19 replies to this topic

[Dempsy's Mom]

Dempsy loves to go to his doctor. Went yesterday. Everything was great. He weighed the same as last year. He removed a little plaque from a couple of teeth. I did purchase a finger cot with a little brush on it. The doc says just 3 times a week will help tremendously - so what the heck - we haven't tried it yet. His toothpaste is chicken flavored.

[pindrop]

I tried to show this post to Layla - she wants nothing to do with fingers in her mouth! (and I'm not so sure I want to attempt it either - so far I still have ten of them.) Great to hear that Dempsy came out with a clean report. Layla had her checkup as well and is slightly overweight (according to vet) - so have reduced her intake. It still amazes me that the scale they use can hardly be accurate - cause with Layla she is just so excited and figgity there is no way that scale reflects her actual weight with any accuracy. (that's our story and we're sticking to it!)

[Terrier lover]

Good job Dempsey... same weight as last year. Wish I could say the same thing about me .

If I tried to put a finger cot in Jocks mouth I am pretty sure I would land up an amputee! I use a tooth brush with the chicken flavoured tooth paste on it, and with my arm held at length, Jock attacks the tooth brush. He loves the taste of the toothpaste but the brushing thing not so much.

[hheldorfer]

Congrats on your good check-up, Dempsy. And Buffy agrees with Layla that the scale in the vet's office can't possibly be accurate . . . plus she says that it's all muscle, not fat.

[Hawkeye]

I showed this post to Radar to show him how a good cairn behaves at the vet's office. Glad to hear Demps checks out AOK and is all set for another year. Brushing teeth with your finger in his mouth - good luck with that one.

[bradl]

Our vet showed us how to use gauze wrapped around a finger to apply toothpaste and 'brush' the teeth that way. Advantage to this method: finger is pre-bandaged

[Idaho Cairns]

We've never been able to get our dogs to sit still for a finger cot brushing but the gauze idea sounds doable. Daring to do that reach across to those back inside teeth is going to be the problem--one good clamp down from a recalcitrant Cairn and there goes any messages typed on this forum that requires a "b", "h", "u" or "y"! So, if you see any notes from me that lack those letters--you know I tried!

[bradl]

Heh, I might stick to the outside until they show signs of being amenable. I found that if the toothpaste is too tasty they get busy trying to eat it. Gauze alone actually got more gunk off than I expected.

[lindasue]

Pegi agrees with the comments about the vet's questionable scale - she likes to be called "big boned".....and she knows dieting is in her future when my daughters leave for college in the fall! No more snacks from the kids....

[Tuesday]

Way to go Dempsy!

[Lynn in TN]

So glad that Dempsy got a clean bill of health. I can't help laughing at this post. To brush Kelly's teeth I hand her a milk bone,
I don't dare stick my fingers in Jaws" mouth!!!! LOL If I used chicken flavored toothpaste and my finger I would lose it. I agree with Idaho you will know I tried it if letters are missing from my post!

[bradl]

Attention entrepreneurs - for only 1% of your gross sales, I offer my idea for the Canine Home Dental Liver-Grit Blasting Kit - it makes doggy dental hygiene easy, safe, and fun!

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[Lynn in TN]

Brad you are so funny. It is a good thing I went potty before reading your post or I would have had an accident in the house. I
can't stop laughing! Great idea! That is exactly what I need to clean Kelly's teeth!

[Dempsy's Mom]

Funny you guys. Dempsy and I just had our first brushing and he did wonderfully. He didn't quite understand what I was attemping to do so maybe he will fight me in the future, but for today's session "gold star."

[Holly&me]

When I got Holly from the breeder he told me that she was quite amenable to having her mouth looked at [she had to be when she was shown!] but he did not realise[or explain] that being looked at was very different to trying to do anything with the teeth! If I get near her mouth with toothbrush/finger it shuts..................

So I give her a Fish4Dogs Fish Roll [which is dried fish skin] and it seems to clean her teeth better than I could and she allows me to clean her beard/moustache of the bits that stick afterwards!