Mouth, Teeth, and Gums: Oral and Dental Pet Health

The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Raw Bones
Posted by Mrsg (Jupiter, Fl, USA) on 06/13/2013
★★★★★

Giving my dog raw bones has helped clear the tartar build up on my dog's teeth. Even her vet said her teeth looked white. Thanks EC!

Gum Disease
Posted by Sunsmile (Sunnynv, Us) on 03/26/2013

Hi, I'm aromatherapist, my kitty has the same gum problem. DO NOT USE CLOVE OIL on cats or dogs. Its Highly toxic. All u can put straight on its gums is Cold Pressed Extra Virgin Organic Coconut Oil, and its nice also to mix it with his food. And Coloidal Silver water to get rid of the infection. Use only High quality organic raw products-Cold pressed oils are raw.


Gum Disease
Posted by Tango (Tijeras, Nm, US) on 03/03/2013

I was wondering if there was something topical that I could put on my cats gums. Can I use clove oil or is that toxic for cat's. I have read that it is, so I'm a little scared to use it. He is 16 years old and I don't know if that would make him more sensitive or not. He is on a very good Diet and also on Vitamins too. If anybody else has any suggestions for something topical that I can put on his gums, that would be great. I feel desperate to make him comfortable because he's been through a lot in the last three years. 3 Operations and he is doing well but now his gums are red and he's uncomfortable again. Also has Herpes Virus. Poor guy has been through a lot. Thanks so much.

Diet Change, Lysine
Posted by Kathryn4 (Lanham, Maryland, Usa) on 11/28/2012
★★★★★

I have discovered a remedy for my cats herpes like sore she gets now and then on her mouth. First of all I swtiched to a better cat food, and secondly use Lysine cat treats that you get over the internet. Every day give some and they work like a charm to keep those sores away!


General Feedback
Posted by Jholl (Louisville, Ky - Kentucky) on 11/18/2012 27 posts

I think this is a case of mistaken identity. The supplement is grapefruit seed extract. No worry about the grapes. Of course, grapes are toxic to all dogs. Grapefruit seed extract is anti-bacteria, anti-viral and anti-fungal. It is used in some hospitals as an antiseptic. It is very bitter and MUST be diluted. Many people use it on their toothbrush to eliminate bacteria

There are pet sites that sell it, so I believe it is safe for pets. I have used it for myself and for my dogs with good results.

Also, oil of oregano is great for dogs and healthy teeth. Just a drop or two and like the GSE, it must ALWAYS be diluted.


Colloidal Silver
Posted by Cate (Alta Loma, Ca) on 08/29/2012

How much colloidal silver should I add to my dogs bowl to treat his peridontal disease? is it safe to use?

Salivary Mucocele
Posted by Sandy (North East, Tx, USA) on 06/24/2012

Thank You So Much! Iris thankfully went from a huge opening that was probly about 3 inches, you could even see her swallowing inside her throat, to a little tiny scabbed up hole. Since this can happen again to her I am printing out the note so I have it. I cant believe I cleaned her wound up to 6 times a day with hydrogen peroxide (just like I would me), switched her food to no grain or gave her homemade food, Iris loves Organic Coconut Oil! Now she has bacteria in her ear. I would rather deal with that though. Thanks!


Salivary Mucocele
Posted by Nh Gardener (Small Town, Nh, Usa) on 06/19/2012

For Sandy from East Texas re. Iris--I posted above, recommending you try food grade diatomaceous earth (DE) mixed with her raw apple cider vinegar-dampened food, starting with 1 tsp. Once a day, increasing gradually to 1 or 2 level or rounded tsps. 2 X/day. DE absorbs and eliminates toxins from the body, and is inexpensive. Check internet for sources. Gently melted coconut oil is helpful, starting with 1 tsp. Once a day in food, increasing to 1 tsp. Twice a day. If she likes it, no need to melt it. It's probably already melted this time of year in Texas anyway. If she were our dog, I'd also order calcium bentonite clay from a certain company website, also in Texas, and apply it to her neck as a poultice, if possible. The clay is very fine and draws toxins out. You hydrate the clay with a 2:1 mix of water to clay. Add clay to the water and let sit for several hours or overnight. Stir well. Make a slab 3/4 inches in depth, apply to swelling; cover with an herb leaf such as comfrey, or a tree leaf, then cover that with self-adhering plastic wrap, wrapped around Iris's neck to keep damp and hold in place. Change once or twice a day. Along with that, pray. All good wishes be with you and Iris. I think DE will help a lot.


Salivary Mucocele
Posted by Lilly (Margate, Florida) on 06/07/2012

I have a 4yr old pit w/the same lump on her head, just behind her ear. I tied it off w/a string to cut off the blood flow. When it died or popped open I poured hydrogen peroxide on it, let it bubble. Then poured baking soda on it. Never took off the string. After it was gone and healed, the string fell off. Her black fur turned brown in that area but soon turned black again, never to return, she's almost 6 now. Thats what I did. good luck.


Salivary Mucocele
Posted by Sandy (North East, Tx, Usa) on 06/04/2012

In search of a Natural Cure or at least a bit of help or advice. My Iris probly has http://www.acvs.org/AnimalOwners/HealthConditions/SmallAnimalTopics/SalivaryMucocele/ .

We just need to save the money to get the test to find out for sure. But yes the bump is on the right side of her neck, not in the throat. We cannot afford $5,000 or more for surgery so I already have a place for back up to give her to who will give her the surgery of corse she'll be lost to us forever. Iris is part of the family and also has the job of getting us across the streets and driveways safely. She loves her job and looks foward to it everyday. Please help find a way to avoid surgery and get her back to normal. There has to be at least a person if not more who'll answer this honestly. If you find it in your heart to write anything Bless You.

Raw Bones
Posted by Gracieuse (Ut, Netherlands) on 09/13/2011
★★★★★

Yes! I've had my puppy, now six months of age, on a complete raw meaty bones diet, supplied with organ meat once a week. She's blazing with health, with pearly white adult teeth, doesn't smell.

For more info see www.rawmeatybones.com

Also worked wonders with a cat suffering from various ailments (sneezing, bad teeth, bad coat, urinary issues).


Raw Bones
Posted by L (Whitefish, Mt) on 06/12/2011
★★★★★

We have 3 big dogs - a chocolate Lab, a chocolate Newfoundland, and a Great Pyrenees/Bernese Mountain. We just had their regular vet visit and he was is awe over our dogs teeth. All of them are between 4-5 yrs. Old and their teeth are gleaming white, with no tartar at all. He asked what we did. We feed them half their food (high end kibble with no corn) am and then other half at noon. But at night we always give them a raw marrow bone to chew. We have a butcher that cuts them at 3" and we freeze them and give it to them frozen so it lasts longer. It also keeps them occupied at least a 1/2 hour, another bonus!

After reading so much on this site, however, I am going to start moving them and our 2 cats to an all raw diet.

Hope this helps someone with high vet dental bills!

Coconut Oil
Posted by Kimberly (Akron, Ohio) on 03/01/2011

What type of dog do you have? I have a lab about 125lbs. Just wondering on the dose of coconut oil


General Feedback
Posted by Malteseandme (Tulsa, Ok.,74137) on 01/22/2011
★☆☆☆☆

WARNING!

On the toothpaste gel for pets, I would be caution about giving my maltese something with grape seed extract since grapes are very toxic to them. (09/11/2009: Callista from Penang, Malaysia replies: "re: Teeth problems in pets)I just wouldn't want anyone's pet harmed.


General Feedback
Posted by Katrinika (Morehead City, Nc Usa) on 12/10/2010
★☆☆☆☆

WARNING!

Collapsed trachea emergency solved -- Update on Gidget... If I hadn't been very ill with a antibiotic drug reaction, my Gidgi-poo would have been put down. I figured out what was wrong, and she's almost completely well. One night, not being able to sleep with the Keflex rash and too weak the two days before to bring her in to be put down, I lay listening to her heaving for breath - at least once she passed out. She had been so much worse that day that even at the highest dose the vet's medicine was no help at all... I thought, "what was different about today?" and it hit me... I thought that since she was dying anyway her weight didn't matter, and little by little over the course of the week I had given her all the treats/chews I had... Then I ran across a few Dentley's dental enzyme dog chews and gave her one. That evening and night she struggled, heaving and strangling for breath. The CET enzymatic dog toothpaste works so much better than the regular.. I thought these dog chews would be good for their teeth.

So I went online and researched collapsed trachea in dogs. It is a common weakness in toy and miniature dogs, some more so than others. Its cause is unknown, but the action is that the rings of the trachea somehow soften.. The rings are made of cartilage... Dental enzyme, plaque, calcium... Cartilage, calcium...!!! She always had a weakness for the symptoms of trachea trouble, hoarse coughing when she got excited, probably because she was under-nourished as a puppy, but these were her first attacks. She had had her first attack of trachea collapse in July and I took her to the vet, gave her the medicine and she got better. Well, I now realize that first attack coincided with the first time she had been on another brand of dental enzyme chew, Sentry HC Petrodex (Seargent), for a couple of months, I ran out while she was getting the meds.

It wasn't the vet meds that made her better, it was running out of the enzyme chews. When I got more in, after a couple of months again she went down - this time the vet meds did no good. With the addition of the Dentley's occasionally during the day and my recent increased use of the enzyme toothpaste.. I almost killed her. While I suspect that there will be residual damage from the spell of collapse before I discovered my mistake, two days without enzyme chews and she is almost back to normal. Warn everybody.


Colloidal Silver
Posted by Meredith (Hamilton, New Zealand) on 07/27/2010
★★★★★

I've also had what I consider to be amazing results with using colloidal silver in my dogs drinking water. Our 10 year old French Bulldog has awful teeth, having had several rotten ones removed over the years. I was told by the vet due to Frenchies having very crooked teeth and big jowels to hide germs and food scraps that they would always need attention. Her mouth has always smelled AWFUL. I recently bought some colloidal silver and decided to try it out and saw results within a couple of days. Now her breath is not smelly at all. I've also noticed her general well being has improved- she's more active and bubbly. I use 1 tablespoon colloidal silver to a bowl of water refreshing both water and silver daily. I've been doing this for 4 days now and will stop after 7 to see how things go. The amount of colloidal silver may be on the high side for her body weight but she had a significant problem so I'm treating it as an acute infection.


Teething Remedies
Posted by Janice (Coloma, Mi) on 06/08/2010

I had a dog die about 10 years ago from pancreatitis. I didn't realize until years later that it could have been from the pigs ears I was giving her. Don't give your dogs those awful things. Now my present dog gets raw meat and raw bones and she's doing great.


Teething Remedies
Posted by Rainman (Central, Vt, Usa) on 06/04/2010

I don't care how old your dog is... do not ever (I mean EVER) give your dog rawhide. They are absolutely without a doubt poison. Not too mention a choking hazard. Do a good search.. you will find testimonials about dogs with pancreatitis and a slew of other issues from eating these chemical and bacteria charged chew toys. Just don't do it. I would say nylabones are safer... but, ask a few vets how many dogs he has seen with gum disease and injuries from obssesively chawing on these synthetic bones.

Melijda... look up raw meaty bones for teething. Not only is this good for teething... it is very healthy and NATURAL! RAW food is what god (mother nature) intended for our beloved pets... we should do as much as possible to see that they get what they need.


Teething Remedies
Posted by Annie (Wpb, Florida) on 06/01/2010

I would check out Nylabones, which are very safe for puppies, especially if you don't want them eating raw hide bones at that age!


Teething Remedies
Posted by Tucson_arizona (Tucson, Arizona, U.s.a.) on 05/16/2010

Need suggestions to help a puppy who is 3 months old and teething.

Thank you.
Melijda

Coconut Oil
Posted by London (Sandusky, Ohio) on 05/24/2010
★★★★★

My dog has AWFUL teeth, they are rotted and horribly decayed, she's 10 years old. Finally one morning her whole face was swollen and deformed, and her gums were bleeding and oozing pus. She was so sick, and lethargic we were looking into crematoriums, and making plans to put her down.

She, ofcourse, was unable to eat dry food, so my mother started hand feeding her wet food, and we put about 2 TBSP coconut oil in there mixed in. Within a week, she was dramatically improved and the swelling went completely down. In 2 weeks she was better than ever, (completely healed)and full ofyouthful energy. We continue to feed her wet food now, and she had one other minor flare up, since then, and we gave her coconut oil and in 2 days she was good as new.

Remember guys, Brush your dogs teeth!!!!

Colloidal Silver
Posted by Kittymom (Northern, Nm) on 03/20/2010
★★★★★

To Whom It May Wellfully Concern, all kinds of animals and humans, too. To all you kitty lovers out there whose kitties/doggies are quite impossible to brush their teeth, try putting some drops of colloidal silver in their daily drinking water. As it is anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral, it keeps the mouth germs down to a minimum. A kitty who had 3 teeth out 2yrs ago, had an exam recently and her mouth was in good shape due to this little tip! also, cured in a couple of day, an oozing cold in her eye. you can use it safely in eyes, ears, nose or directly in mouth as a holistic viral/bacterial natural medicine. it is great! and almost tasteless. As a human being i use it myself often to keep germs from making havoc by squirting a few drops down my throat and in my nose every time i'm out and about in crowds/hospitals, etc.-where germs are rampant, also whenever i get a hint of soar throat. i squirt a few drops and voila they're dead and i'm all well!

General Feedback
Posted by Callista (Penang, Malaysia) on 09/11/2009

re: Teeth problems in pets

To any pet owners who are looking for safe and effective toothpaste for their pets, there is a company that makes oral gel and spray using all natural ingredients: grapefruit seed extract, grape seed extract, neem oil, thyme oil, rosemary oil and peppermint oil. You may try googling it. Please, I am in no way associated with this company. It's just that I've been looking for safe toothpaste for my dog, and so far all the products I've looked at have questionable ingredient(s), until this one. So I'd really like to spread the word.


General Feedback
Posted by Bagofnuts (Metairie, LA) on 04/30/2009

Hi, I too have a dog that his teeth are almost completely worn down or gone. He was a super frisbee, ball playing dog. Vets don't seem to react to teeth missing or worn down. My dog is now 10 yrs. and he eats fine and still plays ball but I stopped the frisbee. Evidently they don't have the same nerve endings in their teeth as humans! A few years ago I was ready to bring him to special vet for giving dogs new teeth!


General Feedback
Posted by Stacey (Knoxville, TN) on 01/03/2009

Please help: My rotty/lab mix has worn her teeth almost all the way down. Is this a vitamin problem? Do they suffer the same way we do when they have teeth problems. She doesnt have problems eating, She still has all her energy but she loves a rope tuggy and really doesnt play with it anymore. what can I do to help? The vet didnt really reccomend anything at our last visit but I always prefer herbal treatments to actual medication. Thank you


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