A caution about dental chews - YorkieTalk.com Forums

Bluebells · 02-10-2021, 10:44 AM

I’m posting this under “General” rather than as a product review, since I can’t be positive the product caused the issue. I believe it did, but everyone can draw their own conclusions

As background, Jax had a wellness visit with his vet on Friday, January 31st. After his exam, the vet went out of her way to enthuse over how “fantastic” he looked in every way (except his eyes, of course, since he’s vision impaired).

One thing we talked about, specifically, was dental chews. She said his teeth looked “pearly white” and I asked her opinion of dental chews as a way of keeping them healthy. My concern was that since Jax is small (a tiny bit over five pounds) and the few chews I tried in the fall became very gummy when chewed, they might impact his digestive tract, so I took them away after a short time. She said that, as long as he was supervised while consuming them, any dental chew that is VOHC approved should break down in a dog’s digestive tract within 24 hours and should pass without any problem.

So, a week after the vet exam, on the evening of Friday, February 5th, I gave him a VOHC approved DentaLife dental chew. He stayed on my lap while consuming it, and he loved it.

All seemed well on Saturday morning & afternoon. Jax didn’t eat much, but he’s never been a morning eater. I also noticed that he only had a small early morning BM, and he skipped his usual mid-morning BM, but he was acting normal.

I didn’t become concerned until he refused his dinner that night, which is very unusual for him. He also refused treats. But he did pass a small but normal looking BM before bedtime.

He slept soundly all Saturday night. On Sunday morning, he refused his regular food and treats and did not have any BMs. He also started passing extremely noxious gas. (Seriously, how can a five pound dog pass such large amounts of noxious gas that it fills the entire house?) He was willing to lap turkey baby food mixed with water, but that’s all he would eat all day.

By Sunday afternoon, I was wavering about whether I needed to take him to an emergency vet. There are two within an hour’s drive from my home, but I’ve never had a good experience with either. And he wasn’t vomiting or having diarrhea or acting distressed, he was just mostly refusing food, not having BMs, and passing noxious gas. I kept feeding him small amounts of the turkey baby food mixed with water, which was the only thing he would eat.

Sunday evening, he passed finally passed a BM, but it wasn’t normal — very soft and, while it didn’t look bloody, it did stain the paper towel I used to pick it up slightly pink. At that point, I decided that if he passed another abnormal BM or vomited, I would head for one of the ER vets. However, he went to sleep and slept soundly all night.

Monday morning, he still wouldn’t eat anything but the watered down baby food. He passed one small but sticky BM, which seemed a little darker brown than normal in color but didn’t stain the paper towel pink. However, by then, I was really worried, so I called his regular vet and took him in, along with that morning’s BM.

He had stopped passing the noxious gas after the Sunday night BM, but I was still concerned about a partial blockage or HGE. The vet agreed that the morning’s BM was “off” in color but there appeared to be little if any blood. She ran blood work, and his hematocrit was low-normal. So she felt he probably had some minor bleeding / irritation of his stomach or upper digestive tract but it wasn’t critical. He came home with antibiotics, probiotics and an anti-nausea medicine in addition to a few cans of “bland” dog food.

Unfortunately, he won’t eat the bland dog food, but yesterday (Tuesday) he decided he would eat boiled chicken and rice (which he rejected Sunday and Monday). He had another “sticky” BM Tuesday morning; then he had small but otherwise normal BMs on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning (this morning). His appetite seems a little improved, although he still leaves his kibble if I try to mix a few pieces in with his baby food or chicken & rice. He’s alert playful, though, and seems to be feeling well.

Sorry if this was overly long and detailed, but I wanted to give a full picture of what happened after the dental chew. It could be a coincidence that this episode happened just after he ate the dental chew, but I’m not willing to take that chance so I’m throwing them out. Everyone else can form their own opinion.

Lovetodream88 · 02-10-2021, 07:16 PM

I hope he is back to normal soon. Joey has a very sensitive stomach with chews so I have no doubt it was probably the chews. The issue I had with chews led me to look at the ingredients harder and even vet approved chews seem to have not the best stuff in them. I definitely would have thrown the chews out too.

Bluebells · 02-11-2021, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lovetodream88

I hope he is back to normal soon. Joey has a very sensitive stomach with chews so I have no doubt it was probably the chews. The issue I had with chews led me to look at the ingredients harder and even vet approved chews seem to have not the best stuff in them. I definitely would have thrown the chews out too.

I started to say that Jax doesn’t have a very sensitive stomach, but that might not be true. He actually hasn’t ever had much variety in his diet, so his stomach could be sensitive without me realizing it. He’s still eating the same kibble I started him on when he was 12 weeks old, with the only change being from puppy to adult. And I wouldn’t need many more than the fingers on one hand to count the “people” food I’ve ever given him. I guess I should consider his stomach sensitive unless I have some reason to think otherwise.

He does seem to be feeling a lot better, except that he’s still not passing as much poop as normal. I’m hoping that’s just because of the bland diet and medications.

Lovetodream88 · 02-11-2021, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bluebells

I started to say that Jax doesn’t have a very sensitive stomach, but that might not be true. He actually hasn’t ever had much variety in his diet, so his stomach could be sensitive without me realizing it. He’s still eating the same kibble I started him on when he was 12 weeks old, with the only change being from puppy to adult. And I wouldn’t need many more than the fingers on one hand to count the “people” food I’ve ever given him. I guess I should consider his stomach sensitive unless I have some reason to think otherwise.

He does seem to be feeling a lot better, except that he’s still not passing as much poop as normal. I’m hoping that’s just because of the bland diet and medications.

Human food like chicken and rice can cause less poo. Glad he is feeling better.

Jkpal · 02-13-2021, 06:13 AM

Sorry if this was overly long and detailed, but I wanted to give a full picture of what happened after the dental chew. It could be a coincidence that this episode happened just after he ate the dental chew, but I’m not willing to take that chance so I’m throwing them out. Everyone else can form their own opinion.

It's excellent that you are so detailed and offered such in an easy-to-understand timeframe. This is exactly the kind of info I want...Thank you! And now I know nooo dental chews for Piper, period! Just ain't worth it to me. Thanks for informative post. And hugs and smooches for your sweet, now healthy baby boy!

matese · 02-13-2021, 08:08 AM

Call me a poop investigator, I know just what Cody's poop should look and feel like, if I see or feel a difference in it's conformity, red flag goes up.

3 years ago after Cody's dental cleaning my vet advised me to give him one OraVet Dental Hygiene Chew a day, she said it was very good in helping to break down plaque and clean the teeth.

(OraVet is VOHC approved and can only be purchased at a vets office or Chewy, but they will contact your vet for approval)

The next day I gave him one, on his 2nd poop of the day I noticed his poop was a bit softer than normal.
2nd day I gave him one OraVet chew, his poop was now sticky, I figure this is something new for his digestive system as he gets no table food what so ever and his digestive system will get used to it.

I gave him one a day for 7 days, poop was greenish in color because the OraVet is green, his poop was very sticky with every bowel movement, obviously his system was not adjusting to it.

That was it for me. No matter how good it may for his teeth it was affecting his digestive system so I stopped.

Cody does not get any type of dental chew, I wouldn't say he has a sensitive digestive system as I give him a variety of fruits and veggies, cauliflower has an effect on him so he doesn't get that.
OraVet is a good product if your pup can handle it, mine couldn't could not, but that is not to say every dog will get the same effects Cody did.

Just my 2 cents on dental chews.

Jkpal · 02-13-2021, 10:11 AM

Piper was missing some teeth when she came to me and had four teeth pulled a couple of months after I brought her home. I'd love to save her remaining teeth, but not at risking her overall health. She's energetic and happy and eats well. We're doing ok without dental chews, so far!

Bluebells · 02-13-2021, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jkpal

Sorry if this was overly long and detailed, but I wanted to give a full picture of what happened after the dental chew. It could be a coincidence that this episode happened just after he ate the dental chew, but I’m not willing to take that chance so I’m throwing them out. Everyone else can form their own opinion.

It's excellent that you are so detailed and offered such in an easy-to-understand timeframe. This is exactly the kind of info I want...Thank you! And now I know nooo dental chews for Piper, period! Just ain't worth it to me. Thanks for informative post. And hugs and smooches for your sweet, now healthy baby boy!

He’s still not pooping completely normally, but I’m guessing that is because of the bland diet and the medications. He’s alert and happy and playful, though, so I know he’s feeling okay.

I’m still thinking over how the chew might have affected his system. It was the “5 to 30 pound dog” size, but it was pretty big for his little mouth — cylindrical in shape, about 2 inches long and 3/4 inch in diameter, and very hard and ridged before it was chewed. I’m thinking it’s possible he swallowed some of the pieces that broke off before they were masticated enough to become gummy, and those pieces might have irritated his stomach and/or upper digestive tract. That’s just a guess though, and I’m certainly not willing to experiment with one again to see whether it happens again.

Bluebells · 02-13-2021, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by matese

Call me a poop investigator, I know just what Cody's poop should look and feel like, if I see or feel a difference in it's conformity, red flag goes up.

3 years ago after Cody's dental cleaning my vet advised me to give him one OraVet Dental Hygiene Chew a day, she said it was very good in helping to break down plaque and clean the teeth.

(OraVet is VOHC approved and can only be purchased at a vets office or Chewy, but they will contact your vet for approval)

The next day I gave him one, on his 2nd poop of the day I noticed his poop was a bit softer than normal.
2nd day I gave him one OraVet chew, his poop was now sticky, I figure this is something new for his digestive system as he gets no table food what so ever and his digestive system will get used to it.

I gave him one a day for 7 days, poop was greenish in color because the OraVet is green, his poop was very sticky with every bowel movement, obviously his system was not adjusting to it.

That was it for me. No matter how good it may for his teeth it was affecting his digestive system so I stopped.

Cody does not get any type of dental chew, I wouldn't say he has a sensitive digestive system as I give him a variety of fruits and veggies, cauliflower has an effect on him so he doesn't get that.
OraVet is a good product if your pup can handle it, mine couldn't could not, but that is not to say every dog will get the same effects Cody did.

Just my 2 cents on dental chews.

The sticky poop sounds like what Jax started passing after the initial irritation (and the one slightly blood stained BM). It was very sticky & gummy, to the point he had difficulty shaking it off his rear end.

My vet does seem to be a big proponent of VOHC approved dental chews, and I would love to be able to keep his teeth healthy ... but not at the risk of his digestive health.

Jkpal · 02-14-2021, 05:29 AM

My vet does seem to be a big proponent of VOHC approved dental chews, and I would love to be able to keep his teeth healthy ... but not at the risk of his digestive health.

I am sooo with you on that.

ladyjane · 02-14-2021, 05:30 AM

Many years ago I had a bad experience with Greenies and after that I swore off ALL edible chews. This was before Greenies changed their formula but I still refused even after they swore they were safe.
I have seen too many pups have problems with edible chews....from choking to GI issues including obstructions.
Anyway....
I don't use ANY edible chews. I find them totally unnecessary.

02-10-2021, 10:44 AM	#1
Bluebells YT Addict Join Date: Apr 2020 Location: North Carolina, USA Posts: 370	A caution about dental chews I’m posting this under “General” rather than as a product review, since I can’t be positive the product caused the issue. I believe it did, but everyone can draw their own conclusions As background, Jax had a wellness visit with his vet on Friday, January 31st. After his exam, the vet went out of her way to enthuse over how “fantastic” he looked in every way (except his eyes, of course, since he’s vision impaired). One thing we talked about, specifically, was dental chews. She said his teeth looked “pearly white” and I asked her opinion of dental chews as a way of keeping them healthy. My concern was that since Jax is small (a tiny bit over five pounds) and the few chews I tried in the fall became very gummy when chewed, they might impact his digestive tract, so I took them away after a short time. She said that, as long as he was supervised while consuming them, any dental chew that is VOHC approved should break down in a dog’s digestive tract within 24 hours and should pass without any problem. So, a week after the vet exam, on the evening of Friday, February 5th, I gave him a VOHC approved DentaLife dental chew. He stayed on my lap while consuming it, and he loved it. All seemed well on Saturday morning & afternoon. Jax didn’t eat much, but he’s never been a morning eater. I also noticed that he only had a small early morning BM, and he skipped his usual mid-morning BM, but he was acting normal. I didn’t become concerned until he refused his dinner that night, which is very unusual for him. He also refused treats. But he did pass a small but normal looking BM before bedtime. He slept soundly all Saturday night. On Sunday morning, he refused his regular food and treats and did not have any BMs. He also started passing extremely noxious gas. (Seriously, how can a five pound dog pass such large amounts of noxious gas that it fills the entire house?) He was willing to lap turkey baby food mixed with water, but that’s all he would eat all day. By Sunday afternoon, I was wavering about whether I needed to take him to an emergency vet. There are two within an hour’s drive from my home, but I’ve never had a good experience with either. And he wasn’t vomiting or having diarrhea or acting distressed, he was just mostly refusing food, not having BMs, and passing noxious gas. I kept feeding him small amounts of the turkey baby food mixed with water, which was the only thing he would eat. Sunday evening, he passed finally passed a BM, but it wasn’t normal — very soft and, while it didn’t look bloody, it did stain the paper towel I used to pick it up slightly pink. At that point, I decided that if he passed another abnormal BM or vomited, I would head for one of the ER vets. However, he went to sleep and slept soundly all night. Monday morning, he still wouldn’t eat anything but the watered down baby food. He passed one small but sticky BM, which seemed a little darker brown than normal in color but didn’t stain the paper towel pink. However, by then, I was really worried, so I called his regular vet and took him in, along with that morning’s BM. He had stopped passing the noxious gas after the Sunday night BM, but I was still concerned about a partial blockage or HGE. The vet agreed that the morning’s BM was “off” in color but there appeared to be little if any blood. She ran blood work, and his hematocrit was low-normal. So she felt he probably had some minor bleeding / irritation of his stomach or upper digestive tract but it wasn’t critical. He came home with antibiotics, probiotics and an anti-nausea medicine in addition to a few cans of “bland” dog food. Unfortunately, he won’t eat the bland dog food, but yesterday (Tuesday) he decided he would eat boiled chicken and rice (which he rejected Sunday and Monday). He had another “sticky” BM Tuesday morning; then he had small but otherwise normal BMs on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning (this morning). His appetite seems a little improved, although he still leaves his kibble if I try to mix a few pieces in with his baby food or chicken & rice. He’s alert playful, though, and seems to be feeling well. Sorry if this was overly long and detailed, but I wanted to give a full picture of what happened after the dental chew. It could be a coincidence that this episode happened just after he ate the dental chew, but I’m not willing to take that chance so I’m throwing them out. Everyone else can form their own opinion.

02-10-2021, 07:16 PM	#2
Lovetodream88 Yorkie mom of 4 Donating YT Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: LaPlata, Md Posts: 23,249	I hope he is back to normal soon. Joey has a very sensitive stomach with chews so I have no doubt it was probably the chews. The issue I had with chews led me to look at the ingredients harder and even vet approved chews seem to have not the best stuff in them. I definitely would have thrown the chews out too. __________________ Taylor My babies Joey, Penny ,Ollie & Dixie Callie Mae, you will forever be in my heart!

02-13-2021, 08:08 AM	#6
matese Donating YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: E.Stroudsburg, Pa. Posts: 69,269	Call me a poop investigator, I know just what Cody's poop should look and feel like, if I see or feel a difference in it's conformity, red flag goes up. 3 years ago after Cody's dental cleaning my vet advised me to give him one OraVet Dental Hygiene Chew a day, she said it was very good in helping to break down plaque and clean the teeth. (OraVet is VOHC approved and can only be purchased at a vets office or Chewy, but they will contact your vet for approval) The next day I gave him one, on his 2nd poop of the day I noticed his poop was a bit softer than normal. 2nd day I gave him one OraVet chew, his poop was now sticky, I figure this is something new for his digestive system as he gets no table food what so ever and his digestive system will get used to it. I gave him one a day for 7 days, poop was greenish in color because the OraVet is green, his poop was very sticky with every bowel movement, obviously his system was not adjusting to it. That was it for me. No matter how good it may for his teeth it was affecting his digestive system so I stopped. Cody does not get any type of dental chew, I wouldn't say he has a sensitive digestive system as I give him a variety of fruits and veggies, cauliflower has an effect on him so he doesn't get that. OraVet is a good product if your pup can handle it, mine couldn't could not, but that is not to say every dog will get the same effects Cody did. Just my 2 cents on dental chews. __________________ Joan, mom to Cody RIP Matese Schnae Kajon Kia forever in my A House Is Not A Home Without A Dog

02-14-2021, 05:30 AM	#11
ladyjane Resident Yorkie Nut Donating YT 20K Club Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 27,490	Many years ago I had a bad experience with Greenies and after that I swore off ALL edible chews. This was before Greenies changed their formula but I still refused even after they swore they were safe. I have seen too many pups have problems with edible chews....from choking to GI issues including obstructions. Anyway.... I don't use ANY edible chews. I find them totally unnecessary. __________________ CLOUD NINE BEDS--YORKIE HAVEN RESCUE MY ETSY SHOP

02-13-2021, 06:13 AM	#5
Jkpal YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Lake Geneva, WI Posts: 2,777	Sorry if this was overly long and detailed, but I wanted to give a full picture of what happened after the dental chew. It could be a coincidence that this episode happened just after he ate the dental chew, but I’m not willing to take that chance so I’m throwing them out. Everyone else can form their own opinion. It's excellent that you are so detailed and offered such in an easy-to-understand timeframe. This is exactly the kind of info I want...Thank you! And now I know nooo dental chews for Piper, period! Just ain't worth it to me. Thanks for informative post. And hugs and smooches for your sweet, now healthy baby boy!

02-13-2021, 10:11 AM	#7
Jkpal YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Lake Geneva, WI Posts: 2,777	Piper was missing some teeth when she came to me and had four teeth pulled a couple of months after I brought her home. I'd love to save her remaining teeth, but not at risking her overall health. She's energetic and happy and eats well. We're doing ok without dental chews, so far!

02-14-2021, 05:29 AM	#10
Jkpal YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Lake Geneva, WI Posts: 2,777	My vet does seem to be a big proponent of VOHC approved dental chews, and I would love to be able to keep his teeth healthy ... but not at the risk of his digestive health. I am sooo with you on that.