# Tooth cleaning without anesthetic



## danak (Jun 17, 2007)

With my new Havanese recue I'd like to not get started with the yearly vet trip for teeth cleaning. I'm so afraid of the anesthesia.

I will brush with a gauze pad as Oliver will tolerate, but he does need some tartar removal even now.

What are you thoughts about the kind done with no anesthesia? My vet said that all the debris being swallowed during that procedure was bad for the dog.

What have y'all heard about that?


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## California Star (Jul 31, 2007)

there are doggy tooth fairies around S. Cal that I take Bailey to every 4 months, altho, I do maintain his teeth by brushing every evening. Bailey has gotten to the point where when I brush my teeth he sits and watches me in the mirror and waits for his turn. 

I think the tooth fairies are very good and I have never had any problems and the turn around time is quick too. Typically, it takes them about 10 mins or so for Bailey for maintainence.


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## juliav (Nov 21, 2006)

What are tooth fairies and do they have them in Northern California????


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## LuvMyHavanese (Apr 13, 2007)

I use Petzlife. Dreamer is 6 & the vet said her teeth look great. Here is the link to read about it.

http://petzlife.com/


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## danak (Jun 17, 2007)

*re:tooth cleaniing without anesthetic*

I should have added to my question that because Oliver is a rescue and came from a puppy mill we are working through some problems, one of which is fear.

So far he's really calm at the vet. I'm a little worried that the other kind of cleaning might scare him and I really try to avoid those kinds of situations for him, at least now

So here I am between anesthesia and trauma, and you are all welcome to tell me I'm just an over protective mother----I know I am.


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## California Star (Jul 31, 2007)

you can do a search on tooth fairies. Ours, we have used her for 4 years, they are a husband and wife team that comes out to a local grooming shop once every month. 

I am allow to go into the back and observe the procedure. 

The procedure is none anesthetic and if he is not used to having his mouth fuss with, it may be a problem. There are some great dog dentist out here in California, one of which is located in Irvine.


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## Julie (Feb 8, 2007)

Californis Star-
I just have to comment on your avatar---what a gorgeous dog!Is he/she a show dog?It is so shiny white with no staining around the eyes or mouth.......WOW!How do you do that?


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## California Star (Jul 31, 2007)

Hi Julie, Thank you! California Star is also known as Bailey... He is out being shown. We feed a home cook diet and bottle water. Of course, he is extra extra spoiled. I do all my own grooming at home, so we do keep him in top notch condition!  Thanks again, Quincy is a hot looking as well! Love the eye brows!


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## good buddy (Feb 20, 2007)

Shannon, I read through that info on Petzlife and that stuff looks awesum! Danak, If it were me, I would try this product first. It doesn't seem like it would hurt to try and if it helps I think it would be less upsetting to the dog than a dentist. Are your doggies teeth really bad? Like with swollen gums and such or is it just some plaque buildup?


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## Tom King (Aug 2, 2006)

We use Petzlife too but it doesn't stop tartar buildup unless you use it very often. We have one family of owners who "brush" their two dogs teeth every day and Hemi and Sunni are very well behaved about it.

We just clean our dogs teeth when we groom them, which is maybe every three or four weeks. There is some tartar that builds up enough to need to be scraped off by then and Pam uses a dental tool while I do the holding. After the scraping the teeth are cleaned with the salmon flavor Petzlife and a gauge pad.

It takes the dog a few times to get used to it without fighting but I'm used to holding one without letting them panic.

We have some owners who come to us for grooming and we can clean their dogs teeth too even though they may have never had it done before. A lot of importance in not letting the dog panic is in the holding. You only hold pressure when the dog resists and then only enough to counter. The INSTANT the dog starts to relax the holder has to relax any pressure. Continued pressure on the dog is what makes them panic.


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## Sunnygirl (Jun 1, 2007)

Tom, do your dogs like the Salmon flavored Petzlife gel? I was going to pick some up today, but they didn't have the original flavor, just the salmon oil stuff. I thought the smell of it was pretty vile, and thought maybe it would be appealing to cats but not dogs. But if dogs like it, I guess it doesn't matter what I think of the smell. (I like the smell of the spray - nice and minty!)


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## danak (Jun 17, 2007)

thanks everyone. First off it's only a little plaque, but enough for the vet to suggest a cleaning. I already had a lot of concern about the anesthesia.

Right after the referral to tooth faeries I googled them but didn't find them Now I know it's the people who go to the groomer. My new groomer has that.

I'll get Petzlife.

So I really feel that I have some good answers. thanks again ,you've all been so helpful.


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