Of course this too is debatable. Luckily, it’s not difficult for those of us that aren’t veterinarians to make a personal choice about teeth cleaning for our dogs. The American Veterinarian Medical Association says that you should have your dog’s teeth cleaned. It’s important to recognize though that they are promoting the use of their own members, so of course this is their stance on the matter. On the flip side of this debate there are people that argue that dogs have been around for millions of years and did fine without having their teeth brushed for the majority of that time. Here’s my simple recommendation, do what you can yourself to maintain the health of your dog’s teeth in an effort to avoid having your dog anesthetized yearly for a professional cleaning. A few things you can do: 1) Give your dog real cow femur bones to gnaw on. You can buy them at most grocery stores – ask your butcher. I’ve included a link to a study conducted by the National Institutes of Health confirming that this help to keep your dog’s teeth clean. The bone marrow is also very good for your dog. 2) Brush your dogs teeth after teaching your dog to enjoy it. I’ve included a link on how to teach your dog to love getting his teeth brushed. 3) Ask your vet to give you a tutorial on how to inspect your dog’s teeth so you know what to look for. Just these few steps may help you avoid having to have your dog’s teeth professionally cleaned which requires the dog be restrained in a manner that is not pleasant, or risk having your dog anesthetized
