Hills T/D diet+dental care
 

Has anyone ever used this for their yorkies teeth? Because Mignons mouth is sooo tiny I cannot get my finger in their to brush her teeth and the toothbrush doesnt work good either:( my vet recommended this to me as a treat. Both of the yorkies LOVE them as cookies but I was reading the bag and I think it is actually a total diet as well.
Now I am not stupid enough to use it like that because the second I did they would not eat them anymore, but I was wondering if anyone has used this as a dental care plan and how well it worked? Mignon has already had her teeth cleaned once because of retained puppy teeth but I am afraid she might be a plaque builder, I do hope these work!

My Vet recommended this food too. Roxy's teeth just got cleaned. She is a year old and her teeth were sort of bad :(
But I looked at the ingredients and I just can't bring myself to feed it to them as a regular food. But maybe a few a day as a treat won't hurt. What are your thoughts about this??

Roxy will kinda let me brush her teeth. But maybe with more times she will let me brush them easier!

I will really have to think about this food though...

You sound like you are about on the same page as I am about it. I looked at the ingredients too and wasnt crazy about it. BUT, my dogs do love them as cookies and if it helps clean thir teeth I figure it is actually better than the junk food treats they used to get. I just hope it works, Mignons back teeth are impossible for me to brush, even the vet said he had a problem getting in there with tools:( and then she was drugged LOL!

OK. I will stop by the Vet today and grab a bag, BUT ONLY for Treats!

My guys are on special food (Duck and Potato - Natural Balance)
They only get healthy snacks anyway (raw string beans and baby spinach, Natural Balance Duck and Potato Biscuits, I just bought these pieces of Dry Salmon and I used Zukes Taining Treat Bits - Salmon flavor)

So, all in all I really try not to give my 2 JUNK!

But, a few treats I guess are ok, especially if it helps with the teeth cleaning.

I'll keep in touch and tell you how I do with them!

Hey Nicole, After I posted this am I looked at my larger yorkies teeth and I was shocked! A few weeks ago I was going to talk to the vet about scheduling him for a cleaning(they werent terrible by any stretch but they did have some tartar) anyway, they look MUCH better!! I will keep an eye on them and keep you posted too. I also am able to brush his teeth but he still had a little tartar.
I buy all those healthy treats too but I have a little boy that LOVED his Scooby Snacks LOL.

I give about six every other day to Bo and Duncan. Too big for Bo but he has pancreatitis so I have to be careful. Duncan eats them like treats. I think it is helping both of their teeth alot.

Yeah I have to smack them once with a meat hammer to make it easier for Mignon but Rio has no problems. They are VERY hard!!

So, this is actually a dry dog food that you give as treats instead of as a meal? That's how I'm understanding it. I really only like to give Tatum dry crunchy treats because I had such a bad time with my poodle's bad teeth and want to give Tatum every advantage in that area.

Okay, I just did a search on different websites and found that since this IS a "prescription diet", you need to get it from your vet. I know when my poodle was on different Science Diet prescription formulas, I could only get it from my vet. Has anyone been able to get it somewhere else (on-line maybe) without a prescription? I just called my vet and he's in surgery so the receptionist is going to ask him if I can pick some up to try. I thought it was worth a try to use it as treats for Tatum and Stormie (our Aust. Shepherd) both.

Angie I don't know if you can buy it online but the word prescription in the name doesnt mean you need one:) You can go to any vets office and buy a bag I am sure of it. If your vet doesn't carry it pehaps another one does?

Our poodle Dax was on Science Diet his whole life and I've learned that there are Science Diet foods that you can buy at pet stores and some that you can only get at the vet. Petco told me that this is one you have to get from the vet. There was one that our poodle was on at one time that a vet that was in the town I worked in would not sell it to me without permission from my vet (in the town I live and commute from). Don't know if this T/D formula is one that they are "strict" on but I know that it's one Petco does not sell to "the public". I talked to the vet later this afternoon and he said, sure, come pick up a bag. No problem. I just meant to point out that it's not like the regular Hill's Science Diet that places like Petco carries. We're going to try it out as treats for Tatum and Stormie (the Aust. Shepherd).

I am going to stop by the Vet today and grab a small bag too. But since my opinion is that the ingredient are 'horrible' I am only going to give them as treats and not as the 'MAIN MEAL'.

I have bought prescription dog food online before. One wesite is www.petrx.com They only ask you to check the box if your Vet has prescribed it for your dogs diet. And that's it!

Well, I hope this stuff works...even if it helps a little bit!

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE! :thumbup:

I feed Edie this food as her REGULAR diet. It was recommended by the vet when she was a year old, and she has been eating it for 4 years.

I used to alternate it with another food, but I noticed tartar buildup on her teeth so now it is every meal. SHE LOVES IT.

the most important thing is--her TEETH ARE PERFECT. The vet can't believe she has never had a cleaning, and she is 5 and a half years old, very activee, and acts like a puppy.

I asked the vet about the nutritional value of the food, and he believes that Hills is at the forefront of pet nutrition. Some people have a problem with the corn, but Edie does not have any skin problems so I am not going to let that bother me. In fact, it is great fiber, so when you hear people say that corn is not digestible, I say "so what?" She is obviously healthy and thriving. Besides, no offense here, but who am I going to listen to when it comes to the health of my pet---strangers on a message board or my vet?

Here is why I feed this food: THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR PET'S HEALTH IS MAINTAIN GOOD DENTAL HEALTH. Bacteria from the mouth can get into the bloodstream and cause heart, liver, and kidney damage. (This goes for people, too, by the way). I am a fanatic about my own dental hygiene, and it has carried over to my little Yorkie.

You should see her smile....it's beautiful. :D

I agree with you that Dental Care is very important. I am certainly going to try and do the best for my little ones. That's why I am willing to put my opinion about the ingredients aside and give this to them as treats. I personaly do not like the ingredients b/c they use 'by-products' and they use lots of preservatives. I just believe that Hills can certainly do a lot better by using more natural and healthy ingredients.
I am so glad that your baby has excellent teeth (I am sure a lot of people would be very jealous) and if this food works for you as a regular diet, then thats great!
I just can't bring myself to feed my 2 this food as a regular diet b/c of the ingedients. This is just my opionion and I certainly do not mean to offend anyone.
Best of TEETH Luck!