Raw Treats

[alschwahn]

We still feed Aspen kibbles because raw isn’t something that we have tried yet. Aspen gets raw chicken breast as a treat nearly everyday from when I’m prepping for meals so he is used to raw meat. If I were to give him a raw chicken drumstick or wing everyday as a snack, would that assist in cleaning his teeth?

He is going to have a full cleaning soon and we want to keep his teeth and healthy as possible afterwards. Wondering if the raw chicken wings/drumsticks with brushing and dental treats will help keep the periodontitis at bay?

 

[Natalie]

We still feed Aspen kibbles because raw isn’t something that we have tried yet. Aspen gets raw chicken breast as a treat nearly everyday from when I’m prepping for meals so he is used to raw meat. If I were to give him a raw chicken drumstick or wing everyday as a snack, would that assist in cleaning his teeth?

He is going to have a full cleaning soon and we want to keep his teeth and healthy as possible afterwards. Wondering if the raw chicken wings/drumsticks with brushing and dental treats will help keep the periodontitis at bay?

If he's anything like Monty, a chicken wing or drumstick will be eaten so quickly it is barely be chewed, maybe four to six bites at most. We also give one dental stick most days, but unfortunately I think the only thing that really has any impact is brushing teeth, I'm a bit hypocritical saying this as I don't do Monty's nearly as regularly as I should.

 

[Stacia]

I give Rourke one dental stick daily with one Bonio, I have never cleaned his teeth and at 8 years old he has lovely gnashers

 

[zrinka]

Once in 10 days I give raw beef knuckle bone, as a recreational bone for mental stimualtion and teeth cleaning.

 

[snowbunny]

Every dog’s teeth are different. My lot all have the same routine of brushing and the same food.

Luna’s are spotless. Shadow’s have a little staining on the canines. Willow’s are a bit worse.

I think that chicken bones are really too soft to make a significant difference and, as @Natalie says, wings and drumsticks disappear in a moment, so I doubt they have any impact.
I brush with Logic Gel most days, but when I was at my busiest, this did slip and the discolouration built up, but now I’m back to doing it regularly, that is breaking down again. But under their own steam, Luna would have clean teeth, and Willow’s would be pretty bad. It’s just genetics and (I’m pretty certain) also related to anxiety.

I would definitely be more inclined to go down the brushing route, with a decent toothpaste, than just rely on food. After all, even though we might have heard that eating a stick of celery will help clean our own teeth, we don’t rely on that to do the whole job.

 

[Oberon]

Teeth cleaning is the best thing, by many miles. There is a reason we humans brush our teeth rather than eating chews

Zrinka, I’m sure those bones are delicious and are a greatly loved treat but they are a risk. Leg bones like that are very hard and have a
high chance of breaking teeth. Even if teeth don’t get broken they are certainly being worn away slowly through being ground against the bones. Consider swapping to something softer, like lamb ribs, lamb neck, pork ribs, rabbit...

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

Every dog’s teeth are different. My lot all have the same routine of brushing and the same food.

This is interesting to hear about a multi-dog household. I've had multiple dogs but none around the same age and background.

I fed my first Rottie Duncan whole chickens and he had spotless teeth. But maybe that was just him. He also died at 5 so sadly not much of a chance to get dirty teeth regardless.

Brogan did great up until nearly 13 with me brushing and scaling. He had soft cooked food and no raw for the last five years of his life, so raw bones weren't what did it.

Carbon had lovely white teeth until he did 10 months on antibiotics. Now they are yellow. Clean, but yellow.

Based just on my own dogs, scaling and brushing are key. I'm weird in that I really find brushing a chore, but I love getting in there with a scaler. Maybe I should have been a dental hygienist ?

 

[zrinka]

Zrinka, I’m sure those bones are delicious and are a greatly loved treat but they are a risk. Leg bones like that are very hard and have a
high chance of breaking teeth. Even if teeth don’t get broken they are certainly being worn away slowly through being ground against the bones. Consider swapping to something softer, like lamb ribs, lamb neck, pork ribs, rabbit...

She rasps off pieces of meat, cartilage and connective tissue, and yes, bone too, but she does not brake the bone. She is not able to eat most of the mentioned bones as she does not chew them enough, she gets them only if I’m able to chop them up or ground them.

 

[snowbunny]

they are certainly being worn away slowly through being ground against the bones

This is really important. The enamel on dogs’ teeth is far thinner than on our own, and easily damaged. That’s why I wouldn’t attempt scaling at home, either, as I’d be afraid of doing more harm than good. And the Logic Gel does a great job at breaking it all down, anyway.

 

[snowbunny]

She is not able to eat most of the mentioned bones as she does not chew them enough

What happens if she tries? I’m assuming she regurgitates them? If so, that’s quite normal and they generally work it out sooner or later, to chew properly the first time. The regurgitation is just to give themselves a second go at chewing the bones that they swallowed too quickly at the initial pass. All my lot have gone through a period of doing this, but they are all fine now.

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

This is really important. The enamel on dogs’ teeth is far thinner than on our own, and easily damaged. That’s why I wouldn’t attempt scaling at home, either, as I’d be afraid of doing more harm than good. And the Logic Gel does a great job at breaking it all down, anyway.

Good point. I guess I've been scaling for so long and with such good results that I don't think about that part of it but I probably should.

 

[zrinka]

What happens if she tries? I’m assuming she regurgitates them? If so, that’s quite normal and they generally work it out sooner or later, to chew properly the first time. The regurgitation is just to give themselves a second go at chewing the bones that they swallowed too quickly at the initial pass. All my lot have gone through a period of doing this, but they are all fine now.

Yes, not just once. She does it with most of the food that needs chewing. She would lie down as she would swallowed to big peace, what is probably painfull and uncorfortable.
If she does not chew it enough she would vomit.
she eats meat from a slow feeder and interactive toys.
Testing for Aujeszky’s disease is not obligatory in our area so we are not able to feed raw pork.

 

[alschwahn]

Thanks friends! I don't know if you guys remember but he has pretty brown teeth already for only being three. He has been drooling the last day and a half so that's why I am concerned about dental and bringing him in. I'm sure they will say he needs a cleaning so I am just looking for the best routine for preventative care. We do brush but not as much as we should. And he is more into soft toys than he is chew toys so he rarely chews.

 

[kateincornwall]

Logic is fantastic x Nelly had lots of build up of muck on her teeth when she came to live with us, due I`m sure to a terrible diet . I brushed her teeth with Logic every day and it soon disappeared , now I do both dogs with it every few days or so x