Dental Cleaning questions

[MaddiesMommie]

How often do Yorkies need dental cleanings by a vet?

[MaddiesMommie]

Maybe I should have asked, how often some of you have had to have cleanings. She will be put under anesthesia and I am curious how often this ie required. We do brush teeth, not like we should, and I am purchasing some Petzlife gel.

[kjc]

Good question. Yorkies are known for having bad teeth (genetics) but as breeding evolves... you make be able to get a Yorkie that is not as predisposed to having bad teeth.

That said, If your Yorkie has horrible teeth, a visit to the dentist every year for cleaning/scaling/polishing would be best. Every two years if the Yorkie has good teeth bred into their lines.

Last but not least, it depends greatly on your Yorkies' oral hygiene. If you brush their teeth, you may be able to lengthen the time between visits.

PS: Feeding kibble does not help to keep teeth clean, as was previously thought.

[MaddiesMommie]

Originally Posted by kjc

Good question. Yorkies are known for having bad teeth (genetics) but as breeding evolves... you make be able to get a Yorkie that is not as predisposed to having bad teeth.

That said, If your Yorkie has horrible teeth, a visit to the dentist every year for cleaning/scaling/polishing would be best. Every two years if the Yorkie has good teeth bred into their lines.

Last but not least, it depends greatly on your Yorkies' oral hygiene. If you brush their teeth, you may be able to lengthen the time between visits.

PS: Feeding kibble does not help to keep teeth clean, as was previously thought.

Ok, thanks. What about having them put under anesthesia every year or so?

[Ladymom]

Originally Posted by MaddiesMommie

Ok, thanks. What about having them put under anesthesia every year or so?

As far as I know, there are no long lasting effects or risks from anesthesia. I had a Siamese cat with terrible teeth who needed dentals every year.

[Raymond's Mom]

Originally Posted by MaddiesMommie

How often do Yorkies need dental cleanings by a vet?

AS INFREQUENTLY AS POSSIBLE. If the anesthesia doesn't kill the dog during the cleaning that's not going to be the issue. The issue IS the fact the repeatedly intubating the dog will severely damage the trachea. Teeth cleaning is a very high mark-up procedure for vets so they lovvveeee to recommend it but they don't warn you of this danger. And once the trachea is damaged there is no repairing it. Collapsing trachea is a horrible way for a dog to die. Like with over vaccinating pet owners feel that they're doing to right thing and the best thing for their dog when they have the teeth done frequently when in truth it's often just the opposite.

Instead brush the teeth weekly and try scraping the tarter off. Do what it takes to, as best possible, prevent the tarter buildup.

[salazark]

My Sadie is at the Vet's today having her first dental. She's two years old. I try to brush her teeth every day but I brush them at least every other day (probably 4-5 times a week). I use the Petzlife gel and I add a supplement to her water. I've pretty much done everything I can except floss them. Last Friday when I was brushing her teeth I saw a little blood so I explored. I found a loose tooth. When I looked further, the same tooth on the other side was also loose. I almost cried because I know I'm already doing everything I can to preserve her teeth. I took her to the vet on Saturday and he said that she has a small amount of tarter but not enough to cause her to lose teeth. He believes that the loose teeth are actually retained baby teeth and perhaps the adult teeth under them are malformed and never pushed them out. He said that without the loose teeth he wouldn't have suggested doing a dental on her yet. He's going to add a sealer while after he gets them good and clean. I just called and she came through it fine. I can pick her up in an hour. Whew! I'll find out more about what caused the loose teeth when I talk to my vet.

She did have several retained baby teeth pulled when she was spayed. These are in the middle bottom of her mouth. I think they are pre-molars.

[MaddiesMommie]

Originally Posted by salazark

My Sadie is at the Vet's today having her first dental. She's two years old. I try to brush her teeth every day but I brush them at least every other day (probably 4-5 times a week). I use the Petzlife gel and I add a supplement to her water. I've pretty much done everything I can except floss them. Last Friday when I was brushing her teeth I saw a little blood so I explored. I found a loose tooth. When I looked further, the same tooth on the other side was also loose. I almost cried because I know I'm already doing everything I can to preserve her teeth. I took her to the vet on Saturday and he said that she has a small amount of tarter but not enough to cause her to lose teeth. He believes that the loose teeth are actually retained baby teeth and perhaps the adult teeth under them are malformed and never pushed them out. He said that without the loose teeth he wouldn't have suggested doing a dental on her yet. He's going to add a sealer while after he gets them good and clean. I just called and she came through it fine. I can pick her up in an hour. Whew! I'll find out more about what caused the loose teeth when I talk to my vet.

She did have several retained baby teeth pulled when she was spayed. These are in the middle bottom of her mouth. I think they are pre-molars.

WHEW is right. Thanks for sharing. Glad she did great.

[MaddiesMommie]

Originally Posted by Raymond's Mom

AS INFREQUENTLY AS POSSIBLE. If the anesthesia doesn't kill the dog during the cleaning that's not going to be the issue. The issue IS the fact the repeatedly intubating the dog will severely damage the trachea. Teeth cleaning is a very high mark-up procedure for vets so they lovvveeee to recommend it but they don't warn you of this danger. And once the trachea is damaged there is no repairing it. Collapsing trachea is a horrible way for a dog to die. Like with over vaccinating pet owners feel that they're doing to right thing and the best thing for their dog when they have the teeth done frequently when in truth it's often just the opposite.

Instead brush the teeth weekly and try scraping the tarter off. Do what it takes to, as best possible, prevent the tarter buildup.

I will certainly have to look into this. I have not read about this before. What do you mean by "intubating"?

[MaddiesMommie]

Nevermind, I found some info on it. thanks for your post.

[kjc]

Originally Posted by Raymond's Mom

AS INFREQUENTLY AS POSSIBLE. If the anesthesia doesn't kill the dog during the cleaning that's not going to be the issue. The issue IS the fact the repeatedly intubating the dog will severely damage the trachea. Teeth cleaning is a very high mark-up procedure for vets so they lovvveeee to recommend it but they don't warn you of this danger. And once the trachea is damaged there is no repairing it. Collapsing trachea is a horrible way for a dog to die. Like with over vaccinating pet owners feel that they're doing to right thing and the best thing for their dog when they have the teeth done frequently when in truth it's often just the opposite.

Instead brush the teeth weekly and try scraping the tarter off. Do what it takes to, as best possible, prevent the tarter buildup.

I do totally agree with this post. There is always a risk any time a dog is anesthetized, and as Yorkie owners we do have to be worried about mishaps with intubation.

The intubation tube has to fit the trachea exactly during a dental and surgery to prevent water and fluids from entering the lungs. So using a smaller trach tube to prevent tracheal collapse is not an option.

Avoidance of needing dentals, then, would be our safest line of defence, by practicing good oral hygiene.

I add coconut oil to their food, as it coats the teeth and has antibacterial properties, which work to fight tooth and gum decay. I also add it to their tooth paste for those same reasons.

Either way, bad teeth are a health risk, as they are so close to the blood supply, and a dog can become irreversibly septic from an infected mouth, and can die from the infection alone.

[kjc]

Originally Posted by MaddiesMommie

I will certainly have to look into this. I have not read about this before. What do you mean by "intubating"?

This is the act of putting a plastic trach/intubation tube into the dog's trachea (windpipe). The end of which is then hooked up to a machine that breathes for the dog and supplies oxygen and inhaled gas (Isoflorane) in balance to keep the dog unconscious to a level that procedures can be safely performed on the dog.

[kjc]

One more time:

Tracheal Collapse can occur when intubating a dog with a trach tube that is too big, and it causes damage to the trachea (can stretch it in places) which causes it not to be rigid enough to maintain an open airway. Visualize a vacuum cleaner hose...very rigid but if you step on it you can smash it and restrict the air flow. The hose flexes back but may be weakened at that point. Windpipes look just like little see-through white plastic vacuum hoses, though not quite as strong.

There is research being done at the University of Tennessee to come up with a better material to use to repair the windpipe of dogs with Collapsed Trachea (in some Yorkies this is a congenital condition- they are born with it). So far surgeries have not been very successful long term, and they have been using materials used for repairing human tracheas, but these are to big (adjustments are made by the surgeon) and bulky causing eventual catastophic failure a few months after implantation.

[salazark]

Originally Posted by MaddiesMommie

WHEW is right. Thanks for sharing. Glad she did great.

Thanks! I've got her home and she's fine - just sleepy. He said that they definately were baby teeth but he couldn't find any permanent teeth underneeth them. He said it's not a problem at all because they aren't the important "chewing" teeth. He said it might actually be good because it will give her mouth more room. I'm glad that's over!

[ladyjane]

Originally Posted by Raymond's Mom

AS INFREQUENTLY AS POSSIBLE. If the anesthesia doesn't kill the dog during the cleaning that's not going to be the issue. The issue IS the fact the repeatedly intubating the dog will severely damage the trachea. Teeth cleaning is a very high mark-up procedure for vets so they lovvveeee to recommend it but they don't warn you of this danger. And once the trachea is damaged there is no repairing it. Collapsing trachea is a horrible way for a dog to die. Like with over vaccinating pet owners feel that they're doing to right thing and the best thing for their dog when they have the teeth done frequently when in truth it's often just the opposite.

Instead brush the teeth weekly and try scraping the tarter off. Do what it takes to, as best possible, prevent the tarter buildup.

I suppose it depends upon the vet, but I have never been advised to do a dental when it was not needed. I also have had dentals done on my pups yearly or every other year for over 15 years now and have never had one develop CT because of the intubation during a surgical procedure.

I have had yorkies with CT but it did not start following any surgical procedure. Not saying it is impossible. I just don't want people to think that avoidance of a needed dental because of the fear of intubation is reasonable. IMO it is not. Again....risk vs benefit. Dogs can die due to the ill effects from dental disease.

As for scaling the teeth yourself, that is extremely irritating to a pup. I don't think there are many that would sit still for it. Brushing is great, but it is simply not going to remove all tartar and/or prevent the need for dentals.