? R?ch?l ? asked:
I can’t take him to get his teeth professionally cleaned because he’s so old that the stuff they use to temporarily put him to sleep would kill him at his age. I can’t brush his teeth, either. What can I do to improve his breath?
I can’t brush his teeth because he won’t let me. Every time I manage to get the brush in his mouth, he licks the toothpaste off…
buy him a greenie to gnaw on.
Put ground up parsley in his food…
Hello!
A drop of natural peppermint oil in his water is great, or you can give him peppermint spray/mints from a local petshop, or dental chews and rusks to maintain healthy teeth and fresh breath.
Go to the pet store and there lots a different things for that!
His breath smells from the buildup on his teeth, and if he’s old and can’t have a professional cleaning, there isn’t much else you can do. Greenies don’t work, and I don’t recommend putting peppermint oil in his water, without first speaking with your vet. Get him a nylabone, or bone of similar quality (not rawhide) to chew on, which will help to scrape some of the buildup off of his teeth.
Sounds like hes probably got some bad teeth. Unless they go, the smell will persist. I understand about the anesthesia thing, It’s a tough spot to be in.
You can give greenies, parsley etc, and it may help in the short term, but not long term.
Buy a chew toy bone that is specially made for helping dogs breath to smell better. Also brush his teeth with a clean tooth brush and make sure he drinks plenty of water and watch what types of foods he is eating:)
There are treats called greenies, they look like big tooth brushes. There is also a liquid you put in the dogs water. It is called Dental Fresh, it is on the Dr. Foster and Smith website for $8.99. For the food, there are drops called Pet Kiss breath freshener. Also from Dr. Foster and Smith.
Dr. Maxwell J. Titelman
I dont recomend the greenies brand since many dogs ahve choked and died gnawing on them. I do recommend parsley and other bones. Switching from canned food to dry food also breakes up any stinky plaque.
“Greenies” are a treat that contains chlorophyll (very good for freshening breath) and soft enough for an older dog to eat. You didn’t mention what size he is, but you might want to buy a smaller size than is recommended for his size so you can give it more often. They’re available almost everywhere (Petco, 1800PetMeds.com, and most pet stores), are inexpensive, and dogs love them! Although almost anything can be a choking hazard, most dogs don’t have a problem with them. Be sure to supervise him until you know he can eat them without a problem.
You didn’t say why you can’t brush his teeth. If his teeth are too loose to use a toothbrush or he just won’t let you, you can sometimes “brush” using just your finger and some doggie toothpaste. Never use human toothpaste, it has foaming agents and floride that can be harmful to dogs.
Green tripe is also very good for dogs’ teeth. It’s a bit pricy, but the digestive juices of the cows’ stomach lining are a natural teeth cleaner. It’s available at Amazon.com (Tripett brand), and while it smells bad in the can, dogs love it and it’s very good for them, easily digestible, etc.
Despite all the above, nothing (other than professional cleaning) is going to rid him of the bad breath altogether, but it should make it a little better.
Good luck, I hope this helps!
Greenies are great some people dont think so but if you are monitoring him and you think he is having a choking emergancy you can help him. but greenies will only take big effect after 2 or 3 uses so i give my dog these treats oh i dont know what the are called i’m sure they have a generic brand too but mine are from pedigree they fight bad breath for a dog like a mint for a human and just give it to him its like a treat basicaly and helps bad breath odors and it will last pretty much the whole day for my dog.
My dog hates to have his teeth brushed too. Have the vet check to make sure he doesn’t have gum disease or anything (leaving that untreated is really dangerous for him). If it is just typical bad breath, look into dental treats. I am a big fan of Bright Bites- they are specifically designed to clean a dog’s teeth and gums while he chews on it.