[KJLive]

Originally Posted by Nancy1999

Oh aren't you sweet! Before I even got a Yorkie, I was really concerned about one of their weaknesses inherent in the breed, and that is tartar. Tartar is no minor thing; it leads to gingivitis and tooth loss. Many Yorkies lose their teeth at a young age, due to tartar buildup, and it causes a host of problems including bad breath, and even more serious problems, such as heart disease. Bacteria can get in gum pockets, and go to the heart. So I've tried to do everything I could to help prevent tartar build-up. Toothbushing, Petzlife, dry kibble, and hard chewing sticks, are some of the choices I've made. The bully sticks are mainly an aid to cleaning the teeth, he just happens to love chewing on them. The pig ear, and cow ears are mainly a "snack" treat, and because Joey tends to have a weight problem, he doesn't need snacks. Here's what one site says about pig ears, I did feed him a cow's ear, I got from the vet, and he ate it in less than a day.

I knew you'd set me straight! Sophie ate both of hers this weekend also. I find that if I give her either the Bullystick or Pig Ears, she doesn't want to eat her kibble. So I told my daughter (daytime furbabysitter) that she is not permitted to have the bullystick laying out all day any longer. Hopefully this will inspire her to head back to the kibble dish.