So from my reading through out the forum, keeping dogs teeth clean are by providing bones. Dentastix/greenies don't really work.. and vet bills for cleanings are outrageous. Ive also read that if you want to brush your dogs teeth you have to do it every day for it to actually work. Joey is still just a pup but i want him to have good teeth and I don't have time every day to brush his teeth. Joey has a super sensitive tummy so I can't give him raw bones or the cooked ones. So any other suggestions?

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Have you looked into LEBA spray or Petzlife products?

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Mary and the Goldens from Maine

"Trace" - Can. CH Bramley's Light Up The Night, CD, RA - (CGC, CCA, TDI-Therapy Dog and Novice DockDock)
"Rumor" - Jackson's Leap of Faith

Waiting at the Bridge
"Lexi" - Wise Teacher and Best-est Puppy Raiser
"Liberty" - Bramley's Golden Moments Libby CD, RE - ASCA-CD, Can. CD - (CGC and TDI-Therapy Dog)

You can also do the Virbac CET dental system of spray, CET chews, and brushing every few days in between. We are firm believers in sedated dental cleanings because they scale the teeth of the calcium/plaque/tartar that lead to gingivitis and dental disease. We asked our vet to apply the Ora Vet sealant on Toby's teeth after this type of cleaning and we do a weekly application of the Ora Vet treatments at home, which involves putting a waxy substance along his gum lines. Then we give him a CET chew with the remaining waxy stuff on it so he gets the chlorahexadine in his teeth and gums. We try to brush 6 days a week, but don't sweat it if we forget (though Toby now reminds us because he likes the toothpaste so much). They also have a spray you can use, but avoid the Drinking Water additive they market because it contains the toxic xylitol, unless you can carefully measure the liquid and commit to disposing of the water each day, not easy if you use a big water reservoir or fountain. Our veterinarian tells us that when people do the Ora Vet sealant, keep up with the treatments each week, and regularly brush their dog's teeth, they can space out the need for sedated dental cleanings. When they do sedate to scale and clean the plaque easily peels away. While I hate to sedate Toby, I always remember that dental disease causes all sorts of serious health consequences, including kidney failure and heart disease which can be fatal and I weigh the cost and trouble against possible death or life-threatening chronic disease.

As far as giving your dog bones, I take the FDA's warnings about this seriously. Here's the link to the FDA's website with their take on bones: No Bones About It: Bones are Unsafe for Your Dog

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Meet Yogi! http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com/...tion-yogi.html

There is a member here that posted a video of scaling her dogs teeth.

http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com/...ental-job.html (Bella's home performed dental job)

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I know some people don't like elk antlers but Gunner and Sasha love them. In fact Gunner had tartar when we first got the antlers and it all was scraped away by his chewing antlers. But he seems to not be chewing as much lately and the tartar is coming back. Our vet has scaled Gunner and Selka's teeth without sedation, they were both great about it. I hold them and they just sit there while he cleans the tartar off.

I had some stuff to clean there teeth but forget and now it has probably expired. I'd like to think I'd brush their teeth every day but from past starts I doubt I will keep it up.

Sasha has to have two teeth removed soon so will have the vet check his and clean them at the time he is sedated.

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Sasha, Gunner,
& Angel Selka in Heaven

Love You Always
Max, Sophie and Shammy

My concern about this is having little pieces of the tartar and plaque break off and get into the bloodstream through nicks and cracks and causing an infection. I guess that's why I'm willing to pay the big bucks because they have the right equipment and take the proper precautions. I guess you can tell I don't take much risk, but actually I had a discussion with our holistic acupuncture vet about this for Barkley because I was afraid of sedation for him. She pretty much convinced me it was risky to try alternative cleaning methods. There was a lady here in town doing a dental franchise that offers sedation free cleaning--she suggested I go look at the credentials of the lady who owned the local one--she was a dog trainer, with no nursing or dental training at all! In addition I did a little research on how she restrains the dogs and it was scary, especially for a fragile dog like Barkley.

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Meet Yogi! http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com/...tion-yogi.html

That "some people" would be me, because our veterinarian is concerned about wasting disease in elk and deer antler (I know some people don't agree because this is a theoretical possibility and that's fine) being transferred to the dog and also the fact they see dogs with broken teeth from chewing too aggressively on the antlers. All my dogs are or were aggressive chewers so I didn't take the risk.

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Meet Yogi! http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com/...tion-yogi.html

I really like the antlers for the big dogs-teeth have been great on the Goldens since adding antlers to the mix. Two of mine are VERY aggressive chewers but the antlers work well for them, although they don't last nearly as long as they could because of it.

Not so much for the toy dogs, so the Pug gets the Petzlife spray, which works beautifully on her. I am still searching for something for the Crested, as she refuses to let me spray her teeth. I am thinking getting the drinking water additive, which is easy for me since I use bottled water for the dogs.

I have heard to be very careful with scaling (even at the vet's office), because it is possible to damage the enamel if not properly trained.

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Linda
Tahnee Golden Retrievers

Virbacs drinking water additive contains xylitol, which is toxic. They recently changed the instructions to clarify that the unused water must be thrown out at the end of the day, otherwise the dosing gets off and the dogs could get greater concentrations of xylitol.

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Meet Yogi! http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com/...tion-yogi.html

Linda, do you think she would eat the Petzlife salmon flavored gel? All my girls don't mind getting spritzed, but Cody is petrified. He will lap up the gel from a teaspoon.. and he has the whitest, cleanest teeth of the bunch.

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Betty and the Dallas crew


“Until one has loved an animal a part of one's soul remains unawakened.” A. France