Pet Dental Health: Give Your Dog a Bone

The topic of dental care for pets can involve various choices for animal guardians. Obviously, a plan of prevention is your first line of defence. But even with prevention, many dogs and cats may still need a more extensive dental cleaning. Doing your research and arming yourself with knowledge can make those decisions easier.

That’s why I was so interested when holistic veterinarian Dr. Peter Dobias agreed to speak on dental heath at a Vancouver Raw-Fed Dogs & Cats and Natural Health Meetup. The sub-topic was bones and how they are key to preventative dental care.

From a personal standpoint, my dog is a breed (Cavalier King Charles Spaniel) who is genetically susceptible to heart problems (MVD or Mitral Valve Disease). So, I know how important it is to make sure his teeth and gums are healthy. The presence of periodontal disease and the accompanying bacterial infections can affect the heart, kidneys, and immune systems of dogs.

Before beginning his talk on dental health, Dr. Dobias emphasized that there are varied opinions on this subject and his position is one viewpoint.

“We’ve been brought up by the system that is actually conditioning us to think that there is just one truth. And what I would like to do is to dispel that idea that there is just one truth, and whatever I say is subject to discussion, subject to change, and it is just my view.”

He added, “There is not just one way to feed raw food, not just one way to feed bones, not just one way to look after teeth.”

Natural nutrition is the cornerstone of a healthy life for your animals. It is also key to optimal dental health.

“I think a raw diet is one of the good examples where we provide more nutrients than food that sits on the shelf for six to twelve months. I’m a true believer. I’ve been feeding it now for about 14 years,” says Dr. Dobias, guardian to a 19-year-old cat (Mina) and a 10-year-old dog (Skai), both raw-fed. Neither have needed a teeth scaling under anaesthesia.

Choose Your Pet’s Toys Wisely

Dr. Dobias stressed that it is important for there to be an adequate blood supply to the gums. Dogs intuitively love to chew. As such, supplying your dog with safe, non-toxic toys is a great way to stimulate this blood flow. He cautions that many pet toys are made in China, so it is important to avoid inferior, toxic-laden plastic and rubber. He also points out that tennis balls can be very abrasive and can wear a dog’s teeth down.

Ultimately, Dr. Dobias says, there is no better toy than a bone. “I always say, when we are unsure, we should look at nature.”

Common Myth: Dental Cookies and Kibble

Dr. Dobias talked about one myth out there regarding preventative dental solutions.

“The most common myth in my practice is people believe that if they feed cookies that are crunchy or kibble that is crunchy, there is going to be no build-up. But we know that these crunchy cookies are no different than our crunchy cookies. And you can just run your tongue across your teeth after eating a cookie, and you know what is happening. It’s a feast for the bacteria in the mouth. And what the bacteria does is it creates this mineralized deposit on teeth.”

Consequently, one way to prevent this tartar build-up is to decrease the carbohydrate intake for your animal.

How Does Dental Disease Develop?

The tartar starts depositing at the gum line. Bacteria will create inflammation as the surrounding tissue begins to redden. The gums will then start to recede. The bacteria eats away at the bone and exposes the root. The ligaments holding the teeth in place will deteriorate, and you will begin to see the final stages of dental disease.

Dental disease in dogs

What If Your Pet’s Tooth has a Fracture?

If your dog has excessive tooth wear or fractures his teeth, the first step is to take your dog to your vet and get a dental probe. Do this immediately. If you leave the tooth for a day or a week, the tooth may die or become infected.

Should your dog have a root canal or should the tooth be removed?

“There is no simple answer. I feel that because of the integrity of the jaw, and how dogs and cats use teeth for feeling and grabbing and so on, I would make the choice, and this is my own personal choice, of filling the tooth and doing a root canal,” says Dr. Dobias.

“I’ve noticed that if you remove a tooth in cats (a pointy tooth or canine tooth), they act like they don’t have the same sensation in the mouth. I’ve seen some cats have all the teeth removed because some people think that gingivitis should be treated with removal of all the teeth. Which from my perspective is ridiculous. I’d prefer my cat have a little gingivitis than removing all the teeth. I find that sometimes we are just so unhappy with things being imperfect.”

However, Dr. Dobias advises an extraction may be the right choice in cases where the tooth cannot be saved (if the tooth is split in half or the crown is gone). If the condition of the teeth is severe, especially for smaller dogs, he says extractions may be a better option because you don’t want to be filling a tooth over and over again.

Dental Choices

1. First line of defence is Bones…and Brushing. Do whatever you can to prevent the build-up.

2. Hand Scaling (or non-anaesthetic teeth cleaning) is the next option if there is minimal tartar build-up.

3. Dental work under anaesthesia – If hand scaling can’t be done because the animal is not cooperating or there are severe tartar deposits under the gums.

“Anaesthesia (dental cleaning) is the next level. But it has to be done in a safe way. Anaesthesia is extremely safe these days, if you do pre-anaesthetic blood work and you do IV fluids and make sure the kidneys and the body is hydrated,” says Dr. Dobias.

Bones…Nature’s Toothbrush

When it comes to tartar prevention, many people agree that brushing is great. However, how many people actually take the time to brush their dog’s teeth?

“Bones. Bones are so important,” Dr. Dobias affirms. “Without bones, I don’t think you can keep your dog’s teeth healthy.”

But the types of bones are important.

This is where, as Dr. Dobias stated at the beginning of his talk, varying views exist. That’s why it is essential that you do your homework, ask questions, research the topic. In addition, talk to owners and staff at local pet food stores and businesses that carry raw food and bones. Many have been feeding raw for well over 10 years and have dealt with numerous customers and their raw-fed dogs and cats. Different bones are appropriate for different dogs based on their chewing habits, their jaw strength, their size, and other factors. The optimal choices are unmedicated and hormone-free raw food and bones. Become informed and comfortable with your decisions.

 

A wide variety of bones are available

Note: Make sure the bones are raw. Take the frozen bones out of the freezer and thaw them in the fridge before serving them to your dog or cat. Do not cook them, as they could splinter.

At this point, meetup organizer Cheryll Forge (herself an owner of a raw diet business, Prey For Dinner), entered the discussion. She brought examples of various bones and discussed how each might be appropriate.

She held up a whole lamb tripe (thankfully in a bag). Although not a bone, she calls tripe as an “amazing toothbrush” filled with enzymes and probiotics.

“I think the ideal bones for dental care are the ones that crunch up a bit. So lamb shanks and lamb necks are ideal because they basically create the same effect as scaling,” says Dr. Dobias, adding that bones from larger animals can often be too hard for some dogs.

  Lamb shanks

Cheryll advised that it’s best to feed your dog the knuckle end of the shank and take away the hard end, which is not as easily digested.

Buffalo knuckle can be fairly soft and spongy. “You’ll find connective tissue on the outside. It’s full of glucosamine and MSM, which is nature’s way of giving dog’s healthy joints,” Cheryll noted.

Cheryll also likes feeding a whole chicken carcass as a meal for her dogs (three Jack Russell Terriers).

Dr. Dobias added that there are some bones that can be questionable in terms of safety (like ribs and turkey necks).

First time feeders may find that the bones can upset their dog’s system. “So what you want to do is feed the dog the bone for ten minutes and then you pick it up and put it in the fridge,” said Cheryl. “For a dog who’s never had a bone before, give him one the size of his head. That way he can’t swallow it.”

She also notes that you should trade your dog’s bone for something of equal or greater value before taking it away.

As for how often you should feed bones to your dog or cat, Dr. Dobias recommends at least twice a week. Check your dog’s stool. If it’s too hard and crumbly, you may be feeding too many bones.

Cheryll adds, “Some people say, ‘I don’t feed my dogs bones because they just get crazy…’ I say that’s a dog who’s telling you how important this is to him. How could you deprive him of it?

Special thanks to Dr. Peter Dobias of Dr. Dobias Healing Solutions and Cheryll Forge from Prey For Dinner for providing this information.