frequency Brushing dogs teeth

[ToddCarmody]

Hi there 

I just took our 2.5 year old border collie to the vets for yearly blood test and he asked how often i brush our dogs teeth ?

.I do it maybe once every 2-3 weeks ,he said it should be done every day , does anyone have information on this ?

(Im not disrespecting the vet im just trying to gather information 

[Adrienne]

Hello,

Welcome to the forums!

Yes, I used to brush my dog's teeth every 3-4 days before, but turns out now veterinarians suggest to do it every day. Makes sense considering that, just as it happens with us, soft plaque forms on teeth after meals and, if not removed within 24 hours, this plaque starts to harden and mineralize as it combines with salts present in saliva. As this hardened plaque keeps accumulating and mineralizing, it turns into tartar which requires strong tools to remove hence the need for professional dental cleanings. 

 

[ToddCarmody]

okay thanks for the response .kindest regards Todd

[Adrienne]

You are very welcome!

Worthy of pointing out though is that even with daily brushing, it is possible for dogs to still need dental cleanings from the vet considering that tartar may form in between teeth and under the gums, which is also why in us humans, despite diligent teeth brushing and flossing, we still need to have cleanings every 6 months to 1 year. 

I love the picture of your dog wearing a tie!

Best,

Adrienne

[ToddCarmody]

Thank you Adrienne

Yes we (Our family of 2  young boys and my wife and i ) Love Him ❤️.

I have another question please.?

Recently we had his yearly blood test done and the Vet said  his cholesterol was questionable and a possibility of hypothyroidism was showing.

The vet told us this on a Thursday and suggested another test Monday to confirm or clarify the first test results. I did some research and found hypothyroidism is  a common problem in border collies but can also be have some causal effect  by processed foods .We have been feeding  him "Natures way Deli roll' for dogs  bought at Woolworth (in Queensland Australia) .

Good reviews ?

once we received the information from the vet we changed his diet and feed him "Glow Nutrition Australian lamb" for Dogs.

we just found out from the vet his blood tests were good and his cholesterol is fine as well as his thyroid levels.

im wondering if the processed foods could be that different to change his tests in only a few days ?

Kindest Regards

Todd

[Adrienne]

This is something you would have to check with your vet as he's/shes' the most qualified person to answer this. Mention to your vet the dietary change. Maybe it's possible that a diet being more rich and fatty could change the cholesterol values.

With the lower thyroid values, perhaps you can ask your vet whether a full thyroid panel was done or just a T4 measurement. If I recall well, (based on my own personal experience with my dogs) T4's tend to fluctuate throughout the day so they can be very iffy. Maybe it just came back low due to these fluctuations and your vet ordered another test to confirm and all came back fine and therefore it's possible this may be unrelated to the diet.

I would therefore suggest following up with the vet about this and see what may have happened and whether you should monitor your dog for signs of low thyroid in the future.

If you are concerned about your dog's diet and feeding him the best, a consultation with a veterinary nutritionist may be a good idea (one dog food may be great for one dog, terrible for another). These experts are great to provide personalized diets based on the dog's age, health, breed, activity level etc.

Best,

Adrienne