I Can't Believe I'm Asking This...

[Camilla and Darwin]

But how bad is it to give Darwin dental chews, prescribed by the vet? I realize any question that involves vet and prescribed food is answered the same way. But this could possibly be different.

 

See, he has really bad tartar and they've been warning us that he will need a dental cleaning soon. I have looked at his mouth myself and he has tartar all over his back molars, and breath that could kill. I would like to avoid a cleaning for as long as possible, if we can.

 

I do have a toothpaste and toothbrush, but when I use it I feel like the toothpaste isn't coating enough of the teeth. Either way it hasn't been helping enough. We give him raw carrots but really this makes no difference either. Well, Darwin is a hefty chewer and the vet tech thought these chews might be a good option, as they are soaked in the same enzyme as the toothpaste. I looked at the ingredients and they don't seem great, but I have only learned to analyze dog food and treats thus far. In addition, the ingredients to dog toothpaste never seem that great, but it's still used.

 

Thoughts? Is it a good idea? Bad idea? 

 

T/CL Dental Chews by "GlenHaven"

 

Beefhide, *Dextrose, poultry digest, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, primary dried yeast, potassium sorbate, glucose oxidase (aspergillus niger), dried whey protein concentrate

* a substance necessary for the antiseptic enzyme system.

[Jane Smith]

I just had Lucy's teeth cleaned to the tune of $300.  Her teeth were not bad, and she did not have bad breath, but the tarter was starting to build up on her back teeth.  I am not good about brushing, so thought if I do one dog a year, I could keep up with good dental checks.  I was not good about taking my schnauzers to get their teeth cleaned and I couldn't get near them their breath was so bad.  That was a costly cleaning because there was extractions. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I just wonder what makes this an Rx item. You could give him beef hide alone and it would probably do the same thing for the tartar. It certainly isn't the dextrose or the poultry digest (gag), and i'm sure hydrolyzed protein and dried yeast wouldn't help keep teeth clean.

I don't understand why you can't just ask the vet "How will this product help his teeth any more than just giving him a piece of beef hide from the pet supply store?" And then use the answer to decide.

Personally, if JD would chew beefhide (which is rawhide, you know), his problems with tarter would be over. That really does work. But he doesn't chew anything, hence he had to have a full cleaning a couple of months ago. I didn't mind the price so much as the way the anesthetic affected him and the fact that he had to go through that. And now I'm supposed to be brushing his teeth and I suck at it, plus he hates it.

[Camilla and Darwin]

I did ask the vet how it was different, and her answer was that it was soaked in the enzyme that breaks down tartar. Apparently because of that, she claims you can only get these chews in a prescription. I guess I'm not educated enough to know if the ingredients indicate that is true or not. I just wanted to check here because I've learned not to listen to everything the vets say when it comes to food and treats.

 

Which of course, is why I asked here. :-) So what you are saying is that we could get him any beef rawhide and it would help? 

 

And yes, I did know the beef hide was raw hide. Which I do worry about, but I also worry about his teeth. And with the dental cleaning it's not so much the cost, I just don't want him to be put under if he doesn't HAVE to be. Even if he is young and healthy. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Well, either the enzyme isn't listed, or it's the glucose oxidase (aspergillus niger). I guess we'll have to look that one up.

All I know is that my last dog never had her teeth brushed or cleaned in the 16 years i had her, she died with perfect white tarter free teeth and healthy pink gums, and she was a miniature poodle, which are known for lousy teeth. But she had amazing genetics, and she chewed rawhide non-stop her entire life.

JD's vet has not recommended any dental chews, just brushing, and Jack has terrible teeth. But he doesn't chew.

[Camilla and Darwin]

Perhaps Darwin just has bad genetics as far as teeth go? If these chews aren't worth the money or time I won't get them. I will just try to keep giving him things to chew on. Antlers and beef trachea haven't that effective so far, although I will continue. If you don't mind me asking, do you think that beef hide will make a difference more than than the beef trachea or antlers we've given him? Or is my only option likely to be a cleaning?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Depending on how much it costs, you might give the chews a trial run and see if they make any difference.

[Camilla and Darwin]

They aren't too expensive. About 15 dollars for 40 chews. You are recommended to give the chews every other day.

[Kim]

Can I ask a potentially silly question? Why exactly is rawhide bad? I haven't given them to allie in about 2 years. I remember reading about how bad they are, but can't remember why. Allie's teeth are really bad too, and she doesn't like to chew much either, so we brush her teeth almost every night. I used to get those really skinny rawhides from the rawhide bar at petco when I had no cares, but she would swallow them whole. I realize that is definitely not good, but if I got her a big rawhide that she wasn't able to swallow,is there harm in that? I know she would for sure chew a rawhide. I still have an untouched himalayan chew that she all of a sudden doesn't like.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I never thought it was bad, either, as long as it's made in the U.S and not processed with formaldehyde. But apparently a lot of dogs have choked or had obstructions from it, there are warnings all over the place about it. And they do consume it, not just chew.

I gave it to my dogs for 30 years and never had a problem. 

I'll be honest, I would still give it to JD (carefully monitored, of course) if he would chew it.

But I'm not telling anyone else to do that.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Mine got big chunks and then would vomit, oh joy. Sometimes the runs too. Luckily nothing more serious but still I rarely allow any.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

My dogs got diarrhea when they had the rawhide chews so we have bones and nylabones galore.  I hope they do as well in keeping teeth clean.

[Camilla and Darwin]

I wonder the same thing Kim.