Up until recently, one of the things I'm not especially proud of is that I have not nearly been as conscientious with taking care of the Zs teeth as I had been with Rudy & Max. For instance, Rudy did not need a dental until he was 10 years old. I've changed that, as now I do the dogs teeth while Jessica sits on the potty right before she goes to bed. Besides having better breath, I got one rather unexpected side effect: Zeke eats more.
Zeke always has taken a "take it or leave it" attitude towards his kibble, especially in the morning. If he skipped breakfast, by evening he'd be hungry enough to eat it. Zeke has always been on the light side, not a bad thing for a dachshund, but I think he'd be better off with 2 or 3 more pounds on his frame.
Since I started brushing their teeth regularly, Zeke no longer skips breakfast and eats all his kibble. As best as I can surmise, I think what was happening was that the kibble was irritating his gums, so if he really wasn't hungry, he didn't want to deal with it. Clearly when he was hungry, sore gums or not, he was going to eat. Zora does not seem to have this problem, and to be honest, I think her teeth are worse than Zeke's.
On the first few times I started brushing the Zs teeth regularly, I would stick the brush in and emerge with a bloody froth. The more I do this, the less their gums are bleeding, and consequently, the more consistently Zeke has been eating. The Zs will probably need another dental this year, but I think we're on the right track.
When I first got Rudy-angel as a puppy, the vet told me the number one thing to do to ensure that your dog lives a happy and healthy life is to take care of their teeth. I got away from this with the Zs, but no longer. Zeke has dramatically shown me the quality of life improvement when dental care is on the spot.
What a good lesson for all of us! Penny has had one dental at ago 3 1/2 and we have waited for her dental this year since she has been through enough recently. We do brush her teeth regularly but there are time that it just gets away from us and we forgot. Great reminder!!
I'm a bad Momma started doing Patches teeth then got way laid with the I'm a Diabetic news and have not done it for a week now. If I do not get back to it Patches will need a Dental this year she still may since i have not been able to get some of the tarter off her canines.Buddy chews on everything and he teeth are very white but I need to watch his teeth too but big dogs do not have the problems little dogs do seems like.
Papbouv
Guinness is almost 13 and has had dental problems since I got him eight years ago. I am a bad mommy (Auntie, acutally!). I would gladly pay someone to wrestle that six pound fur demon into submission for a tooth brushing! It's easier to pay the vet, than live with the unending L@@K and the guilt trips!!
Merlin and Roscoe has twilight dental last August - Dr. Leaky has a heart murmur and very white teeth. So no anesthesia for the good doctor.
Am I off the hook?
Auntie Jane Doe* :heart:
(Name changed to hide the guilty!)
Karen I too have issues with the furry boys (well with the non furry boys too) My husband has to hold the Crabby one and I have to use both hands to pry the mouth apart to get the brush in. Once the brush is in i get the inside of the mouth and then have to pry the teeth apart again to remove the brush. I then get to cover myself with foamy dog germs as I wrestle the lips apart to get the outside of the teeth. I am the only one who can put my hands in his mouth. He knows not to mess with me. In our house there is the fear of God and then the fear of Mom. (I tell the children that they have to get through me to get to God and I will help them along if need be.) The kids don't mess with me and the dogs don't mess with me. That does not stop the crabby one from resisting the brushing though. Smokey on the other hand will watch the whole ordeal with Champ and then just sit there and let me pick him up. Then I have one squirmey little dog trying to get away until i get the brush in his mouth. The he just sits there until i'm done. Champ willl then give me the look for days and will not come into our room. As soon as we set Smokey down he wants to be picked up again, go figure? (He is the Clueless one) Brushing is such an ordeal and it takes both my husband and me so it does not happen as often as we should.