It's time to start feeding edible, raw bones.

 

What type of bones do you suggest I feed him.

 

Yuck, that sounds kinda nasty looking. A few years ago, my hound mix's canine tooth turned grayish on the lower half. We couldn't afford to take her to the vet right away, so we just kept an eye on it. A few months later, it went away on it's own. We had the vet check it shortly afterwards and he said that since it looked normal then we didn't need to do anything; said it was probably from some sort of trauma that just needed to heal. That being said, I would for sure recommend that you take Fallen to the vet; just because my experience with gray teeth turned out ok doesn't mean your's will!

As far as his teeth getting tartar (I'm assuming that's what the yellowish color is) at such a young age, my puppy does too. I just make sure he gets plenty of chewies (RMB, some rawhide, etc.) and it keeps his teeth white.

 

I'll be interested to know what the vet says. Let us know.

 

If they really are grey and not brown/tartar looking, I would almost be concerned that there is something else going on. Sometimes if a tooth is damaged it can die and turn grey.

 

Well, if it really is tartar and not some underlying issue that is actually causing the teeth to change color, then edible raw meaty bones will help by scraping and flossing the teeth.

Beef ribs are good rec. bones in that they are not fully edible (hard - which is good - they will scrape teeth) but they are not so hard, like marrow and soup bones, that they will break teeth. I think this would be best for a kibble fed dog since it isn't a whole lot of raw meat he would be eating with those ribs.

 

When I first got Fallen at 7 months I notice that the top back teeth all the way in the back (uppers) were a little yellow, all the others were white. How can a puppy that young not have all white teeth, I've never seen this. Anyway I have been brushing his teeth once every week and they seem like they were doing better. Now on yesterday I was going to brush them and they have changed to this grayish brownish color. Has this happend to anyone else. I've read that you should give your dogs real meaty bones, he never had one. Well I guess we will be going to the vet tomorrow.:ahhhhh:

In my experience, that's a bit odd. Alexander turned 10 yesterday and Pippin turns 9 in November and they only have mild tartar (calculus) buildup. They've never required a dental cleaning, and had pearly white teeth for years, especially as youngsters. Mine aren't fed a raw diet but a home cooked diet (meats and veg). I brush their teeth every night, followed by the Virbac rinse, and they also get the Virbac dental bones. (I've read somewhere that brushing must be done daily in order to be effective.)

I think a trip to the vet is a good idea because gray/brown teeth could be indicative of a more serious problem. It's always a good idea to have these things checked out. I truly hope that Fallen is okay and this is just an anomaly.

I'm a big advocate of dental care in dogs. All three of my rescues (two seniors, one 6 year old retired stud dog) had advanced periodontal disease. Their teeth (canines, molars and pre-molars) were gray, their gums red and swollen, and their mouths smelled like decomp--it was horrible. The roots had abscessed and the teeth were essentially "dead," thus the gray hue. I can only imagine the pain they must have been in, and it was evident they had trouble eating. In all three cases, my vet had to remove most of their teeth.

Periodontal disease is one of the most preventable diseases in dogs and I highly recommend a daily brushing regimen. (I can't speak to the RMBs as I have no experience with raw feeding.) It's not just the teeth that are an issue, but the fact periodontal disease can lead to cardiovascular and other serious complications.

 

I'm interested what the Vet says, also....unless a tooth is dying...like from trama or something, I can't think of why it would turn grey. Please come back after the Vet visit and tell us.

p

 

Excellent post Rowan. I am a big believer in oral care. I think this and proper nutrition are where many owners fall down on the job. I am sure the excellent diet as well as the chewies and brushing has prevented tartar in your dogs. My Aussie's teeth were brushed daily and I put a treatment in his waters as well as giving him numerous chewies and dental products. He still had to get his teeth cleaned by the vet. When he was 13 the vet said it was time to get his teeth cleaned again. I was worried that Zack would not wake up and tried raw meaty bones on the advice of a friend. The change in his teeth was nothing short of a miracle. His teeth became pearly white and the vet agreed that a cleaning by him was no longer needed.

I am concerned for Fallen with that color. Hopefully, it will be something that just needs to heal like moms24 experience. I am keeping my fingers crossed for Fallen.

 

hi there!
I want to try raw meaty bones, but I think my husband would pack his stuff and leave the house hahahahaha he is a neat freak and the thought of a dead bone on the floor would be ... i don'e even know...

What should I do? I want to make sure Lou & Apollo have good teeth
But I want to stay married too

I'm wanting to buy a water additive too, or anything else that can be helpful

I'm ready to purchase the stuff, been browsing amazon for a couple hours now... I'm not sure what to do.

Apollo has an extremely senstive tummy, anything different and he has diarrhea, I used to give them bully sticks but that was ridiculously expensive, like $25 per day!

Help? Thank you so much

 

Okay, So we went to Vet this afternoon and he took a really good look and said it was build up of tartar, he asked if I was giving him any raw hides or something like that to chew on. I told him since his stomach was messed up and he had the runs I was very concerned about giving him something that would upset his stomach again. The Doctor said they didn't need to be cleaned, but I need to give him something to chew on. I'm glad that was all it was. So now what do you give your dogs to chew on and what type of bones should he eat and can I get them at the grocery store.

 

You can also provide your puppy with appropriate sized kongs to chew. Dogs with digestive upsets can have more problems with teeth due to reguritation. Sort of like people with bulimia have teeth etched by acid. If you brush his teeth do not over do it. You just need to brush softly on a regular basis.

Good luck and keep us posted.

 

Okay I really don't see how a kong is going to clean teeth very well. I'd suggest replacing one or two meals a week with a chicken back or chicken quarter (raw). Id also give beef ribs for a harder rec. chew. If this is fine for a few weeks try turkey necks or pork/lamb ribs once or twice weekly as a meal replacement.

Beef ribs don't need to replace a meal.

I'd also start using (if you don't already) an enzymatic toothpaste Luke petrodex or virbac. You may even want to get a scaler. I see them at dog shows all the time.

 

Okay I know this may sound stupid, but I always remember being told not to give dogs chicken bones or turkey bones or turkey necks, because they can get caught in their throats is this not true. How do I feed it to him and what about bacteria. Please help, I hate going to the dentist myself and I sure don't want him to have to go through that. Thanks

 

I know what you're feeling...the first raw meal Moj ever ate, I sat cringing at every snap of the thigh bone ....but, as said above, raw bones aren't brittle, and dog's guts are made to digest them.

Another plus of feeding raw....there are enzymes in raw meat that keep tarter at bay, making for shiny white, healthy teeth. Moj is 7 years old, and has never needed a dental..no tarter what-so-ever.

p

 

That is fantastic news - I was concerned that the teeth might be dying because of the gray color. Please do not be frightened of raw. Dogs are built to handle it. I feed Swizzle turkey and chicken necks. You may want to give your dog something larger - Swizzle is a toy. I think a chicken back would be a good start. When my Aussie was 13 the vet recommended a professional cleaning. I did not want him to be put under at that age. Acting on the suggestion of a friend I began feed him raw meaty bones. A couple of months later he went to the vet and the vet said his teeth look great - no professional cleaning needed. It is amazing how fast the raw meaty bones cleaned his teeth. They became pearly white and his breath odor improved. I still brush his teeth (I did Zack too but that did not stop the tartar) and I have a scaler in case he ever needs it. I figure I want him to get use to it while he is young. The scalers are cheap - I think I got mine on Amazon. If you begin to feed raw I would not be surprised if the stomach issues ended. Good luck - I am so glad the problem is not too serious.

 

I brush Nickel's teeth every night. I feed him RMBs (oxtails, beef rib, turkey necks, etc.) 3 or 4 times a week.

I used to feed RMBs 1 or 2 times a week and there was a little tartar built up in the back. I used a gel that claims to help remove tartar but it didn't help. Then I used this and the tartar started to soften and come out as I continue with the daily brushing routine. Now, after 3.5 weeks of adding this product to his food, his teeth are back to the sparkling white state.

 

I give my dogs raw beef ribs sometimes. I have also given them raw lamb bones and raw chicken parts. My spoo swallows smaller raw bones whole, so I don't give the chicken much. Just put him outside with it and don't think about it. Since they are raw, you don't want to leave them out for days and days if he doesn't eat them. I have also gotten giant raw cow bones from the butcher. They are cheap and last a long time. After the initial chewing, I will gently boil off any left over meat and let them have them a few more days.

You can also buy things at PetCo for tartar, but raw bones work the best. Quality rawhides work, too. Get the unflavored, unbleached natural ones, preferable made in the USA. Just make sure he doesn't swallow large chunks. Dogs need something to chew on daily to keep their teeth in good shape. Raw fed dogs always have terrific teeth because they do a lot of chewing compared to kibble fed dogs.

 

Ok, Fallen weight 51 pounds and I feed him 4 and half cups a BB a day. So do I by a package of chicken backs and just give it to him or if a buy a whole slab of ribs do i cut them in sections and just give it to him and freeze the rest or am I to remove the meat off the ribs and then give it to him. I'm confused what I'm actually supposed to purchase.

 

Feeding raw bones?

Am I understanding that it is safe to feed a dog raw bones? Even chicken necks and backs? I've always been afraid to give mine bones. I like that idea much better than purchased bones, but I sure don't want to do anything to hurt him. My Ranger is 8 years old and has always had a problem with tartar on his teeth, so we have always had to have his teeth cleaned. He doesn't care anything at all about nylabones or kongs, but I'm sure he would love a good bone.

 

Am I understanding that it is safe to feed a dog raw bones? Even chicken necks and backs? I've always been afraid to give mine bones. I like that idea much better than purchased bones, but I sure don't want to do anything to hurt him. My Ranger is 8 years old and has always had a problem with tartar on his teeth, so we have always had to have his teeth cleaned. He doesn't care anything at all about nylabones or kongs, but I'm sure he would love a good bone.

Absolutely they can eat raw bones! I'd start with something easy to digest like a chicken back or chicken quarter. Feed it at least 12 hours or so apart from a kibble meal. You can do this a few times a week. If that goes well, you can try turkey necks a few times a week, instead of or alternating with chicken backs, and if that goes well, try pork ribs a few weeks later. I wouldn't feed more than a few RMBs a week, though, as a kibble feeder. I would always separate an "edible" RMB (meaning the bone is soft enough to be fully eaten - the ones I mentioned in this paragraph are edible) from kibble meals by 12 hours at least. JMO.

I would say that beef ribs could be used at any time - they are more of a rec. bone because they aren't fully edible like the other bones I mentioned - and I don't think they usually have as much meat on them, so your dog won't be digesting a ton of bone an meat and shouldn't cause much of an interference with the kibble.

 

itzfoxfire - there really is no set rule for what you can feed your dog and how to do it. Personally, and this is only because it is what would feel comfortable with but it does not mean it is the right or only way to do it, I would just give him a chicken back in place of a meal once or twice weekly - if you feed twice daily. I wouldn't feed him kibble for that meal. OR - if you feed once daily, give a chicken back in the AM and his regular dinner - except a little smaller - in the PM (or vice versa).

Or, just get some beef ribs and if they aren't super meaty, that doesn't have to replace a meal at all.

 

That is so good to know! I am new to this site and didn't realize there were more pages of comments to the original question, so my question probably seemed ridiculous. You seem to be very knowledgable about this. I will be trying this and I'll be he will love it.

 

Okay, I gave Fallen a neckbone, I couldn't find and chicken backs or turkey necks, I'll probably need to go to another grocery store. Well I washed it off really good and gave it to him outside, he just looked at it, smelled it licked it and came to the door and just sat down. After a few minutes he picked it up chewed it a little and came to the door and just sat. I knew he wanted to come in, but I have carpet and didn't want him to have that thing all on the floor, so I opened the door and he went in his crate, so I picked it up and put it in the crate with him. He layed down for a while about 20 minutes then picked it up and started chewing on it, within about 2 hours it was gone. I guess he was trying to figure out what to do with it, although he will chew his toys to death LOL. I'm going to try to give him a meaty bone at lease 2 to 3 times a week. I thought he might not be as hungry this afternoon since he ate that bone, it was a nice size, but I gave him his normal amount and it was gone in 10 minutes. Well will see how this goes. Thanks for all the information.

 

What a great start itzfoxfire58. My guess if the next time Fallon gets a bone it will be gone in short order. I know Swizzle got the hang of it very fast. I find if it is mainly bone it does not fill the dog up at all it is meat that does the trick. I started as you did raw bone for a meal and then kibble for a separate meal. If Swizzle's poo was too hard I would add a heart or gizzard - you would probably need something more substantial - Swizzle is a toy. You should take a picture of his teeth and compare like once a month to see the improvement. Hopefully they will all be pearly white soon.

kdias - no one expects a new member to know previous posts. Your question is perfectly understandable. We are very lucky to have ChocolateMillie on the forum she is so knowledgeable. I know I have learned a lot from her and Swizzle will be better off because of her and others on this forum. Welcome aboard!

 

All I can say is WOW!!!! I just spent a little over an hour brushing Fallen out, I brushed him before we went to the DP, but didn't brush him when we got home, especially since he was in mud and I had to rinse him off, did I mention that I had mud stuck to my tennis toooo LOL. Anyway I wash his ears off with a warm towel and then started combing him out, well after I finished brushing him, he was lying in my lap on the floor, I took a look at his teeth OMG, the tartar is almost all the way gone and I only gave him that bone late this morning, boy if I knew that was all I needed to do it would have saved me $46 dollars, but it was worth it to make sure his teeth were ok. :amen:

 

Told ya bones were amazing!

Tiger is home from his handler for one week. His teeth have lots of tartar because he has been eating ground raw with no RMBs for the past 2 months. He got a chicken back tonight and I plan to give him one every 2 or 3 days while he is with me. I also brushed his teeth with some Petrodex enzymatic toothpaste. I am also trying to fatten him up. All this showing means he has lost some weight.

 

Poor Tiger its like when your child goes off to college and you know their not eating right and they come home for the summer and you get to fatten them up a bit LOL. CM thanks for your knowledgeable information. Your the best.:adore::adore:

 

Here's a video of Nickel and his oxtail. He doesn't have the oxtail bone down but it's good for his jaws and teeth.

 

Here's a video of Nickel and his oxtail. He doesn't have the oxtail bone down but it's good for his jaws and teeth. Nickel & oxtail - YouTube

SP, is that a whole oxtail not cut, he is really chewing on that thing. LOL I like how you have a sheet/plastic on the floor and your glove on.

 

When I woke up this morning I had a surprise, yes half formed half the runs in Fallen's crate, is this normal after eating a meaty bone. His stomach is so sensitive, I was hoping that this wouldn't have happen. Let me know if this happened to you after letting him have a meaty bone.

 

It can happen if he's not used to it. How far apart from kibble did you feed ut. What was it exactly - you said neck bone, do you mean chicken neck? If you are concerned about the runs I'd give some pumpkin with his next meal.

 

CM it was a pork neck bone and I feed him at 11:30 am and he ate dinner at 6:00 pm