Dental issues

[jmnyc]

Hello, I had My olderst B do dental cleaning at the vet today,
and he came back diagnosed with severe periodontal disease and had 2 teeth's pulled…I was somewhat taken by the fact that despite trying to brush his teeth's (which not always is a particularily successful project) he got this diagnose...He is 7 years old and I have never had an "older/ageing" dog before (My other ones are 5 and 3) so please, would someone tell Me if this is something common with the B's, or if I have just failed to keep him in shape...I feel horrible to have caused him so much pain today, because he is still laying in his bed whining, dizzy and sedated...

[snorky998]

I have an 11 year old that has lost 3 teeth to periodontal disease. I also have a 7 year old that has never had a problem.

My vet said…. "with people, you can brush, and brush, and brush but you still go the the dentist to have the plaque removed every 6 months. Some have a lot of plaque, some have minimal to none. It's lifestyle and a pre-disposition. Nothing you do can change it, you can only try to minimize the long term affects."

With that in mind, she gave me Maxi/Guard free of charge. She also wanted to document the results for her clients. She didn't want to pass on a product that was a bunch of crap.

So far, Tyler's teeth look better in the front. Left side molars look the same (crappy!!) but the right side upper and lower look and smell much better.

Ty doesn't like the application, but he tolerates it. I rub it up and under the upper gum (per vet instruction) and smear it on the back teeth.

[jmnyc]

Thanks for Your note and product suggestion! I have never heard about Maxi/Guard but looked it up on-line and it seems like something I should try on him if you say it has worked…

[tanza]

@jmnyc:

Hello, I had My olderst B do dental cleaning at the vet today,
and he came back diagnosed with severe periodontal disease and had 2 teeth's pulled…I was somewhat taken by the fact that despite trying to brush his teeth's (which not always is a particularily successful project) he got this diagnose...He is 7 years old and I have never had an "older/ageing" dog before (My other ones are 5 and 3) so please, would someone tell Me if this is something common with the B's, or if I have just failed to keep him in shape...I feel horrible to have caused him so much pain today, because he is still laying in his bed whining, dizzy and sedated...

It is common with all dogs, not just Basenjis… while as with anything else, some bloodlines carry/produce worse teeth then others. My OJ was one... his first dental at 5, he lost 5 teeth, the second at 8 he lost 5 more.. and two of them just fell out on their own during the cleaning... Tego just went to the vet yesterday for a cleaning and he lost 4 (age 12 1/2)... so I have to agree with Snorky998...

I have been using Petzlife on Kristii (14 1/2) and it has helped... better then any other dental paste that I have used before. One thing to remember, it is pretty difficult to get on the "inside" of the teeth when brushing...

[jmnyc]

Hello, Pat! Wow, so it really must depend on so many different aspects how their dental health develops…all My 3 B's does yearly cleaning so that is why I an so surprised it suddenly happend now and not before...but to Your point, reaching all the way back is like putting your fingers in a horizontal food processor...

[tanza]

@jmnyc:

Hello, Pat! Wow, so it really must depend on so many different aspects how their dental health develops…all My 3 B's does yearly cleaning so that is why I an so surprised it suddenly happend now and not before...but to Your point, reaching all the way back is like putting your fingers in a horizontal food processor...

Exactly!!!! :eek: and trying to get on the inside of the teeth…

[dmcarty]

Folks I keep talking about Dentatreat from Wysong - cheese based powder that you sprinkle on food - gotta tell you 4-6 weeks of using it and ALL teeth will be squeaky clean. The dogs like the taste it's easy to use (just keep it in the fridge when you open it)

You may need to order it online - it also works for cats.

I haven't taken a dog for a dental in years and years.

[MacPack]

Wow, that sounds wonderful. I'll have to check it out.

Like Pat, one of 3 brothers that we had lost teeth regularly. I brushed his teeth twice a day, got the other boy's teeth a couple of times a week only. And that was brothers! Definitely can vary a bunch, even among siblings. Other dogs have never lost a tooth, even in old age.

My current vet does awake ultrasound teeth cleaning along with yearly physical, for $25. If you are not a regular client, he charges $40 just for the cleaning, assuming nothing is wrong. Two of our friends have gone and are very pleased,took about 10 minutes, dogs came out happy and wagging with wet faces. I have been a bad mom and brush less now, knowing they will get cleaned every year now.

[tanza]

@dmcarty:

Folks I keep talking about Dentatreat from Wysong - cheese based powder that you sprinkle on food - gotta tell you 4-6 weeks of using it and ALL teeth will be squeaky clean. The dogs like the taste it's easy to use (just keep it in the fridge when you open it)

You may need to order it online - it also works for cats.

I haven't taken a dog for a dental in years and years.

I have tried that …. but it didn't do anything for my kids.. sorry to say

[tanza]

@MacPack:

Wow, that sounds wonderful. I'll have to check it out.

Like Pat, one of 3 brothers that we had lost teeth regularly. I brushed his teeth twice a day, got the other boy's teeth a couple of times a week only. And that was brothers! Definitely can vary a bunch, even among siblings. Other dogs have never lost a tooth, even in old age.

My current vet does awake ultrasound teeth cleaning along with yearly physical, for $25. If you are not a regular client, he charges $40 just for the cleaning, assuming nothing is wrong. Two of our friends have gone and are very pleased,took about 10 minutes, dogs came out happy and wagging with wet faces. I have been a bad mom and brush less now, knowing they will get cleaned every year now.

I like the sound of that, ultrasound teeth cleaning… wish we had that out here... first that I have heard of it....

[jmnyc]

The ultra sound cleaning would be great, but here in NYC that is nowhere to be found…so the bill for each dog lands on $750+...and with 3 chewing boys (2 brothers and one rescue) it picks up pretty fast...so I am relieved that My oldest is the oly one with the periodontal...so far...

[nobarkus]

My second and third never lost any teeth luckily. I tried to brush them daily. Had the vet clean them 2 times in their life. My first lost some teeth but I never brushed that one back in the seventies and eighties.

[wizard]

My breeder suggested raw soup bones and turkey/chicken necks - she and I've never had a problem with the dogs' teeth. But the Dentatreat is a good alternative too when necks aren't available.

[khanis]

I can't imagine anything that is powder-based doing any good.
Powder will just caused a build-up if not dissolved or digested immediately.

I have very rarely taken dogs in for a tooth to come out.. but I also scale [brought one home from work] their teeth regularly. They don't always like it, but C'est la vie!
They do NOT have bad breath [the biggest tell-tale sign of periodontal disease].

There are many 'doggy' toohpastes you can use… most of them are pretty good, but you have to be religious about this... otheriwise the plaque becomes tartar then turns into calculus and it is a nasty mess.

Take them for dentals then keep them up yourself if you can.

[nobarkus]

All I use is a tooth brush and water. Have a glass of water by your feet and brush a little then swish in the water then brush some more. They'll lick the tooth brush with water on it. The dog toothpaste gave them an upset stomach.

[Janneke]

I've been to a dental specialist not too long ago (Tillo damaged one of his teeth..) and he told me to only brush the outside of the teeth once every two days (min) and not to use a tooth brush but some bandage. It's easy to wrap around a finger, so you can feel where you are and you won't hurt the dog accidently. It's working pretty well for Tillo and me

[nobarkus]

Just use a soft tooth brush and brush gently. Their teeth and gums are like ours.

[EskiLovr]

@Janneke:

I've been to a dental specialist not too long ago (Tillo damaged one of his teeth..) and he told me to only brush the outside of the teeth once every two days (min) and not to use a tooth brush but some bandage. It's easy to wrap around a finger, so you can feel where you are and you won't hurt the dog accidently. It's working pretty well for Tillo and me

I have used and recommended the 'gauze around the finger' method many times. This is what the veterinarian I worked for liked the best. It seems like the least invasive and scary way to me. Pet toothpaste is optional, imo.

[barklessk9]

My boy, Zak, had a couple teeth pulled when he was maybe 5 or 6 years old. At that time, the vet said he had little holes in his teeth which was something she said she typically would see in cats. Two years later he had a few more pulled, and last November just after his 13th birthday he had 8 more pulled. I have always been a consistent teeth brusher, and he had periodic cleanings. The vet said his teeth looked great, but under the gums was another story. On the x-rays you could see how the roots were disinegrating. So the poor guy has lost like 14 teeth. He pretty much just has his front teeth now.

[khanis]

Dogs aren't fine bone china….
you can use a soft toothbrush like you'd use for a small child.
Even if you use the doggy toothpaste, you use just a tiny dab on the brush so it gives it flavor.. that shouldn't be enough to give them an upset belly.

As I used to tell my patients.... there are 5 sides to your teeth, the inside, outside, top, front and back. If you are brushing the in and outside and top, you are brushing only 3/5 of each tooth...
make sure you just brush the ones you want to keep!
Brush both inside and outside and if you have the gumption, you CAN use those little flossers that you buy pre-made... sounds wacky..
but my dogs have fabulous teeth and rarely an issue or bad breath..
unless they break a tooth on a bone!