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smelly breath! How often do you clean teeth -honestly!!

K

Katie

Well-known member
Our 5 month old puppy has just developed stinky breath. I wondered if it is associated with teething. Although I she is quite good about having my hands in her mouth, I am finding it hard going getting her used to the toothbrush, and I have to admit I have been lax in getting round to it til now. Any tips?
 
At 5 months of age there is major teething going on. That could contribute to her bad breath. Check her mouth to make sure nothing is caught in it though, and if it is very bad smelling you might want to take her to the vet.

I wouldn't start brushing her teeth at the moment as her mouth is probably sore and sensitive. She might have a negative experience, which will make it all the more difficult to brush her teeth in the future.

However, you could put a little doggy toothpaste on a soft baby toothbrush and let her mouth it. Doing this will be a positive experience for her, and she will begin to love her toothbrush. :flwr:
 
Thanks Cathy. This is a red herring, and not happened before; but she's just munched her way through a cat poo! Won't help, I think :yuk: :yikes
 
I agree with Cathy's advice and would add that you can try a finger tooth brush. It has soft rubber bristles which I think are too soft but it would work for now while he might be tender from teething. I haven't tried it but a scrap of soft linen wrapped over your finger would work as a gentle cleaner too with some doggie tooth paste. I brush every other day. I think it should be done every day though, I'm being lazy! :flwr:

382660714_7db6138d16_o.jpg
 
Gonna be honest here.....I've never brushed my two :roll: I know I should but I don't. Shelby is due for a teeth cleaning on the 14th. Jake had his done in September. At his anuual check up last month my vet said he did have some tartar but not anything to worry about. She, of course, suggested I brush their teeth. And I'm thinking I will! I swear...I will!!

Both of mine are crazy kissers. I wake up in the morning getting every inch of my face licked clean. Can't stand stinky breath if they're gonna kiss me like that...and both of mine have pleasant breath.

Ummmm...yeah, the cat poop probably doesn't help ;) Neither does Shelby eating her own poop....gross!! :yikes
 
yep nothing quite like pooey breath or pooey burps for that matter lady won't let me near her mouth at the moment i don't want to freak her out so i just give nyabones which clean there teeth is that correct. I gave her a predigere dentastick and it stank the front room out i wont be buying anymore of those. I am going to start using greenies when she's 6 months.
 
I think it's important to start brushing when they are young so they get used to it. It's all tongues and licks but worth it to avoid other health problems.

I found this at http://www.petalia.com.au/Templates/StoryTemplate_Process.cfm?specie=Dogs&story_no=1903

5. Dental Disease can cause irreversible damage.
As plaque and its grubby bacterial gang continue to proliferate on the teeth, calcium salts are deposited and these develop into concrete-like deposits called tartar. If untreated, infection sets in and a condition called gingivitis occurs. Gingivitis is usually reversible. However, when this is untreated it leads to periodontal disease which is irreversible. Periodontal disease causes infection and erosion of the bone around the tooth, eventually causing tooth loss.


6. Dental Disease affects organs other than teeth.
With advanced dental disease, the continuous entry of dangerous bacteria into the circulation causes serious and sometimes fatal disease in the heart, liver, kidneys and lungs. These bacteria float from the infected gums like rafts and eventually adhere onto heart valves and into the minute capillaries in other organs where, like seeds, they grow and cause deadly infections.
:yikes
 
The other day I bought 3 baby toothbrushes at the drugstore. These toothbrushes are for ages 1-5 and are Kid's Crest Sesame Street brand.

I've been using dog toothbrushes that I bought at PetSmart, and it seems to me that the large brush is too large and the small brush is too small. I've been thinking I could do a more thorough cleaning if I had a better brush.

The new baby toothbrushes are PERFECT!! Sooo much easier to use and the dogs seem to like them better too. I highly recommend the baby toothbrushes! (y) (y) :paw: :paw: :paw:
 
Thanks for the tip Cathy. While I'm out and about today I'm going to pick up a couple and try them. I know it's important and honestly, with all of the things I do for my dogs....this is so important.

Two of the boys who came into rescue needed dental work...to the tune of $1500 each!! :yikes A little daily effort can sure save you a lot of money.
 
Yes, baby toothbrushes are much better than dog toothbrushes! I've been using a baby toothbrush by Oral B on Coco almost since she came from the breeders. The doggie toothbrushes were huge! The baby brushes are also cuter too!

I brush her teeth every day to every other day. It got pretty difficult when she was teething though. At that time, it was easier to use a piece of gauze and some toothpaste. :flwr: :flwr:
 
Cathy Moon said:
The other day I bought 3 baby toothbrushes at the drugstore. These toothbrushes are for ages 1-5 and are Kid's Crest Sesame Street brand.

I've been using dog toothbrushes that I bought at PetSmart, and it seems to me that the large brush is too large and the small brush is too small. I've been thinking I could do a more thorough cleaning if I had a better brush.

The new baby toothbrushes are PERFECT!! Sooo much easier to use and the dogs seem to like them better too. I highly recommend the baby toothbrushes! (y) (y) :paw: :paw: :paw:
Click to expand...

Lol... who's preference is who's... any arguing over Oscar the Grouch?? too cute!
 
Hehehe, I didn't really notice the sesame street muppet characters on them - so here goes - India has big bird, Geordie has elmo, and Chocolate has what appears to be bert and ernie and a girlfriend muppet, but they may be new characters that I don't know about. :lol:
 
I try to brush a few times a week and give regular Greenies too. They actually all decided after about two weeks that brushing is OK because they like the paste. (poultry flavour anyone? :yuk: ). I was doing it very sporadically then my mom got her bill for a dental on Lucy -- :yikes: That reinspired me.

Lily actually gets excited when she sees the brush in my hand and spins, and tries to get me to do her again, when I am doing the boys. :roll:
 
My cavs love to get their teeth brushed too - just gotta love that poultry flavored toothpaste! They line up for their brushings, with Geordie trying to get seconds and thirds! :lol:
 
I'm really a good one at "do what I say and not what I do" on this one. After all the dog's teeth that I have cleaned you would think that I would be very conscientious about doing my girls - but I'm not. They also tend to avoid me at times because I'm the one who is always checking ears, trying to scrape off tartar with a thumbnail, looking for bumps, etc.

And speaking of eating the cat poop. They'll all do that if they get the chance, because of the high protein content of cat food. It makes the poop taste better (?). There are additives that can be put into their food if they are eating their own poop. And we tried putting something in the cat's food, but he refused to eat the food then.

I have a bad habit of getting really irritated if I see one of the girls with a big wad of poop in her mouth outside and I drag them to the pool and wash their mouths out. They don't like this at all. But it also makes them steer clear of the pool, which is good.

I've used the finger brushes and two or three different kinds of dog toothbrushes. (I have done them a few times) With my girls the finger brush seemed to be easier.

I think everybody knows this, but just a reminder: please don't ever use human tooth paste for your dogs. They swallow the tooth paste and the human kind can make them ill. (You can go ahead and use the poultry flavored for yourself if you want to! ;) )
 
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