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Best bones for teeth


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I have always given my almost ten year old border collie girl half a large turkey neck daily.  If I can't source turkey necks then she gets a chicken drumstick.  I have always thought that the turkey neck would be good for her teeth as it has sinew & grizzle as well as bone that she can chew up.  I took her for her yearly check up today & it appears that she is starting to get tarter on her front teeth.  Her back teeth are fine.  The vet said that what I am giving her is not good for teeth, but I should be giving her large hard bones that she cant chew up, but not with marrow.  I have always believed that they can crack their teeth on hard bones or wear their teeth down :confused:  Opinions please !!

Edited by sheena
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I have always given my mini schnauzers lamb off cut bones. Any size. I trim all the fat off and they thoroughly enjoy chewing on them. For hours sometimes depending on the size of the bone. Every second night I give chicken necks for dinner. My vet always commented on Zena's teeth especially. She was 9 and he always said for her age her teeth were extremely good and especially for a schnauzer as they are prone to having bad teeth so I'm told. No tartar buildup, not worn down and certainly we have never dealt with any cracked teeth.

                             

 

                                 IMG_3626.thumb.JPG.7cb002f48e60b23e8ca57c25e39172a8.JPG

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Large marrow bones (cow femur) are very hard and can break teeth... I'm actually surprised your vet recommended them!

 

For my dogs I like to give brisket bones, kangaroo tails and lamb necks. All bones are given to my dogs frozen. Takes my boys about 30 to 60 minutes to get through a frozen lamb neck. Keeps those teeth sparkly clean :)

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I don't think any bones help teeth.  How can a bone get up to the gum line?  Tooth rot is worst in small dogs.  Wet food tends to worsen conditions.  If there's a problem, seems likely that brushing is the only thing that will help.  I have Labs and feed mostly dry food.  The vets always say their teeth are great.

 

Edited by sandgrubber
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We feed usually chicken bones (drummies, wings, feet or something) as all the other bones I can get at my Woolworths and butchers seem way too hard & sharp and I don't trust my dogs not to try to eat the bone.

 

Vet always says my dogs' teeth are good, last time "I think his are cleaner than mine!" Which I think is pretty good going for an 8yo.

I need to buy some bones this week, they haven't had a bone for about a fortnight! (Oops) 

 

Maybe keep feeding the bones, but also get one of the dog toothbrushes and use that too? 

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I primarily give weekly roo tails. All else I find too small to be much use. The puppy gets chicken necks but not for much longer. I'd like to give emu neck but can't find a seller. 

 

We also play tug with... its like a braided dental rope. Idk the brand, it was on sale....

 

once a fortnight I brush their teeth with water to get any build up off. 

Edited by Thistle the dog
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19 hours ago, maddogdodge said:

Large marrow bones (cow femur) are very hard and can break teeth... I'm actually surprised your vet recommended them!

 

For my dogs I like to give brisket bones, kangaroo tails and lamb necks. All bones are given to my dogs frozen. Takes my boys about 30 to 60 minutes to get through a frozen lamb neck. Keeps those teeth sparkly clean :)

I was surprised to that he recommended bones that are too hard that they can't be chewed up. For a ten year old dog, her teeth are good.  No gum disease & just tarter on the front ones...back ones are as clean as a whistle. In summer I give them frozen too most of the time

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9 hours ago, sandgrubber said:

I don't think any bones help teeth.  How can a bone get up to the gum line?  Tooth rot is worst in small dogs.  Wet food tends to worsen conditions.  If there's a problem, seems likely that brushing is the only thing that will help.  I have Labs and feed mostly dry food.  The vets always say their teeth are great.

 

You don't ??
MEATY bones are the trick :)
 large raw meaty bones like roo tails/briskets/sheep/pig head halves /spines...

A dog benefits most when pulling(front teeth- incisors/canines)  and gnawing (side teeth- carnassials/molars )  the action of muscle plus connective tissue rubbing between/around teeth  is cleaning , and gum massaging :) 

Watch a dog or other canine eating from a large carcass ... it takes great strength to pull meat/sinew, off bones ..add some missed chances, and you get a great flossing!
That glorious relaxing lying down and gnawing of the cartilage etc clinging on to a bone surface  cleans the side & back teeth - gums also get massaged and pummelled , keeping them toned & tight. 

 

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I agree with you Persephone. Watching them laying in the sun really working a nice meaty bone puts a smile on my face. Zena used to put so much effort into a bone and her teeth were great. Of course bones help clean their teeth!!!IMG_3627.thumb.JPG.05d4183f63865e772384a695b7cf3ee3.JPG

 

Zena showing off her pearly whites:heart: Love that girl

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Meaty bones absolutely do help with teeth as persephone said. My 3 dogs all have pristine teeth and gums (quoting my vet there).

 

My Kelpie is 12.5 years old and this is her teeth now... never brushed her teeth, never had any kind of dental work... This is all from regular meaty bones :)

 

 

 

Screen Shot 2017-06-21 at 11.49.03 PM.png

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7 hours ago, maddogdodge said:

Meaty bones absolutely do help with teeth as persephone said. My 3 dogs all have pristine teeth and gums (quoting my vet there).

 

My Kelpie is 12.5 years old and this is her teeth now... never brushed her teeth, never had any kind of dental work... This is all from regular meaty bones :)

 

 

 

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My vet says the same...and my oldest is a few months shy of 13....but I feed mostly dry food.  Mine love bones, but I don't have a good source and I fear cracked teeth from the big soup bones they sell at the grocery.  As for pulling apart a carcass... that's never going to happen.

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2 hours ago, sandgrubber said:

My vet says the same...and my oldest is a few months shy of 13....but I feed mostly dry food.  Mine love bones, but I don't have a good source and I fear cracked teeth from the big soup bones they sell at the grocery.  As for pulling apart a carcass... that's never going to happen.

Mine eat mostly dry food too but they get a bone at least once a week. I find if my dogs don't get regular bones they start getting tartar build up and yellowing. Sometimes my local woolworths have bags of beef brisket bones, They're actually quite soft... even frozen my dogs can get through them super quick but they still seem to do a reasonable job at teeth cleaning :) 

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