How can I clean my dog's teeth at home if vet cleaning is too costly?

I am so sorry that your pet has dental disease and a heart condition. Unfortunatley the tartar that causes dental disease is mostly underneath the gumline, hence the name periodontal disease. So most of the tartar that we see on the surface of the tooth is not the main issue here. It is the tartar that is touching the gum and underneath the gum that is the problem. This isn't tartar that you will be able to get off with the pet awake, because it will be uncomfortable for the pet. Also, you have a good chance of causing damage to the gum trying to do this in any awake dog. What you are asking is not possible unfortunatley. However, there are a number of heart dogs that can actually go under anesthesia for a dental cleaning, even with a heart condition. I would suggest taking Chhutki to get an echocardiogram of her heart to determine if she is a good candidate for anesthesia and then go from there. If she isn't, then the only thing you can really do here is to do a daily oral rinse and water additive such as this one --> https://www.chewy.com/nylabone-advanced-oral-care-liquid/dp/47912 Dental disease and at home care recommendations --> https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951515 I do hope that your pet Chhutki proves to be ok to go under general anesthesia, just like many other heart disease pets, and can appropriateliy address her dental disease condition. Best of luck moving forward. Take care. : )

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! Sadly the only way to get that thick tartar off is with an ultrasonic scaler. And dogs do not stay still for this to happen awake. We also do not know the extent of the periodontal disease in dogs awake. Once the tartar is chipped away we can probe the sockets and take X-rays to determine if the roots are diseased or abscessed, which requires extraction. Leaving diseased teeth in the mouth leaves the dog with chronic pain and risk for abscesses popping through the skin. The only thing you can do at home is try to chip the tartar with your nails if Deeva will even allow you to do so. Do not get bit. You can start brushing her teeth to at least prevent further tartar build up but brushing will not remove what is there. Below is a link to the Veterinary Oral Health Council's approved products. You can try some of the products to see if they help. Also Veterinary dentists recommend a MINIMUM of 3 days a week of teeth brushing. Anything less is likely not doing anything. I wish you the best! http://www.vohc.org/accepted_products_dogs.html

It’s time for Nena to have her teeth professionally cleaned by her veterinarian. That is very heavy tartar on her teeth and over time, she will start to get a separation of her gums from the teeth. This will lead to infections, loose teeth, dental pain and can lead to endocarditis, kidney and liver problems. She also had a retained puppy tooth that needs to be extracted as it is causing problems and stretching the socket (there should only be one tooth there). Small breed dogs tend to be prone to dental disease. They need the teeth cleaned at least once a year by the veterinarian in order to maintain good oral health. At home, brushing the teeth with dog tooth paste every day can help. Special dog foods, treats and toys can help but they don’t help clean the front of the mouth as pets don’t use that to chew. Even with this action, she will still need her teeth professionally cleaned. Better to get this taken care of soon. Once the damage is done to the teeth, it’s permanent. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

By your description, it is possible your dog has significant tartar build up and possibly periodontal disease. Daily brushing with a pet approved tooth paste/brush can slow the progression. It will not remove existing tartar or clean effectively under the gums. What your dog likely needs is a complete physical exam including oral exam followed by a dental cleaning and dental x-rays under anesthesia. She may need extractions if the periodontal disease is severe. Without treatment, she can have a chronic low grade infection which has the potential to spread to other organs. Eating may become difficult which can further complicate the condition. Discuss payment plans or alternative financing such as CareCredit with your veterinarian. You may also be able to secure financial assistance through Red Rover (www.redrover.org).

Hi and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The gold standard for at home dental care is brushing teeth. However, we all know this is not easy for you or your pet!! If Lilly will let you do so, then yes, I recommend getting a silicone tooth brush (finger or long handle- whichever is easier) and brushing her teeth all the way from her back molars to her front incisors. I also recommend the dental chews called OraVet. They tend to work a little bit better reducing plaque and maintaining better smelling breath. You can likely find these dental chews at your local veterinary's office. With age and time, dog's teeth tend to build tartar more quickly. Therefore, I recommend brushing, dental chews and even particular dental food. Thanks for being so on top of Lilly's care! You are doing a great job!

Hi. Just as in humans, yes dental problems can be very painful. There aren't any ways with that much damage you can help at home, other then softening the food to help her eat. There are no safe human or over the counter pain medications unless directed by your veterinarian. A veterinarian would perform a full exam, recommend a dental under anesthesia and clean the teeth. While cleaning, they also check for loose teeth, bone loss, pockets, abscesses, x-rays, etc. to determine which teeth should be extracted for the patients health and comfort. Warning signs of dental disease are redness of gums, loose teeth, bad breath, pain, decreased appetite, chewing differently, and guarded of mouth. You'll need to watch his appetite, pain level, and quality of life.

Truly your dog needs to have dental cleaning under anesthesia to evaluate these teeth and clean up all the tartar and around the gumline. Unfortunately most of the time loose teeth need to be removed and it also sounds like your dog could have some gingival recession that needs to be evaluated. I would make an appointment with your vet for an oral exam and most likely they will want you to schedule a dental procedure. Brushing teeth at home is great and will slow buildup of tartar, but it isn't going to fix the problems that Tiger has right now.