Taking care of teeth question

[BMcKenzie]

My yorkie has terrible breath. I have only had him a few weeks and he and his breath was horrible when I got him. What do I use to brush his teeth with and how do I do it?

Thanks in advance!
Beth

[Maximo]

I strongly recommend taking him to the vet and having a dental cleaning done under anesthesia. He may have to have teeth extracted. Rotten teeth and gum disease (which is likely causing the bad breath) can cause serious illness. Just like in humans, the bacteria gets into the bloodstream and can affect the heart, kidneys, and much more.

Once that is taken care of, you can brush his teeth with a canine toothpaste for maintenance.

[yorkieusa]

Originally Posted by Maximo

I strongly recommend taking him to the vet and having a dental cleaning done under anesthesia. He may have to have teeth extracted. Rotten teeth and gum disease (which is likely causing the bad breath) can cause serious illness. Just like in humans, the bacteria gets into the bloodstream and can affect the heart, kidneys, and much more.

Once that is taken care of, you can brush his teeth with a canine toothpaste for maintenance.

He was just born Sept. 30th.

[Maximo]

Originally Posted by yorkieusa

He was just born Sept. 30th.

Oops! I should have remembered that.

My apologies to Beth. Did I scare you or make you laugh?

Your Max has baby teeth that will come out eventually.

What does your baby eat?

[107barney]

We use the Petosan electric toothbrush for pets for Teddy and a regular child's soft toothbrush for Barney and Daisy. I like the Vanilla Mint toothpaste from Virbac C.E.T. and I also like the Cain and Able vanilla toothpaste. I just hate the peanut butter, poultry, beef and other flavors. We used to have one that was minty but now that vanilla mint is around, I have them crinkling their noses and backing away from regular mint. CET vanilla mint can be found by search on amazon (you can also use the www.yorkiehavenrescue.com link to amazon if you would like to help the YHR fosters if you shop on amazon!)

[Furbaby Friend]

You have to use doggie toothpaste, NOT HUMAN, which you can find at the petstore. Introduce the dental care to the pup gradually (e.g. let the pup taste some from your finger, get them used to you touching their mouth/teeth by running your finger along side their mouth, etc.). Make sure you give treats and praise when they let you do these things.

We bought a baby toothbrush for Rylie because all the petstore ones were WAY too big for her tiny mouth, just be careful because some human toothbrushes are too hard for puppy teeth.

Rylie now LOVES getting her teeth brushed. She literally jumps up on the couch when she sees me getting everything ready with her little tail wagging. Just make sure to make it a positive experience from the beginning and you won't need to fight them to get it done! Good luck!

[LuvTaycieGirl]

I noticed right before I had Taycie spayed she was starting to get stinky breath... it wasn't horrible but it wasn't pleasent either. I had her retaining puppy teeth pulled when she was spayed and I immediently noticed the difference.

I also use Oxyfresh Pet Gel and Oral Hygiene Solution. I absolutley love it! It works wonderful and Taycie has sweet puppy breath To save on the cost of the Hygiene solution you can also spray a small amount in to his mouth rather then adding it to the water. I do it right after I brush her teeth. So far so go good!

Pet Grooming, Healthy Pet Supply and Pet Care Products | Oxyfresh.com

[BMcKenzie]

Originally Posted by Maximo

Oops! I should have remembered that.

My apologies to Beth. Did I scare you or make you laugh?

Your Max has baby teeth that will come out eventually.

What does your baby eat?

LOL, you scared me at first. Then I laughed as I read down a ways.
When I got him they were feeding him science diet so I bought a bag of that.

[BMcKenzie]

Thank you all for the awesome advice. I will probably get a baby tooth brush and some doggie tooth paste. I agree with not liking the meat flavored ones. To me those just stink.

[Britster]

That stinky puppy breath! Jackson had horrid breath when he had double rows of teeth (baby and adult teeth). He got them removed during his neuter and the problem was solved! We now upkeep with brushing and Petzlife, though I don't do it nearly as much as I should (once a week is what I do now). But at a little over 2yrs old, his teeth are pretty darn good. A tiny bit of tarter build up on his canine teeth that could easily be scraped off if I used Petzlife every day for, I think, 10 days or something? But congrats on your new pup!!!

[LDMomma]

I would go ahead and start brushing his teeth daily. He may as well get used to it now!

Also, you can provide LOTS of chew toys.

We also use a water additive (we use Tropiclean but there are others available).

[beachdog]

Paris is getting stains on his teeth from not being able to have milkbones anymore (bladder stones). He also has CT so no dental cleanings are allowed. What can I use to dissolve the gunk on his teeth if it doesn't come off with just brushing?

[Teresamag]

I'm not such a great toothbrusher (bad mom) but I have had great luck using the Oxyfresh Pet Oral Hygine Solution that you add to your pet's drinking water. It work to keep the tarter off their teeth but works best after you have a dental cleaning done. My 15 year old Yorkie has only ever had to have one dental cleaning. She is missing a few teeth but the rest aren't too bad. I'm out of the solution right now and need to find a new place to order from but I'll be getting some more.
The other thing I like to give my dogs is the Virbac C.E.T. chews. They are completely digestable and have enzymes that help kill mouth bacteria and the chew scrapes any tarter off. (the 15 year old won't chew them but the others will). The package says you can give them daily but I just give them every other day. My dogs love them so much that they line up and wait for them when they hear the bag crinkle. I order the petite size (30 chews in a package) from entirelypet.com I've had really good luck with these chews

Teresa

[Vinniedoggy]

Unfortunately, Yorkies are predisposed to having bad teeth. But a diligent owner can really help prevent all the problems that decaying teeth can bring, such as bad breath and more serious health problems (including heart failure and dangerous infections).

Here's what you need to do - first, start with a good, professional cleaning by a vet. This will require anesthesia, but it's really necessary to do this. A professional cleaning will allow the vet to assess the damage to your dogs' mouth, scrape off all the plaque, and remove any teeth that cannot be saved.

Once your vet has done this and your dogs' mouth has healed, you need to immediately start on a home cleaning regimen. I brush my dogs' teeth every night. It takes me about 30 seconds per dog and costs about $10/month for toothbrushes and toothpaste for both of them. When you start your regimen, be sure to do it at the same time, preferably in the evening when your dog is tired. Start slow - the first time you do this, you may just get your dog to lick the toothpaste. Be sure to use lots of positive reinforcement and encouragement for each small step forward. Slowly progress to getting the toothbrush into your dog's mouth. Soon, you'll be able to brush your dog's teeth for a good 30 seconds (that's about all my dogs tolerate).

I can say that by following this regimen (along with a grain-free, raw diet), my dogs have had no teeth issues. I've had Vinnie for 7 years and he's only had his teeth cleaned twice (and the vet wasn't even sure he needed the last cleaning, but we did it anyway just to be able to check for any issues and because he had to be put under anesthesia for something else).

[beachdog]

Paris can't be anestitized because of the trachea problem. I will look for the chews and water additive. Thanks