canine tooth cleaning - $$$ - honestly? Really?

[Denisemomof4]

I mean up to $600 per dog? Why does everyone have to be such a BIG RIP OFF??!!!

 

I just found out by talking to several other horse owners that I've been ripped off THOUSANDS of dollars over the year. I didn't even have the vet out this year. I hear I can do my own rabies if I go to a tractor supply store. I order all my other shots online and do them myself.

 

I wish there were some good, honest vets out there.

 

Does anyone have a NATURAL rememdy for tartar removal?

[Perry]

I mean up to $600 per dog? Why does everyone have to be such a BIG RIP OFF??!!!

 

I just found out by talking to several other horse owners that I've been ripped off THOUSANDS of dollars over the year. I didn't even have the vet out this year. I hear I can do my own rabies if I go to a tractor supply store. I order all my other shots online and do them myself.

 

I wish there were some good, honest vets out there.

 

Does anyone have a NATURAL rememdy for tartar removal?

 

I paid $180 last year, and most of that was for the anesthesia. I thought it was reasonable.

 

Have you asked around? I know rates vary tremendously around here.

[hornblower]

Most of the hight costs are because they need general anaesthesia. Also, depending on the condition and age of the animal, some vets will insist on pre-op bloodwork to make sure the animal can handle going under.

And then, most around here will give a round of antibiotics for post op - when you clean a lot of goop out, it can release bacteria into the bloodstream & cause a huge infection.

 

All that said - yes, there is a remedy. It's called feeding raw. :D

 

Even my fosters who don't get raw do get raw bones regularly for their teeth. I stay away from marrow bones & instead prefer knuckles. Bison is good but not available everywhere. Ribs. Lamb neck. Lamb shanks. What you'll offer depends on the size of the dog....

 

My female is over 6 and has perfect sparkling teeth. She saw a different vet about a year ago & during the exam the vet started the speel of "well, she's at an age where we'll want to think about a regular dental ..." and as she was doing it she actually opened the dog's mouth to look in. And then she kind of trailed off...... :D They are spotless.

 

My new guy arrived at the end of April with a moderate amount of tartar both above & below the gumline. My regular 'raw friendly' vet said it will take some time - maybe 6 mos or more for his teeth to fully clean up, but that it will happen. They're already a LOT better than when he arrived. It's just a bit left on the inner surfaces of the back teeth.

 

I know a couple people who also use this product

http://www.petzlife.com/

 

There's also a small dog rescue here (which I guess gets a lot of dogs with rotten teeth) and they like Leba 3 http://lebalab.com/

 

Hope you find a solution which fits your pocketbook :001_smile:

[SonshineLearner]

I think a perfect way to clean your dogs teeth is to get some chicken wings.... (ok hornblower...correct me if you don't feed these). I have to say that my dog's teeth are just perfect. If I start feeding too much stuff without crunchy bones....I just feed a couple of chickens and it's good. No cooked bones, mind you.

So, for about $15 you'll have some cleaner teeth. If you can take your nail to their teeth, you can actually "pop" off some of the tarter.... No people tooth paste. Also, if you won't do chicken, like it was mentioned before...you can do bones. I haven't tried lamb bones...but I have knuckle bones.

My dog had to have me hold the raw before he'd eat it. (I had to do this when I first got him with kibble, too)

This isn't like you have to feed raw all the time. You can just get the chicken once a month or whatever...and it'll take care of your problem and not cost the money you are talking about.

Also.... I don't feel like it's more of a risk than anything else...BUT, even if you do.... the risk of anesthetic is as much of a risk as anything:-)

Carrie

[hornblower]

chicken wings are fine if you have nibbler or a smaller dog. My big girl tends to just swallow them without chewing so I stick to bigger things....

She likes chicken backs, turkey necks & chicken thigh/legs though...... I think she'd be ok with turkey wing or goose wing but I never see those.

 

I think consumable bones are probably best but for folks who are not used to feeding bones or feeding raw, a recreational bone seems an easier step, kwim?

[The Governess]

I have a lady that comes to my house and cleans their teeth without anesthetic. She charges about $100 per dog. It takes her about an hour to clean both dogs' teeth. Maybe there is someone in your area that does this??

[Country Mouse]

My stepdad, a vet, has found that chewing on good quality rawhide bones (find some made in USA without any coating or filler) has done wonders to clean his very old dog's teeth.

[SonshineLearner]

chicken wings are fine if you have nibbler or a smaller dog. My big girl tends to just swallow them without chewing so I stick to bigger things....

She likes chicken backs, turkey necks & chicken thigh/legs though...... I think she'd be ok with turkey wing or goose wing but I never see those.

 

I think consumable bones are probably best but for folks who are not used to feeding bones or feeding raw, a recreational bone seems an easier step, kwim?

 

I do, except that with consumable bones, it's a quick way to see that it's gone. I actually worry about rawhide, because it doesn't seem so good for the dog, and bones that you just sit around... I heard that you have to be careful. It's kinda fun to see them with chicken or turkey bones. You can just see that they were made to chew them..The way they just naturally start with the best side and crunch incrementally to the end of it:-)

 

It's kinda gross but at the same time cool...to see them just crunch right through the bone.

 

:-)

Wish you were closer, you know even more than I do about it... AND, I'd love you to show me any way...negative...neutral or positive to keep him from eating up whatever he sees on my counter or table:-)

[Perry]

AND, I'd love you to show me any way...negative...neutral or positive to keep him from eating up whatever he sees on my counter or table:-)

We cured my old dog of counter surfing by setting up a booby trap, like this.

 

 

1. Set up a "booby trap" for your dog. This method is designed so that your dog learns to associate stealing with an unpleasant consequence (not cruel or painful). This method works best for dogs who steal from one place in particular - such as your coffee table. You can achieve this unpleasant consequence through the following strategies:

2. Place some tasty meat on the kitchen bench. Tie some cord to the meat and at the other end tie some empty tin cans with some pebbles or coins in them. When your dog counter surfs to grab the meat he will get a nasty surprise when the tin cans come crashing down. Ideally you will be there to witness this happen. You should immediately say "ah ah!!" and snatch the meat away before your dog eats it (most dogs drop the meat when the cans come crashing down).

3. You can also buy some foul tasting substances at your local pet store for this purpose. Put some of this liquid on the "bait" and wait for your dog to try to steal it. The idea is that the food from benchtops will become unappealing to your dog and therefore he will discontinue his thieving as there is nothing in it for him.

4. Another method I have used with success with my cheeky whippet "Pocky" involves a water pistol. This method requires you to spy on your dog and then provide an unpleasant consequence to any thieving behavior - the instant it happens. If you spot your dog counter surfing the bench give her a shot of water to the face and a stern "No!". Once again this will stun your dog (not hurt her). The idea is to jump out from around the corner and surprise your dog just as she is in the act of counter surfing - but before she actually eats the food.

 

[lauracolumbus]

Hornblower,

I may be a bit slow on the uptake. If I give my dogs rib bones (cow or pig) once a month, they should should be good on the teeth issue? Last I heard they shouldn't get people food or they'll always be cruising for food. I'm new to the whole puppy thing (it's been 20+ years when I last had one) and am shocked by the costs so far. I can't imagine a $600 teeth cleaning bill.

 

Thanks,

[MomLovesClassics]

What about greenies? or tooth brushing?

[Gretchen in NJ]

I paid $180 last year, and most of that was for the anesthesia. I thought it was reasonable.

 

Have you asked around? I know rates vary tremendously around here.

We paid about the same for our cat's teeth cleaned.

[hornblower]

Hornblower,

I may be a bit slow on the uptake. If I give my dogs rib bones (cow or pig) once a month, they should should be good on the teeth issue? Last I heard they shouldn't get people food or they'll always be cruising for food. I'm new to the whole puppy thing (it's been 20+ years when I last had one) and am shocked by the costs so far. I can't imagine a $600 teeth cleaning bill.

 

Thanks,

 

Hi there -

 

OK, IMO, dogs don't know 'people food' or 'dog food'. My dogs just know things they're given & things they're not given.

 

I never, ever, ever reward begging so my dogs don't beg. My dogs do get rewarded for lying quietly on their mats while I'm eating. My female is great at this but I've had her for 3 years. The new guy has only been here since April but he's learning the house rules. He doesn't approach during meals but he likes to come & schmooze while we're still chatting & before the plates are cleared .... He's learning that it doesn't "pay".

 

This article nicely lays out the steps for teaching a dog to not ambush you when you have food (esp at the table).

http://www.clickertraining.com/node/596

 

When I'm training I always have food on me (& a clicker) and yet my dogs don't bug me. I also train with a wide variety of food lots of great food - pepperoni, cooked liver, garlic chicken, pop corn, dried salmon...... Dogs know that treats come when I decide & Doggy Zen (which is mentioned as the groundwork in the article above) is the basis of our relationship.

 

My dogs are on real "people" food - they're fed raw, human grade meat & bones from the butcher shop. They also get some veggies & berries.

 

If you're going to give your dog a bone, make sure it is RAW. No cooked bones. Supervise. It is a good idea to have a solid foundation of 'trade' behaviour so if you decide you want to take it away, your dog will surrender it. I can walk up to my dogs & take food right out of their mouths & they will give it up with no probs. I sometimes do that if they have broken off a piece which looks like it be a choking hazard. If you have a dog with 'resource guarding' issues, you'll want to deal with those first, before giving them such a high value object.

 

Raw bones are excellent toothbrushes, excercisers, and stress relievers. With a big bone like a knuckle, they'll gnaw at it hard for about an hour, take a break & then gnaw on & off for the rest of the day. They'll sleep lots in between, because they will be tired.

 

Depending on how they are with bones (& how messy the bone is, how clean your floor is, how grossed you are by it all :D) you can leave it for them to work on for a few days, or throw it out, or bag it & put in the fridge overnight & bring out again for another hour the next day.

 

It's normal to see some bleeding gums after they've been gnawing on a bone for hours.

 

Bowel movements will range from diarrhea to constipation so the days after a bone (esp when it's an unusual event in a dog's life) should be arranged with lots of access to outdoors.

 

There IS a risk with bones. They can choke. They can swallow a piece too large & either have a perforation or an obstruction. I'm of the opinion that there are risks to many, many things. (like the risks of infection from rotting teeth, the risks of heart failure during general anaesthesia for a dental, the risks of getting hit by a car when playing offleash.....)

 

All of our dogs have always had regular bones so I'm very comfortable with it.

 

If you have a look here, http://www.rawmeatybones.com/articles.php you can download Dr. Tom Lonsdale's (Australian vet) entire book & also have a look at some articles about dental issues.

[Denisemomof4]

Most of the hight costs are because they need general anaesthesia. Also, depending on the condition and age of the animal, some vets will insist on pre-op bloodwork to make sure the animal can handle going under.

And then, most around here will give a round of antibiotics for post op - when you clean a lot of goop out, it can release bacteria into the bloodstream & cause a huge infection.

 

All that said - yes, there is a remedy. It's called feeding raw. :D

 

Even my fosters who don't get raw do get raw bones regularly for their teeth. I stay away from marrow bones & instead prefer knuckles. Bison is good but not available everywhere. Ribs. Lamb neck. Lamb shanks. What you'll offer depends on the size of the dog....

 

My female is over 6 and has perfect sparkling teeth. She saw a different vet about a year ago & during the exam the vet started the speel of "well, she's at an age where we'll want to think about a regular dental ..." and as she was doing it she actually opened the dog's mouth to look in. And then she kind of trailed off...... :D They are spotless.

 

My new guy arrived at the end of April with a moderate amount of tartar both above & below the gumline. My regular 'raw friendly' vet said it will take some time - maybe 6 mos or more for his teeth to fully clean up, but that it will happen. They're already a LOT better than when he arrived. It's just a bit left on the inner surfaces of the back teeth.

 

I know a couple people who also use this product

http://www.petzlife.com/

 

There's also a small dog rescue here (which I guess gets a lot of dogs with rotten teeth) and they like Leba 3 http://lebalab.com/

 

Hope you find a solution which fits your pocketbook :001_smile:

 

thank you SO much! That's AWESOME new! I just read about the raw bones last week and will try to find knuckles. I can even go to a processing plant and keep some in the freezer.

 

Now my greyhound may have a bigger issue - one of his teeth in back are broken! I have no idea how he did that!n He'll need a vet for that but I REFUSE to pay that kind of money - and at the "reasonable" vet in town no less.

[MomLovesClassics]

These are some concerns that I have. If I were to start giving my dog raw turkey and chicken necks etc. would this attract predators? We live out and I do not want to attract predators to the yard. How often do you give these raw bones? daily? weekly? every few days? Do they sell these bones at the supermarket? Are they labeled soup bones? What about cats? How big of a bone do you give a cat? and how often?

[SonshineLearner]

Is your dog an outside dog or inside. I actually feed them in the tub. It took a few days before he got use to chewing raw food; I used this time to train him to stay in the tub while eating. It won't take longer than 5 minutes for him to eat.... I say "Tub" and he's right in. Then I just take a scrubber and scrub it...and it's clean. No harder than washing his bowl. Also, he drinks from the tub. (He's 65 lbs) If you want to give food outside, I would give just as much as they were to eat. (How much does your dog weigh?) Is this for their only food? I know the measurements for that. Just as "extra" a drumstick every day or other day or whatever... My dog won't totally eat bones, so if you're worried about leaving out...I wouldn't give bones outside.. (Turkey, chicken.... he'll eat the whole thing bones and all:-)

Also, the actual shredding of the meat helps with teeth:-) It's worked great for my pup! I just have to get some more today.

As far as where to get.... Ask the butcher for turkey/chicken necks. I buy chicken and turkey while it's on sale. I fed my pup two turkeys around Christmas... One month's worth... for $10 for the whole month!!

Also, if you feed heart, kidney, and tongue, feed some "bone shavings" from the butcher. Mine charges 5 cents a lb:-) cuz it's throw away. It's just charging for the bag. I put some of this with my dog's food. I don't feed my dog pork, but some do... Also, liver acts as a clean out the dog thing...So a bit each day... or whatever... Sometimes I don't...but my dog is good about going outside and never has accidents inside;-)

It's about 80% meat, 10%bone, 10% organ. Some add veggies (see the safe list) And, if you want the veggies to be beneficial, at all, then cook and smash. Of course, my dog likes raw carrots, too:-)

(No grapes or mushrooms or chocolate...especially dark...cuz of the caffeine.)

 

Oh, I am not as nice for my cat...I give a grain free dry food. She's fat and not in shape like my dog. I gave her some soupy raw beef heart and she went and threw it up... and that was the last try. I hear you can do chicken wings...

 

Also...forgot, your dog may need to be given this a few times before accepting. You can warm up the chicken in warm water.. (NO cooking, though.) If they won't do bones right away, take the chicken off the bone, and cut in 1 inch pieces. Feed out of hand. I did this three times. For my neighbor's dog, I warmed up... cut off bone and fed. Three times or less of offering and they should be scarfing it down. It's hilarious to see my dog jump up and circle around because he's so joyful when I feed him:-)

 

 

Good Luck...

Carrie

Edited September 11, 2009 by NayfiesMama
PS, I always bow to Hornblower, she can correct anything that irks her:-)

[st_claire]

Regular tooth brushing should keep his teeth very clean. You can do it at home, about a minute a day. :)

[unsinkable]

Most of the hight costs are because they need general anaesthesia. Also, depending on the condition and age of the animal, some vets will insist on pre-op bloodwork to make sure the animal can handle going under.

And then, most around here will give a round of antibiotics for post op - when you clean a lot of goop out, it can release bacteria into the bloodstream & cause a huge infection.

 

All that said - yes, there is a remedy. It's called feeding raw. :D

 

Even my fosters who don't get raw do get raw bones regularly for their teeth. I stay away from marrow bones & instead prefer knuckles. Bison is good but not available everywhere. Ribs. Lamb neck. Lamb shanks. What you'll offer depends on the size of the dog....

 

My female is over 6 and has perfect sparkling teeth. She saw a different vet about a year ago & during the exam the vet started the speel of "well, she's at an age where we'll want to think about a regular dental ..." and as she was doing it she actually opened the dog's mouth to look in. And then she kind of trailed off...... :D They are spotless.

 

My new guy arrived at the end of April with a moderate amount of tartar both above & below the gumline. My regular 'raw friendly' vet said it will take some time - maybe 6 mos or more for his teeth to fully clean up, but that it will happen. They're already a LOT better than when he arrived. It's just a bit left on the inner surfaces of the back teeth.

 

I know a couple people who also use this product

http://www.petzlife.com/

 

There's also a small dog rescue here (which I guess gets a lot of dogs with rotten teeth) and they like Leba 3 http://lebalab.com/

 

Hope you find a solution which fits your pocketbook :001_smile:

 

Can you tell me what kind of bones to give a 20 pound beagle/Jack Russell mix? And when you say raw, you mean don't boil the bone first?

 

TIA!

[Garga]

Sigh. Pets are EXPENSIVE. I have 2 cats left and they're getting old. The next time they get a sickness that will cost me hundreds, I'm going to have to put them down. I just can't afford it. We just spent hundreds treating our sweet cat for diabetes and in the end he died. It was horrible--the money, the injections, then dying anyway.

 

I don't think I'll ever get pets again. They just cost too much, esp as they age. And it's so hard to have to put them down because of the money.

[SonshineLearner]

Can you tell me what kind of bones to give a 20 pound beagle/Jack Russell mix? And when you say raw, you mean don't boil the bone first?

 

TIA!

 

 

Absolutely don't EVER give the bone cooked... any kind of bone... you want to give raw.

:D

 

Don't want any of them choking:-) or splintering :001_smile:

 

BTW, I'd cut the chicken into pieces. I would make a point to try not to cut into any of the bones because it's best to give the dogs bones that are "whole".

 

Chicken wings work well, or drumsticks... (But, like anything, watch to see how your pup handles it.) My 65 lb dog is not a gulper. It's amazing to see him eat. He starts at the little end and chomps up to the "fat" end... about a half and inch to an inch at a time. It's amazing:-) I like chicken best, for bones, because it cleans their teeth and is consumable:-) I've seen my dog eat amazing things;-)

 

Carrie

Edited September 11, 2009 by NayfiesMama

[MomLovesClassics]

My dog lives only outdoors he is a border collie and weighs about 42 pounds. This would not be his only food. I do not want to give him too much, just enough to keep his teeth clean, and satisfy him without leftovers. Otherwise it could attract wild animals, I would not want wild animals thinking they can get their meals from my yard. Do you think a small bone every other day? As for the kitties, I do not believe the 14 year old would go for it, the 4 yr. old might, and I was hoping the 4 month old would enjoy it. Now I am giving them dry and wet food. Would I give each cat a small 1 inch piece or a whole bone daily or a few times a week? The four year old weighs 6 pounds, and the 4 month old weighs 3 pounds. Also, would raw chicken bones make the dog want to tear down the fece and eat the chickens?

[Audrey]

Absolutely don't EVER give the bone cooked... any kind of bone... you want to give raw.

:D

 

Don't want any of them choking:-) or splintering :001_smile:

 

BTW, I'd cut the chicken into pieces. I would make a point to try not to cut into any of the bones because it's best to give the dogs bones that are "whole".

 

Chicken wings work well, or drumsticks... (But, like anything, watch to see how your pup handles it.) My 65 lb dog is not a gulper. It's amazing to see him eat. He starts at the little end and chomps up to the "fat" end... about a half and inch to an inch at a time. It's amazing:-) I like chicken best, for bones, because it cleans their teeth and is consumable:-) I've seen my dog eat amazing things;-)

 

Carrie

 

 

I was always told not to give chicken bones because they splinter too easily and are so small they can get stuck in the throat. :confused:

[SonshineLearner]

I was always told not to give chicken bones because they splinter too easily and are so small they can get stuck in the throat. :confused:

 

You are right about COOKED bones:-) You should see my dog eat the chicken. And, if dogs ate chickens and died, farmers wouldn't have problems with wolfs...other animals or those dogs. :D

 

As far as giving chickens to dogs that are already cut up without feathers...I've heard that it's not a problem. Do a google search to answer the questions, so you'll feel more comfortable. I wouldn't want to be responsible for that decision. I think I'd feel fine.

 

As far as feeding cats, if I was going to do it, I'd offer wings. Uncut bones, for both dogs and cats, and best. For example, when I do chicken, I kinda "break" the pieces apart...which usually means I'm just cutting flesh and tendons or whatever:-) I try not to use the knife on the bone. I don't freak about it...I just try.

 

It's funny, the first few times...especially the first time... I felt like I was trying to kill my dog. BUT, then I saw how he handles it and realized that even with domestication, dogs are animals meant to tear/rip their "prey" apart. When you go and see wolfs or big cats eat at the zoos or wildlife parks... it's all too obvious.

 

Carrie:-)

[unsinkable]

chicken wings are fine if you have nibbler or a smaller dog. My big girl tends to just swallow them without chewing so I stick to bigger things....

She likes chicken backs, turkey necks & chicken thigh/legs though...... I think she'd be ok with turkey wing or goose wing but I never see those.

 

I think consumable bones are probably best but for folks who are not used to feeding bones or feeding raw, a recreational bone seems an easier step, kwim?

 

This is a whole new world for me! (a new fantastic point of view -- Disney's Aladdin, anyone?)

 

Our 20 lb. Patch swallowed a whole cooked chicken wing the other day & the vet told us to give him hydrogen peroxide to get him to throw it up. It was awful...he was so excited to get the peroxide (he thought it was a treat) and then he got so still and quiet.

 

Then...urp...

 

But are you saying that he could eat a raw chicken wing if he tears it apart and crunches it up?

[Mommyfaithe]

I really wanted this to work! My dog has terrible tartar...she is a Toy Pomeranian...about 10 years old. So, I went and bout a package of 4 organic chicken wings...and looked so proud of myself for getting over my fear of choking her ..and my dog looked at me like I was NUTS!!!! She took 2 sniffs...looked at me...and tried to turn the paper plate I had them in over to hide them. She was really miffed! OY VEY! What kind of beef bones do you think I should try??

 

~~Faithe

[Tina]

How often do the dogs get the bones to clean their teeth? Daily? Weekly?

 

I've got a lab mix. Gave her a knuckle bone last week, and she just loved it!

[SonshineLearner]

You might need to warm it up. I wouldn't give up on the chicken, as it's the best...at least for my dog...at the tartar. Mind you, I didn't say cook. And, if that doesn't work, warm up some chicken that is skinless. Cut the boneless skinless...slightly cooked chicken and feed it treat style... Then you should be able to work into the wing thing. It's new... kinda like a nursed baby being given a bottle. :-) Or, the fact that I can get a baby to take a pacifier... when others can't... cuz I try try try until they take it:-)

Just a thought:-)

I'm proud of you for trying:-)

What kind of beef bones?? I don't know for a little dog...Hornblower is great at suggesting things:-)

 

Carrie:-)

[Soph the vet]

I mean up to $600 per dog? Why does everyone have to be such a BIG RIP OFF??!!!

 

I just found out by talking to several other horse owners that I've been ripped off THOUSANDS of dollars over the year. I didn't even have the vet out this year. I hear I can do my own rabies if I go to a tractor supply store. I order all my other shots online and do them myself.

 

I wish there were some good, honest vets out there.

 

Does anyone have a NATURAL rememdy for tartar removal?

Just for the record, I am a good, honest vet. I have never thought of "ripping anyone off". $600 for a dental sounds really high unless you are including all of the canines being removed. Most dentistries at our clinic run between $250-$300 and include x-rays and all meds. When I was an equine practicioner the average float ran around $40 plus a few more dollars if sedation was necessary. I do not own the clinic that I work at so I do not set prices. I will say that veterinary clinics face a lot of the same costs for inventory and employees that human medical clinics face yet we are expected to charge a tenth or less of the price for services. I went to school longer than most human family practicioners (4yrs. college, 4yr. veterinary school, 1yr. internship, 2yrs. residency) and yet I get paid a quarter of what they do an hour. Sorry, but when I see complaining about the cost of veterinary services I want to remind people that they usually are getting a bargain for what a good, honest vet will provide for them. Shop around and be thankful that the veterinary industry has not been taken over by the government yet. It is still a free market and I'm sure you can find a veterinarian who will provide good service at a reasonable rate.

And also, you cannot legally administer a rabies vaccination unless you are a veterinarian or under the direct supervision of a veterinarian. It is a potentially fatal, zoonotic disease and if a tractor supply store is selling rabies vaccines they are violating federal law.

And as for tartar, carrots are also good at keeping a dog's teeth clean and they won't put on as much weight. Most tartar needs to be removed with scaling either by hand or ultrasonically, hence the need for a dentistry for many dogs. Brushing and the other suggestions in this thread can be used to prevent further build-up.

Sorry if I sound annoyed, but frankly I am. It is not just the OP, it is many posts I have read over the months that make me want to remind everyone that pets are costly. That is why I don't have any.

[ma23peas]

Our dog at age 6, was told that she could die because her teeth were so bad, infection blah blah blah...she had no infection he was merely stating she could get one with teeth like that, 3k for gum treatment and teeth cleaning!! Yeah right, I gave her some rawhide bones about once a month and when she died at 15.5 years the doctor remarked on how great her teeth looked at that age!

 

Ugh.

 

Tara

[st_claire]

Sorry if I sound annoyed, but frankly I am. It is not just the OP, it is many posts I have read over the months that make me want to remind everyone that pets are costly. That is why I don't have any.

 

Well said! It's not just the time in school, but grades as well. Here vets need much higher grades than doctors. And it makes sense, instead of one species who can tell them where it hurts, they have to deal with many species who can't tell them a thing.

 

I am amazed by how little vets charge. My vet charges $70 for an examination that lasts about an hour! Our family doctor gives 15 minute annual checkups, 10 minute appointments, and 5 minute emergency appointments. The 10 minute ones cost $50 I think and the annual ones are over $100 I'm sure.

 

Vets are a bargain! Thanks Soph for all your hard work.

[grace'smom]

Last year we had to have our dog's teeth cleaned and it cost over a thousand dollars. BUT- she was in surgery for 4 hours, and had to have multiple teeth removed due to infection and rot. We had adopted her and always commented on how horrible her breath smelled. We didn't realize it smelled because it was infected. We felt horrible for not getting her care earlier. They had told us that she needed her teeth cleaned, and we thought it was silly to clean a dog's teeth until they showed us where the infections were... If we had done it earlier she would not have lost so many teeth. All in all, I think the vets took great care of our dog and were reasonable with their prices. After all, there were two vets in there for four hours trying to save her teeth. I got a filling at the dentist the other day and it was 350 dollars for about 15 minutes of work with NO anesthesia AT ALL. I have a friend who is studying to be a vet- they don't make a ton of money. Basically they can pay off their loans and live an OK life without a ton of extras. I think most vets are in it because they love animals, not money.

[Dooley]

Ok, I was just at the store and was asking the meat lady if she had any bones. She looked confused, so I said, you know, raw bones like you would give your dog. WELL. Two other ladies were there and one dived behind the cash register and started mouthing to the first lady "No! Do not give any to her!" and shaking her head. Then the lady I was standing next to, turned and said, in a very condescending way "Dont you know bone splinters will kill your dog?". I started to say something about eating raw, and teeth cleaning and all. She just gave me the "whatever" face, roller her eyes and turned away.

 

I thought of this thread. :001_huh:

[hornblower]

Hi everyone - I've been away camping (& yes, we took raw food for the dogs LOL).

 

Raw is raw. Do not boil. Do not blanch. Take it out of packaging, give to dog. :001_smile:

 

A dog who is not accepting it or doesn't know what to do with it may be assisted by

 

-having some canned wet food/peanut butter/minced raw beef/sausage etc smeared on the bone

 

-watching another dog eat a bone. The fosters here often learn what to do by watching my dog. I set up the dogs about 10 feet apart, beside each other (on the deck if weather is nice, inside on old sheets otherwise) and present them with their goody. The new dogs often lick & sniff & then walk away to see what Daisy is doing with hers. (supervise, supervise, supervise if you're feeding more than one dog; don't do this with a dog who is a resource guarder; dogs that are a bit grumpy about "their" stuff can be fed together but should be in crates or x-pens.

 

My newest dog Darwin still has moments of dorkiness about bones where he seems to forget what to do with them & he needs a bit of encouragement.

 

Chicken is great. I get chicken backs from my butcher; they're also known as chicken racks - it's what's left over after a machine has stripped the breasts, wings & legs off. For a smaller dog you can try quail if you have it available. My bigger dogs also get turkey necks. Lamb necks are nice. Beef or bison knuckles. For smaller dogs, the local butchers & pet shops have the large knuckles cut into halves or quarters.

 

I personally stay away from beef soup & marrow bones - these are weight bearing bones & IMO are more likely to lead to a broken tooth. The only exception is lamb shanks or perhaps bones from veal. BTW, I have noticed that knuckles from commercial beef is very brittle compared to what comes from wild bison or organic free range cattle. I swear their bones have no density. If you can get elk, or deer bones that's good too. Make friends with a hunter :D

 

For general cleaning I'd offer a bone weekly or twice a month. Depending on whether it's more a consumable bone or a recreational chewing bone, dogs may happily gnaw on it for days. The dryer recreational bones will not be stinky.....they're just bone after the first day when they've chewed off the ligaments & any scraps of meat.

 

If you have dogs with resource guarding issues, I'd give bones in a large xpen or crate. For the outside, I'd give them the bone & take it away before nightfall or when they've lost interest in it so it doesn't attract other animals.

 

If you're worried about choking, pick a bone about the size of their head & watch them to see that they don't break any parts off. Really, dogs know how to do this. They're descended from wolves after all :-)

 

Here's a link to a blog by someone who adopts & fosters senior dogs from a local senior animal sanctuary. Molly is toothless and ancient but still enjoying gnawing on raw.

http://shihtzustaff.wordpress.com/category/raw-feeding-dogs/

 

(there are lots of great tips on feeding raw on that page too but you don't have to feed raw to give your dog a bone. It's good for their teeth & it's something they love to do.)

 

As for vet costs - yeah, animals are expensive. I have a couple different vets I use, one is a more meat & potatoes guy, the other is more expensive but also more likely to be utd on some alternatives. I put $ away every month into a bank acct for my animals. Another alternative is pet insurance though personally my calculations are that for us it's better to just save the $ ourselves.

 

An interesting book on saving vet fees is How to Afford Veterinary Care Without Mortgaging the Kids.

http://www.oldcountryvet.com/

It's avail from his site or amazon. I don't agree with everything in the book but it does have some good common sense advice.

 

I do put a lot of stock in good preventative care, nutrition, doing some reading on your own & finding a vet whose opinion you trust.

[Cindyg]

Back to the original question, Denise, I recommend you get the phone book out and start calling vets. Ask them how much they charge to clean a dog's teeth, including optional charges and possible surprise charges. That's how we found our current vet. There is a lot of leeway.

 

Soph, I sympathize with your position. And I appreciate what you said about at least the government is not regulating animal health care so we can have normal market forces and competition. And thanks for giving us free vet advice here. :)

[StephanieZ]

I mean up to $600 per dog? Why does everyone have to be such a BIG RIP OFF??!!!

 

I just found out by talking to several other horse owners that I've been ripped off THOUSANDS of dollars over the year. I didn't even have the vet out this year. I hear I can do my own rabies if I go to a tractor supply store. I order all my other shots online and do them myself.

 

I wish there were some good, honest vets out there.

 

Does anyone have a NATURAL rememdy for tartar removal?

 

Yes, honestly, really. Look into it and you'll understand why it is expensive if it is done properly.