It has been a really long time since I contributed to this dog blog endeavor and I truly wish I hadn't quit. A lot has happened in the year since I have given an update about the doggos:
In September 2023, around the time I stopped writing, Yoto acquired an anal sac infection that became antibiotic resistant due to the mainstream reckless attituide towards antibiotics in this country that exists within both the medical and veterinary medical field. Both in the United Kingdom and in the United States, it is well known that in order to prevent residual infectious bacteria from developing an antibiotic resistance, the drugs should be administered for longer than the symptoms persist - and you should NEVER end a course of antibiotics prematurely. The strain of e-coli that he was infected with became resistant to the first antibiotic, which turned out to be the only antibiotic that could have safely been administered orally to address the infection. In the end, he overcame the illness only after I suggested a daily flushing of the sac with an antimicrobial agent, which was done for two weeks to be certain that it was gone. A costly and distressing ordeal!
In May of this year, both dogs had their annual checkup (Yoto with bloods as he is 8 years old now). They are both in rude health, although Yoto's bloods alterted me to the fact that I have been feeding him too many high protein dried meat treats - his blood urea nitrogen was above the ideal healthy range. Another thing that I was alerted to was the fact that Yoto has developed dental calculus. Maintaining oral health in dogs (as in humans) is vital. 80 - 90% of dogs over the age of 3 have some form of periodontal disease. The bacteria that live within the tartar and which afflict the gums when periodontal disease is present secrete chemicals that have a deletirious effect upon cardiovascular and nephritic health - that is to say they affect the heart, blood vessels and kidneys. Both heart disease and kidney disease can be life threatening and are completely avoidable but sadly very common in older dogs.
I've been trying to address the surface tartar with daily brushing with a dental gel known as TropiClean. It has been somewhat effective for the tartar on the upper teeth when accompanied by long brushing sessions but sadly, it does not adequately do the job on the lower row and does not do what it says on the tin! I receive regular instragram adverts for "miracle tartar remover brushes" that are no doubt made in China and are completely ineffective or, if they do work, likely to be highly toxic.
One affordable option that is available at some vet clinics for tartar removal from your dog's teeth is a manual scraping, which costs around €25 - 35. Not all vets offer it as the procedure is difficult to perform. It can be done on all the teeth but there is the question of whether or not the dog will hold still for it to be done safely. Some vets advise against it as it can damage the enamel surface of the tooth. Note: although you can buy the scrapers from amazon or eBay, this is not a procedure that should be performed at home as you are likely to do more harm than good.
The problem with manual scraping, however, is that it only gets the tartar that is on the surface and cannot reach that which has formed below the gumline, meaning that your dog may still regularly get gingivitis. I had a manual scraping done on Prince when he had a little bit of tartar on his fangs. In Yoto's case, I believe that this method would be insufficient and extremely difficult to fully do as most of the tartar that has formed is on the inner side of the lower row of teeth. Personally, I would only recommend a manual scraping of dental calculus if you cannot afford a dental with anaesthetic.
Although I am woefully short of money right now, I have been transferring a fixed sum of money each month into a sub-account for medical expenses. If you do not have insurance then you have to do this! Thankfully, I have accrued a large enough pot to cover a dental cleaning and still have a safe buffer. Were it not for the fact that he had regularly stayed with a friend with whom I had a dog sharing relationship and were it not for the fact that this person was ambivalent and deaf to my lectures on canine dental health and its impact on disease risk factors, I would likely not have to fork out this money.
The reason why so many dog owners are ambivalent, however, is that some dogs go their entire lives with perfect teeth, free from calcified muck and grime, without their owners having to brush their teeth at all. Poodles, it seems, are not in that class. Despite being raw fed and despite having their teeth cleaned thoroughly most days, both of my boys are prone to the accumulation of tartar. Thus far, Prince has never needed a full dental because I've been brushing his teeth his whole life. Yoto is older and this will be his second. I intend to schedule it for November, when I return from my friend's wedding, lest I should spend all that money to improve his oral health only to come back and find him afflicted again with gingivitis!
When brushing your dog's teeth, it is recommended to use a fingerling (a sock that goes on your finger) or a soft bristled brush (softer than for human teeth) and also use a toothpaste with enzymes. Brushing with a normal toothbrush can scratch the enamel and lead to demineralisation. Human toothpaste usually contains fluoride, which re-mineralises the teeth and hardens the enamel but this is unsuitable for dogs. Toothpaste for dogs does not contain fluoride as they would swallow it and it could potentially lead to toxicity.
NEVER USE HUMAN TOOTHPASTE ON YOUR DOG. Aside from fluoride, human toothpaste often contains xylitol, which is highly toxic to dogs. Xylitol is an artificial sweetener that your dog's system cannot differentiate from glucose so their pancreas releases insulin, which leads to hypoglycemia or can, in the worst case scenario, lead to liver failure. If your dog ever consumes something containing xylitol, you need to give them something very high in sugar asap - dextrose tabs or syrup - and get them to your local emergency vet immediately.
I'm going to leave it there now because I'm rambling and no one is going to read this anyway. Goodnight, folks!
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