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Post by ralphsmom on Sept 4, 2006 12:55:09 GMT -5
My grey "Ralph" has had dental issues from the time we brought him to his forever home. I knew that his teeth were cleaned before we got him but they were still in bad shape. I have brushed his teeth daily with a blue liquid from the vet that had an enzyme added to it, but I am not getting ahead. His breath is unbelievably bad. His gums are reddened and I am sure they are infected. Have any of you had issues with your greys' teeth? What have you done about it? I brought Ralph into the Vets' here in town (different from the one we normally see) because I know she has numerous greys as clients and has done dental care/extractions. I'm just wondering how long it takes for them to bounce back. I hate to cause him any pain but I am sure he isn't feeling too great with the way they are. I'm a nervous Mom.
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Post by ontariogreys on Sept 4, 2006 15:27:15 GMT -5
My one greyhound has horrible teeth, we have tred different things to prolong dental visits but nothing really works, my vet has examine a tooth under a microscope and noted that iit is very porous and pitted much like a sponge which allows bacteria to get into the crevices and causes tarter to form which then allows more to adhere even easier eventually coating the tooth, all you can do is keep up with frequent brushing and do dental cleaning(Sunny's is 9 months to a year apart, infection from the teeth is more of a risk than the dental cleaning, as it enters the bloodstream and can affect organs such as the heart,
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Post by rprovost on Sept 4, 2006 17:04:42 GMT -5
Zooks' teeth aren't too bad, but Nina's are horrible. She too had them cleaned before we took her home, but I still scraped off a ton of tartar myself. I bought one of those metal scrapers the dentist uses. I got it at Shoppers Drug Mart and I very carefully got as much tartar off as I could. They bother her so much shes always rubbing her gums or rubbing her face on you. I also brush their teeth with an enzyme toothpaste and I have a diluted listerine spray I spray on their gums. I mixed the spray myself, 1 capful of listerine to 1 cup of water. I hope her's get better soon, its getting there, but they're still bad. Good luck.
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Post by ocydroma on Sept 4, 2006 17:29:29 GMT -5
I brought home a red boy that was a return and his teeth were so rotten you could see daylight through the exposed roots. He was very thin, no doubt because it hurt to eat. He went directly to the vet dentist and lost all his teeth but the canines. Within a couple of days he was a puppy again. The pain must have been incredible when he tried to eat before. I softened his food for a couple of months but now he seems quite at ease eating hard kibble and even works away at bones when he gets one. You would never know he has hardly any teeth.
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Post by GreyPoopon on Sept 4, 2006 18:20:33 GMT -5
Another thing you might try is Leba III, a (ridiculously expensive) liquid that you squirt in a couple of times a day. I've heard good things about it from a trainer and a vet tech. I haven't had much luck, primarily because I find it tough to schedule--they're not supposed to eat or drink for 30 minutes before or after the application. However, if it works as promised, it should help with Ralph's gums.
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Post by ralphsmom on Sept 5, 2006 16:57:10 GMT -5
Thank you for your suggestions. We started brushing Ralph's teeth with an enzyme toothpaste (chicken flavor) which he thinks is great by the way...But, I have booked him in on Wednesday, Sept 13th to have his teeth cleaned, polished, x-rayed and depending on those, extractions. They will be giving antibiotics before and after so that bacteria doesn't travel throughout his system and pain medication for home. I was told to be mindful of hazards, eg stairs, etc following his anesthetic but that he should be himself by the next day. We watched Ralph and his other greyt buddy Jimmie eat their supper and they don't chew their food at all, it is gulped down so I don't think chewing should be a problem after surgery. Dental care doesn't come cheaply but I guess it is a small price to pay when it comes to your pal's health and comfort level. They have gone through enough in their lives already. Thanks again, Ralphsmom.
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