Do you think it is necessary to send my dog for teeth cleaning services?

Question

I'm a little apprenhensive as I always think that there is always an element of risk when an operation is involved. My dog is 5 years old and she has bad breath. Her bad breath does not bother me, but I'm just worried if I don't solve this for her, it might affect her

Answer 1

try different dog food first

Answer 2

You are right, there is always an element of risk when an animal or a human is put under.

If you haven't done so already, I would suggest that you check her teeth. 1. To determine that the bad breath is indeed coming from her teeth and 2. To see how bad the plaque build-up is and what condition her teeth are in.

If there is a large build-up and infected teeth and gums, then I would take her to the vet. In such case, I believe the risk of putting her under is outweighed by the condition of her gums and teeth.

I would also take her to the vet if her teeth and gums look fine, bad breath can be an indicator of other problems that need to be addressed.

If there is a small build-up and her teeth and gums are otherwise in a good condition, then I would give her some raw ox bones to chew (do NOT give her chicken, porc or lamb bones). Most dogs should be fine with it, but if she's not used to eating bones, then you need to keep an eye on her stool, as some dogs get upset stomachs when given bones. Don't let her keep the bone for too long, you don't want it to turn bad. Treat sized chunks of oven dried rye bread should also do the trick (big enough so that she has to chew them, but not so big that she can choke on them). If you are uncomfortable with giving her home-made teeth cleaning treats, then your local pet shop should have something similar.

If your dog is used to having her teeth and gums checked, then you could clean them yourself, provided she is big enough (I wouldn't try it with a small sized dog) and will keep still enough for you to work on her teeth (she needs to be completely quiet and relaxed). Again, your pet shop should have a special tool for cleaning dog teeth. Be careful when you work with the tool, it's better to take a little plaque bits off at a time then try to take large chunks off in one go.

To prevent the problem occuring again, regularly give her teeth cleaning treats and cut down on soft, wet food. You can also get a dog toothbrush and dog toothpaste. Don't use human toothpaste, it's not good for her.

Answer 3

There is in fact always a risk where an anesthetic is involved, just like with humans and anesthetic. Dental health in dogs is usually overlooked, as many people believe dogs are supposed to have bad breath to some extent. Dogs who have their teeth brushed regularly, and are feed treats/food that promote oral health sometimes require fewer dental cleanings. The issue is this, just imagine if you ate what your dog does and never went to the dentist for a professional cleaning. Dogs teeth, just like ours, can build up tarter, teeth can become loose and bacterial infections can occur both in the gums and teeth. If the tarter build up is too bad there can actually be loose teeth are held in only by the tarter. Infections in the mouth can go septic, into the blood stream, and affect the dogs overall health. Speak to your vet about the necessity of your dog needing this procedure. A light anesthetic is usually used, often through a tube into the trachea in order to prevent any pieces of tarter or cleaning solution from going into the dog's lungs. I wouldn't hesitate to have the procedure done, but would request pre-anesthetic blood testing, like pre-op bloodwork for people, to better assess the risk of the anesthetic and rule out any underlying health issues that may affect which anesthetic is used.

Answer 4

Gum & teeth disease can cause kidney,liver and heart failure in dogs not to mention the worse their teeth and gums become the less they are able to eat, can cause bacterial infections in throat and tooth root abscesses if they have a fracture that is left untreated.
Depending on how bad your dogs teeth and gums are a course of antibiotics such as Antirobe may freshen the mouth and reduce the bacterial growth in the mouth.
I wouldn't get the teeth cleaned unless there is plaque, tartar or gingivitis, but if there is then a clean at this age (5 yrs) and then good maintance (bones, dry food with dental defense and brushing and/or animal mouth wash) may prevent your dog needing a more major dental procedure in the future when its older and more of an anaesthetic risk.

You can help reduce the risks of anaesthetic by having a preanaesthetic blood test (tells how the kidneys and liver function is) and have intraveneous fluids given to your dog during the procedure - although generally not needed unless the dog is over 7 yrs of age.

Answer 5

Dogs do need to have their teeth cleaned. A 5 year old dog needs to have her teeth checked. Dogs do get cavities, loose, broken, and cracked teeth. The gums can become inflamed from the tarter build up on the teeth and cause the teeth to become lose and fall out effecting the dogs ability to eat and chew properly. Teeth do get worn down over time. The vet, trained in this area, makes the decision to extract and/or treat damaged and worn out teeth.

Take her to a qualified vet to get her teeth cleaned and checked. This is a health issue. The vet will certify that her heart and lungs are healthy enough for the anesthesia. Don't worry about it, let the vet worry. That's what they are there for.

Answer 6

There are dog treats and dog chews that help bad breath. The only time I would pay to have my dogs teeth cleaned is if there is a bad plaque or tartar build up that is very noticeable and other measures dont work. You can also brush your dogs teeth yourself but make sure you use products that are made for dogs.

Answer 7

The quality of an animals teeth is directly related to their lifespan. So it's important to get dental visits every now and then, but most important is that you take an active role in monitoring your dogs foods. :)

My dogs get no "squishy" treats (Snausages, for example) no wet dog food, very limited amounts of people food, and no junk foods. Once a night they get a dental treat followed by a tooth brushing, and no more snacks for the rest of the evening (Water is left out though).

Bad breath can be more than just a social feaux pais, it can represent gum and tooth disease, which can lead to pain and discomfort in the dog. Routine dental maintence does have inherent risks, but so does neglecting them! It's damned if you do, damned if you don't... but as long as you're getting damned, you might as well have minty fresh breath!

Answer 8

consult your vet. Since she's 5yrs old it is normal for a dog at that age to get their teeth cleaned. For my dog I use greenie bones to keep her teeth clean and breath fresh and my vet also recommended science diet food, there's a special one that's especially for cleaning dogs teeth and works like dental floss. They're HUGE pieces of dry food where the dog has to work for the food using their back teeth, i think they're called the prescriptive diet range but the brands Science Diet. There's also toothbrushes and toothpaste that you can get for dogs but I definitely recommend the greenies bones and the science diet food, I've noticed a difference with my dog

Answer 9

I think it is as needed as you going for your annual dental check up. My dog goes once a year for basic check and clean. Most of the time though he doesn't even need to be sedated, we just sit together and the vet cleans. We also brush his teeth every day and he chews recreational bones along with raw meaty bones for supper. Even though he has lot of preventive measures he still gets his teeth checked and cleaned once a year.

Does that answer your question. Get a good basic cleaning done and then follow up with good dental hygiene.

Answer 10

Before I give you my opinion, I would like to add that I have owned the following dogs:
1.) A border collie who lived to the age of 18,
2.) A German Shepherd / Golden Retriever mix who lived to the age of 14
3.) A husky who lived to the age of 8
I've owned numerous other dogs of varying breeds and age-spans (currently have a chow, age 8 and a border collie, age 7) and none of my dogs have ever had problems with their teeth. None of my dogs have ever had their teeth cleaned either. They all get yearly vet check-ups and their teeth are ok. The only thing I DO do is to not feed them soft snacks and I regularly feed them Milk Bone dog biscuits. I doubt that the brand name is important, I think it's the fact that the foot is dry that is important.

Good luck.

Answer 11

try those dog bones that are designed to clean teeth also try switching food brands and brushing her teeth too. if too much decay builds up she may have health issues later on. talk to your vet about the pros and cons of the operation.