Dog Toothbrushes.

[cooch]

All ....
Have had an interesting discussion on an Australian forum regarding the benefits and dangers of feeding frozen meat and bones - particularly in the form of frozen rabbits - to dogs.

The pro argument is that the tough chewing and the varied composition of frozen small game is excellent for keeping dog's teeth clean.

The anti argument is based around the claim that frozen bones splinter to sharp ends more readily and cause punctured guts and similar issues.

Having fed frozen bunnies for years - on and off - to dogs without apparent problems, I'm sceptical that there is any significant risk in the practice. However, since I have available here a pool of knowledge including people who live in far colder climates and for whom feeding frozen stuff is probably standard practice, I thought I'd ask for your thoughts.

Thankyou...... Peter

 

[Stinger]

I have never heard of feeding a dog a frozen rabbit. Actually, I have never heard of feed a dog a frozen 'anything.'

 

[Oro]

I have been maintaining my dog's teeth religiously for years - about 15. In that time I've talked to a few vets and some human dentists on the subject, and also I've been trained in another medical field and have some training myself, but see nothing like a real dentist. The reason I became obsessed with this is I have a very long-lived breed (my two are now 15 and 16 and still super healthy and active) and the realization set in 12 years ago if I didn't get on it then, I would have not only massive Vet bills later, but possibly shorten their potentially long life-span.

The problem with dog dental care practices is generally, most breed's bodies give out before their teeth start to really wear and age. So the answer is, how long do you want/do you expect your dog to live?

Things I've learned:

1) Don't give them large bones OR small ones; both can splinter and cause perforations. Ask a vet whose either removed some or lost patients this way. It may be only one in 250 or more dogs that will die of this but it will happen to some. Of course I give them bones, but under supervision and when I hear a "crack" or see them strip them thoroughly, I take them away.

2) Feeding "dental friendly" treats to clean the teeth is a bit useless, but a big $$ business. They don't get into the interdontal areas where food will be retained and feed bacteria. So they are fairly useless.

3) Brushing with a toothbrush is really the only effective thing to get at the gum line and remove debris or tartar that is going to cause problems.

4) Better is to, if the dog will tolerate, open their mouth and clean the gum line with a dental pick and remove plaque periodically. This prevents the gingivitis that causes the gums to recede and teeth to loosen and fracture or fall out with age.

5) Another reason not to feed frozen or hard food is the risk of a "slab" fracture of a molar. This is where the lateral (usually outside) enamel breaks off in a "slab" - kinda like a slab breaking off the side of a glacier. It's ugly, painful, and an expensive veterinary treatment to remove the tooth. These are the teeth the dog uses to grind hard objects/food and why that is where you can fracture the tooth from feeding too-hard objects.

Basically, canine teeth aren't that radically different than human when you think about it, examine them and watch them wear and age. Would you crunch down on hard-frozen meat with your molars and teeth? It won't be good for them, nor is it for the dog.

What I have done for a very long time is keep a toothbrush, canine toothpaste, and a stainless dental pick in a small curio box on my living room end table. Once a week or so, when relaxing in the evening, I'll scrap the plaque and brush the teeth (more often on the brushing is good and less often on the scraping is generally OK).

Also, if you've got a dog with heavily folded jowls - like some hounds and retrievers, wipe the folds in the back corners out periodically - food can get trapped in there and set up nasty growth areas or infections.

 

[qwert65]

Oro, you pretty much nailed home dental care, except that really the teeth should be brushed daily(don't sweat it I don't do that for my dog eithier) But the best care is just like humans, daily brushing + yearly cleaning

As for the OP never give your dog frozen anything please

 

[cooch]

Useful information for people who have small numbers of quiet pets.

How about the rest of us?

 

[svtruth]

Canids evolved

eating bones and gnawing them. Remember, first stop after the mouth is the highly acid stomach which will disolve bones nicely.

 

[Skoghund]

I have never cleaned any of my dogs teath and never had any problem with there teeth either. The dogs get plenty of bones. When i butcher a deer i bone out the carcase. The dogs will eat the head ,feet and all the bones. They will even eat the skin given half a chance. That make a mess with the hair all over the place. Never had a problem in 40 years and they never get any build up on there teeth.

 

[Fremmer]

LOL. I'm trying to imagine brushing a crazy boxer dog's teeth. He'd eat the toothbrush, utter a loud "woooof!", barf up the toothbrush, and then swallow it again. I guess it'll pass right through like most of the other stuff.

 

[SHvar]

As a husky owner who feeds raw only, and would never go back to "not for human consumption waste food by-products" I can tell you that you dont feed frozen food to them for obvious reasons, but, brushing their teeth is not needed for raw fed dogs.
Aside from this dogs do not prefer to eat frozen food.
Frequently owners who religiously brush their dogs teeth every day ask me what I use to get my dogs teeth so bright white, and spotless clean, my answer, nothing. I dont feed dogfood, I feed raw only.
Dogs are designed to eat appropriate sized bones fed raw, NEVER cooked. Cooked bones change from soft, flexible, strong, to hard, splintery, dry, and brittle. Cooked, smoked, bones (like you buy in the petstores, walmart, etc) are hard and not safe for them.
In the years Ive fed bones to dogs the only time there has ever been an issue was with a piece from a smoked petstore bone. This piece of bone became lodged at the end of the small intestine and had to be removed, it cost me $2200 by the end of the hospitalization, and was worth every cent to have my buddy happy and healthy.