Archived Message

ORIGINAL MESSAGE:
by Sharon

Hope everyone out there in Maltese land is taking good care of your sweetie's teeth. Be sure to brush because you know what they say about an ounce of prevention......

DISCUSSION:

Hi Sharon, I've tried brushing Harlee Dee & Travis's teeth, it just doesn't work sometimes. I do have a problem with Harlee's breath, it's GOD aweful! I have their teeth polished & cleaned by the Vet, and Harlee is fine for about a week,then back to the dreaded"morning breath"!!! Travis doesn't have this problem. The Vet said it's nothing to worry about. If I think about it, I work with a woman who has breath just as bad, so I guess it varies in dogs as it does in humans!!!!
-Karen Kalamaras

Gosh, it would take four people to brush my dog's teeth! She won't hear of such a thing. If someone would tell me a way to get the dog to tolerate this, I would appreciate it! I have her teeth cleaned at the vet's once in a while, but this requires a general anesthetic, which worries me. She is such a wiggle-butt, I have never had success with toothbrushing. Thanks! Blossom
-Blossom

I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one with the "no brush" problem. Lucy too is a wiggler. I have been trying to get her teeth brushed since she was a teeny thing. My success rate is about 2 seconds, maybe 3 times (now she sees it coming!). I used a doggie toothbrush, one of those things you slip over your finger, etc. NO WAY!! My latest endeavor was peanutbutter flavored toothpaste and a new brush shaped kind of like the inside of her mouth. Not only didn't we get to first base with the brush, but after the first taste of the toothpaste, she was outta there. So... I do try to give her lots and lots of chew that are treated to get rid of (or at least slow down) tartar, and she loves those. But, the day will come when it's the vet's job to clean them and I, too, hate the thought of anesthetic.
-cathy brown

I brush my dogs teeth, with the doggie tooth paste, and they don't mind it at all. We adopted a dobi and sent it to attack school, when we lived in Houston. This dog was to protect my younger daughter when she rode her bike, etc. This vicous 95 pound dog would rear up on the bathroom sink and allow my daughter, then in the 3rd grade to brush her teeth with crest. She made faces, but went through the ordeal every morning and night. The vet constantly said what beautiful teeth she had as she showed them to him every time we took her in. My daughter would proudly tell him, "crest kills teeth bugs". She passed on at the age of 17, and still had beautiful teeth.
-Marsha A.

I've brushed my dog's teeth for 14 years but unfortuneately, not frequent enough. Now, it's too late. Due to health problems, he can't be anesthetized to clean them. I will do it every day without fail in my future dogs and I applaud Marsha for her faithfulness. Here is how I do it with Max though. I put a cushy towel on my counter, make sure the room is quiet, get my brush and doggie toothpaste, and water ready. I lay Max on one side, talking softly and encouragingly, I brush one side of the mouth. Then, I turn him and do the other side. Get busy, you'll NEVER be sorry. I do think that dogs, like people, have a proclivity for good or bad teeth. I had 2 dogs, brushed them both the same, and one had good teeth and the other,not so good.
-Sharon

Hi, I have two precious little ones. I brush their teeth every other day with doggie tooth paste and use a little rubber thing that fits over my finger and it is no problem. I do not think it is their favorite thing but I have found in the past, if I do not do this faithfully the tartar builds up big time and I hate to see them having it done at the vets where they are put to sleep. They really don't mind it all that much.
-Pat

When my Amanda had teeth, before she lost them all, I used to brush her teeth with a little disposable "brush" that was cylindrical shaped and a very soft foam rubber, not more than about 1/3 inch in diameter. The handle was similar to that of a lollypop stick. I got them from my vet and were much more accepted by Amanda than any type of childs brush I would find. Now, that was about 7 years ago, but I would think they are still on the market. My little yorkie mix accepts a child's tooth brush.
-Rebecca J.

Hey guys, thanks for the tips! I never heard of a dog toothbrush that fits over the finger, but I am making it my business to find one. My old Maltese, now deceased at 14, had terrible teeth, and I don't want my baby to have this problem. Wish me lots of luck! Blossom
-Blossom