mor problems with their teeth than the big dogs so thats when I started brushing Gizmo's teeth never lost any more teeth after that. My vet also said sometimes it just depends on gentics of the dog too

[April]

Cajsa and Gretchen are 6 (this past Feb!) and have never had their teeth cleaned.  I did notice that both of them have gotten some tarter on the main back molar teeth and I think it looks pretty bad.  I could get some of it off Cajsa's teeth on my own, but Gretchen I'm not so trusting.  I would want her to be under since she will bite if you mess with her mouth in a way she doesn't like.  Cajsa will just turn her head or lick you to get you to stop something.  Different personalities though.  I'm honestly not sure if Gretchen would let me brush her teeth since it's taken nearly 3 years for her to let me LOOK at them without snapping.

[Teresa]

Dee Dee, I haven't gotten to PetSmart, but will be going by there tomorrow. I have to go that way to run a ton or errands and it is on my list. As for the gel or spray, I'm going with the gel. I'm still debating between the regular gel and the one that is flavored with salmon oil. That may be better for Schatzi since she loves Salmon and Tuna (at least the real kind!). I'll let you know how she does tomorrow evening or Friday morning.

[Dee Dee and Hallie]

Great Teresa I'll be curious to hear how it goes. I almost ordered the salmon but I always question the mercury thing...it's probably fine though and I"m sure makes it more palatable!

I have heard that about little dogs too Papbouv and I agree that genetics probably play a big role also.

Thanks Luvmygunner, I have confidence in this product now. Ours came in the mail today! We'll try it tomorrow. Hallie says the biggest problem is that she can't eat or drink a half hour before or half hour after using it...she never goes that long without eating. LOL! (at least she wishes she didn't have to!)

April I think too that sometimes when it's that hard to brush their teeth you do just have to bite the bullet and take them in for a dental. It took me about 3-4 months before Hallie would let me do much to her teeth in the beginning, she'd never bite of course but she didnt' understand what I was doing and would pull back, I just took it real slow. Now I'm trying to get her to let me open her mouth and to keep it open so I can brush the lower molars!  :thumb: That may take some time yet lol. She is really good but won't keep her mouth open for more than a few seconds yet and I would never force her so this will take some time too.

[scootersmom]

DD, I am glad to hear your Petzlife has arrived!  I have a bottle of the spray at home (the nice lady at the store where I bought it swears by it - she uses it on her rescue Greyhound, and the owners of the store use it on their Dachsies); I just haven't used it yet because now I'm worried about drug interaction with the CET mouthwash (I worry a LOT, in case anyone hasn't noticed). I've been looking all over the Internets for any complaints about using both Petzlife and CET and haven't found any, which is somewhat reassuring.  I just wonder if I should stop using the CET mouthwash when I start trying the Petzlife (I will keep using the toothpaste, though).  Anyway - I look forward to hearing how the Petzlife works out for Hallie!  (Sweet baby girl.  Scooter sends kisses!!)

Poor Scooter, he is none too happy to have his lower molars brushed but those are exactly the ones the Vet Dentist told me to focus on, as that's where his bone graft is.  If only you knew how much time my fingers spend buried in his mouth...or how sad he looks with his little cheeks all stretched out and a toothbrush stuck down in them.  Thank goodness he is a Patient Boy!

Luvmygunner - thank you so much for your reassuring recommendation about Petzlife - hearing these firsthand experiences are so helpful for me!

[Dee Dee and Hallie]

That is a good question about the CET and Petzlife together. I never did use the CET, but I don't think I'd use both together either. Maybe you could stop the CET and use the Petzlife for a few weeks and if it does the job you won't need the CET and if it doesn't you could stop it and go back to the CET. I'll let you know how it goes with Hallie too I will start it this morning I wanted to do it on a morning when the vet is open...just in case! I started her on dogzymes yesterday morning, digestive enzymes to hopefully help her tummy issues. I didn't want to start both at the same time in case she got symptoms so we'd know which it was from.

I hate that life has dealt you enough blows that you worry! You had such a lucky run with Sparky, like I did with my Sam, I never worried back then either wasn't that nice! That will never happen again lol. But I guess worrying is part of a Mom's job... :thumb:

[scootersmom]

I will do just that!  I like the way you think.   

And I was also planning to give Scooter his first dose of Petzlife when I'd be around to keep my eye on him for the day!  Heh.  One cannot be too careful, I feel.  I am looking forward to hearing how things go with Hallie, both with the dogzymes and the Petzlife.

We were both pretty lucky at one time with our pups' health, weren't we?  Thank goodness for Sparky and Sam...