This is a slightly off topic story as it concerns a lurcher but as it's about health I thought I'd pop it here. My friend has a rescue Lurcher that has always been fed on cheap kibble. She's now middle aged and on a trip to the vet a couple of months ago my friend was told that Roo's teeth had horrendous tartar and would need extensive work to clean them. It was going to be a lot of money so she didn't agree to it right away and said she would bring her back a few weeks later. She did a bit of internet research then asked me how I cleaned my dogs' teeth. I told her about raw meaty bones and the local butcher I sometimes get bones from and pointed her to additional useful reading. I'm thrilled to say that Roo really took to her new diet, is thriving and now has sparkly clean teeth - all apart from the two that were the worst and they have improved somewhat. The vet is hugely pleased with the difference and no treatment is now necessary ;D
Re: Teeth Cleaning Fantastic! I switched to a raw diet several years ago because my dogs were getting dirty teeth and my vet wanted to anaesthetise them for a clean up job. I am thrilled with the results. Even our oldest dog at ten and a half years has sparkling white teeth. It is surprising how quickly it works too.
Re: Teeth Cleaning Is it okay to continue to kibble feed them and to give them an occasionally raw bone to clean the teeth?
Re: Teeth Cleaning Will the Butchers supply chicken carcasses, marrow bones etc. for teeth cleaning, if not where can you buy them? Do those Pedigree Dental Stix work? Helen
Re: Teeth Cleaning The speed the Denti-stix go down Lilly I'd be surprised if they even touched her teeth Gave up on them ages ago. Our butcher gives us marrow and meaty bones for free but we are mainly kibble feeders and bones are just a treat. Jacqui
Re: Teeth Cleaning Helen, you can just buy frozen chicken carcasses or wings at the supermarket. I get beef and lamb bones from the butcher, and venison ribs from a friendly hunter... One of the many advantages to raw feeding (apart from the clean teeth) is that it is actually cheaper to feed than kibble. I read somewhere that it also helps to prevent the development of hip displasia when fed to young dogs, because it inhibits too speedy growth, has the right amount of calcium, and because raw fed dogs are not usually overweight. Does anyone know if this is correct? Logically it makes sense to me...
Re: Teeth Cleaning There is no evidence one way or another as far as I know, but here is my thought process Some dogs get an 'impaction' or blockage in their intestines. Some vets claim that this is linked to ingesting bone particles Some vets also claim that bone splinters can perforate the intestines. Some people (including me) think that these rare but potentially fatal, and very expensive problems might be less likely if a dog is only fed bones along with a good quantity of muscle or other tissue. So that the dog is getting a 'bone sandwich' as it were. For this reason, I only ever feed bones as part of a meal. On the other hand, you will meet people who regularly feed recreational bones without any trouble. So there is no clear cut answer. Pippa
Re: Teeth Cleaning Pippa is dental hygiene a good article topic? I know I'm concerned I don't do enough but am sure what I should do about it.
