re: How often you get your dog's teeth cleaned by a vet?

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Every 3 months. $700 a pop

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The lady passed away several years ago, but this lady used to go walk every morning pushing her dog in a stroller. She also used to brush the dog's teeth several times a week.

I always wondered how the hell did she do it, but my vet removes the plaque off of my dogs teeth and I give them something that's supposedly good for their teeth, to chew on. Their breath doesn't smell.. Or at least I can't smell it. I guess it all depends on the dog.

I know it’s cool to hate on rawhides nowadays, but my dogs always get one of those rawhide twists every night.

All have lived to old age with no dentist bills.

Our vet said that we would need to bring our Aussie in for a teeth cleaning, and she would be put under anesthesia. She didn't do well under anesthesia, so I took a different approach, one we both preferred.

I ate BBQ pork ribs a little more often and saved the bones for her. I would give her a bone a day for as long as they held out.

The next time I took the dog to the vet, The vet asked me where I got her teeth cleaned. I named the BBQ restaurant. The vet said her teeth and gums looked fine.

(she was a 45-pound Aussie who made it a little over 15 years)

My Aussie shepherd mix will be 16 this Dec God willing. He would definitely have to be knocked out. Doesn’t like to be messed with. Never done it. Teeth look fine for an old dog. Ditto 14+ yo other mutt. Vet “prescribed” toothpaste for our 5ish yo mutt. Nope.

Too much work.

Smaller breeds tend to have really bad teeth such as poodles since their teeth are crowded. Bigger dogs have more spacing between teeth. If you notice brown or grey plaque typically towards the back teeth then it's time to get them cleaned. I pay around $165 but it depends on size of dog as well. I have been in the animal health industry for almost 30 years and no doubt the cost of a dental has a huge variation from clinic to clinic. I get my dogs teeth cleaned every other year but not until they are around 4 years of age. Really bad teeth causes infections that get in the bloodstream and will shorten your dogs life considerably

I have never done this and my lab is 13. His hips are going to put him under way before his teeth do.

Vets want to do this as they make $$$$$ on the procedure since they have to implement anesthesia. It’s typically a scam. Vets are just a ring below dentists on upcharges for these kind of services.

If the dog absolutely needs one removed, take them to a vet outside of the city for 1/4 of the price.

We have ours done every couple of years.

They have to be sedated.

We brush their teeth with meat tootpaste a couple of times a month and they both like to chew their big naugeine (sp) bones.

Broken teeth are a problem for some. We never give them cooked bones ... but we do sometimes give them raw bones.