What OTC dental care is safe for my dog with CHF who can't get teeth cleaned?

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 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!

I’m sorry to hear about the tooth loss. It sounds like you are trying hard to maintain good oral health and you should continue this. Definitely try to brush the teeth every day, even twice a day if possible. Pet tooth paste helps but the main benefit is the physical brushing. They also make dental diets which can improve oral health. Some pets also go on pulse therapy antibiotics to help control bacterial populations in the mouth. Unfortunately despite best efforts, dental disease can progress resulting in a he tooth loss. A fair amount of dental disease is found under the gumline and so it is hard to address without a proper dental cleaning. You may ask your veterinarian if there is an option to have you pup cared for by a specialist who may be able to preform a dental cleaning. If this is an option. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hi there and thank you for using Pet Coach! Here is a list of the products I typically recommend: 1. CET oral rinse 2. CET enzymatic toothpaste 3. Oravet chews 4. Plaque off 5. CET chlorhexidine chews Not all of these will work but I have had some mixed success using all of these. My favorite is the Oravet chew as it employs an additive known as Delmopinol to prevent tartar formation. Oravet chews are only available in veterinary clinics so you may have a hard time finding this one online. All of the other products you can find online. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns.

Her gums are likely inflamed because she has tartar underneath her gumline. She needs a dental cleaning to scale off all that tartar, then this will resolve the inflammation. I would suggest getting Chia an echocardiogram to see if she can still have surgery despite her heart condition. Many heart disease pets can go under general anesthesia. I would consider getting another vet for a second opinion here and see if you can get Chia's echocardiogram scheduled asap. I hope that your can get Chia's echo and dental scheduled soon. I would suggest using a water additive from your local pet store until then to help flush out her gums and keep the bacteria load down. Best wishes and take care!

Hi and thanks for posting on PetCoach! OraVet is great, but there are other options out there as well that may be more available. I would recommend oral health products that are approved by the Veterinary Oral Health Council. I have linked a list of approved products below. Most of the edible treats can be found easily in most pet stores. http://www.vohc.org/VOHCAcceptedProductsTable_Dogs.pdf

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is certainly a somewhat common scenario unfortunately and it is important to make sure that the potential risks do not outweigh the benefits. That is why I can understand your veterinarian's concerns. Your veterinarian could consider a course of doxycycline or clindamycin antibiotic which are commonly used for dental disease as an important component of it is likely due to an infection. Also, it would be important to make sure that you clean her teeth regularly as that is likely going to help as well. Good luck and have a great day!