Not Fergus
We have just brushed our teeth. It’s more accurate to say that I have just brushed our teeth. And, while I can’t say that Fergus enjoys it that much, he lets me do it and snuggles with me after. It’s not UNpleasant, after all. His doggy toothpaste tastes like beef1.
Yeah, no. This is not how it goes with me and Fergus2. He sits on the bathroom vanity counter politely, but is able to pull a Linda Blair with his wee head as I simultaneously chase his mouth, lift his lip with my left hand and brush as many of his teeth as I can with the little finger brush. I need to find out what the treat is that guy is giving his pup.
Why put us through this daily3 wrestling match, you ask? Just as with humans, pets’ dental health is vitally important to their overall health and longevity. If ignored, gum disease is almost certain to set in as early as age three in a dog4. Just as with humans, gum disease affects a pet’s immunity to disease, can damage their organs (heart, kidneys, liver, etc.), and leads to tooth loss. Let us not forget the chronic bad breath caused by gingivitis. For a mom who lets her puppy give her sloppy kisses on the face, that would not be a trivial consequence.
Vets also recommend an annual, thorough cleaning under anesthesia. Fergus and I haven’t done that yet, but he’ll be two in July and it’s time I give that my attention. For now, he has a beautiful, sparkly-white smile, but I don’t kid myself that my fumbling efforts each morning are adequate to maintain his dental health as well as it should be to make sure he lives a long, healthy and therefore happy little life.
He’s my closest, most adoring companion. It’s the least I can do for us both.
Gratuitous pic of Fergus being all cute, as usual
1 So says the packaging, and it smells like beef. Sort of. I’m not tasting it to verify, just sayin’. Also, never use human toothpaste to brush a dog’s teeth. It contains, xylitol (a sweetener) that is poisonous to dogs.
2 Sorry I have no video – it takes all the hands I have just to get Fergus’ teeth brushed.
3 Well, almost daily. To build it into a routine, we brush his teeth each morning after I brush my own. Also, he got a few weeks reprieve when my left arm was in a sling, but those idyllic days are over, little buddy.
4 I can’t speak to the timeline for cats, but I can attest from personal experience that not taking care of a cat’s dental health will lead to tooth loss later in his/her life, which dramatically diminishes their quality of life and shortens their life expectancy. And no one wants that.
C C Cedras
K R Brorman
S A Young
10 Comments
May 25, 2017 at 5:11 pm
I tried when the girls were small to get into a routine of cleaning their teeth with little success. Mabel would emit earsplitting screams as if I was trying to feed her poison and Maudie would kick and bite at the toothbrush thingy (and my fingers). In the end I gave in and now they get bones and dental sticks to chew on and a visit to the vet for a cleaning when needed. Perhaps I should have perservered – that video is amazing – what a smile!!
May 25, 2017 at 5:40 pm
Your girls are hilariously normal! I know I’m blessed with a little guy who’s mellow and tolerates a great deal of Mom shenanigans. When I first saw the video, I thought, “GOALS!”
May 25, 2017 at 8:13 pm
i said it before on one of your articles, and I’ll say it again:
Now, that’s a good dog!
May 26, 2017 at 12:08 am
I got very lucky! As a rank amateur dog mom, it could have gone the other way…😬
May 26, 2017 at 11:21 am
For all the dogs and cats I’ve had, many who lived long happy lives of 10-15 yrs, I never did/do dental care and never have/had problems. Maybe it’s environmental? They supplement man-made food and that keeps their teeth relatively healthy? Dumb luck – because God knows me? If nothing else it’s good bonding for you two.
I do keep Greenies on had for Stella, because her “supplementals” are RANK and girl needs a doggie Tic-Tac!
May 26, 2017 at 11:28 am
It may also have something to do with the breeds you’ve enjoyed. Cavaliers do have a higher incidence of gum disease than some other breeds. And it’s also true that dogs who eat/chew on bones and the like have better dental health. If they spend a lot of time outdoors, they maybe get to nosh on some.
May 29, 2017 at 2:54 am
Hats off to you for persevering! It is one of the things I’ve told myself, that if I ever get a puppy I’m going to brush their teeth (and ‘pretend’ to clip their claws) regularly.
I have a gel from the vets – Petdent – that I Sometimes (I’ve got used to having 10 fingers!!) rub around LM’s gums. We are lucky that she reached 11 years old before any dental problems, and even that turned out to be fine, once they scraped the plaque off.
However, some dogs, and most cats, do have ‘weak’ teeth, and good dental hygiene can save them from all the problems you mention.
Fergus is lucky to have a caring Mum. 🙂
PS LM eats pooh so I don’t let her kiss me!
May 29, 2017 at 6:24 am
Thank God Fergus doesn’t eat poo! There is the occasional cicada or attempt to sneak a dead bird past me that puts an embargo on kisses until teeth have been brushed a couple of times. Yuck.
A good friend with an older Cavalier had to take her boy in to have seven teeth removed a year or so ago. It really motivated me to be diligent about Fergus’ dental hygiene!
May 29, 2017 at 6:32 am
Oh dear! I do think certain breeds have more problems than others.
LM is a Mutt, and still has all her pearly whites even tho she’ll be 12 in July!
May 29, 2017 at 6:42 am
I agree, based on everything I read. Keeping fingers crossed that our little regimen makes a difference!