Doggie Tooth Brushing!
I've managed to live over sixty years without thinking about or even hearing about the idea of doggie tooth brushing. However, lately this topic has come up on the news several times. It made me wonder if our previous dogs might have lived longer with better dental hygiene. I decided that it was worth trying on Teddy (2) and TJ (11/2).
I couldn't see putting lots of money into this new venture, so I bought 2 children's toothbrushes, a blue teddy bear (how appropriate) and a pink penguin (sorry, TJ). Toothpaste? I decided to start with water, since human toothpaste is supposed to upset their stomachs and the doggie variety would probably be expensive.
An online video of a vet demonstrating how it was done gave me an idea of how to start. However, they clamped their mouths shut so tight that I couldn't even get the toothbrush inside their lips. It really was a kick!
Finally after several days of trying, Teddy began opening his mouth a little more, so that I could brush around the outside of some of his teeth and parts of his gums. TJ resisted longer, but decided to open up after I gave in and bought a tube of peanut-flavored doggie toothpaste. However, afterwards, he spotted something down in the dirt and began eating it, thus undoing all of my hard work. Really, TJ!
Now, each night after saying their prayers, brushing their teeth and giving them plenty of rubs, I leave my two fur sons in their run for the evening so that they can go back to being dogs...and I can go to sleep knowing that they just might live a little longer. Hah!
"How many are your works, O Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures." Ps. 104:24 NIV
I couldn't see putting lots of money into this new venture, so I bought 2 children's toothbrushes, a blue teddy bear (how appropriate) and a pink penguin (sorry, TJ). Toothpaste? I decided to start with water, since human toothpaste is supposed to upset their stomachs and the doggie variety would probably be expensive.
An online video of a vet demonstrating how it was done gave me an idea of how to start. However, they clamped their mouths shut so tight that I couldn't even get the toothbrush inside their lips. It really was a kick!
Finally after several days of trying, Teddy began opening his mouth a little more, so that I could brush around the outside of some of his teeth and parts of his gums. TJ resisted longer, but decided to open up after I gave in and bought a tube of peanut-flavored doggie toothpaste. However, afterwards, he spotted something down in the dirt and began eating it, thus undoing all of my hard work. Really, TJ!
Now, each night after saying their prayers, brushing their teeth and giving them plenty of rubs, I leave my two fur sons in their run for the evening so that they can go back to being dogs...and I can go to sleep knowing that they just might live a little longer. Hah!
"How many are your works, O Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures." Ps. 104:24 NIV
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