My parents’ dachshund has very rotten teeth. While they look white, the gumline is all brown. The vet quoted $1300 for two extractions and an anesthetized cleaning, but my parents can’t afford that right now. The dog’s teeth have never been brushed, but otherwise, he is in perfect health.
Are there any natural remedies that might reduce the infection? He doesn’t seem to have any ill effects yet, besides bad breath and reverse sneezing (not sure if related).
So far, we’ve been giving him fish oil pills and coconut oil.
Any other suggestions would be much appreciated. Thank you.
The dog won’t let anyone brush his teeth, despite our efforts.
Unfortunately, a proper dental cleaning is the best thing you can do. That being said, there are some things you can try to prevent the problem from getting worse. Also, $1300 is very high for a dental procedure with only two extractions. I work in the most expensive area of Orange County, CA, and the most expensive dental we’ve ever done was $1100 on a dachshund, which included a complete set of dental X-rays and full mouth extractions. You might want to call around for other price quotes. Let them know what you were already quoted and ask what the worst-case scenario would cost. Unfortunately, dachshunds are notorious for having terrible mouths and needing multiple extractions.
We also include blood work, an IV catheter, and IV fluids as standard with all our anesthetic procedures. Anyone charging more than $400 for a teeth cleaning should include those items in the price. Definitely have your parents try to start saving in whatever way they can. In the meantime, there are some chews you can try, like CET chews or VeggieDents. Most Petsmarts carry them, and many vet offices have them as well. Both myself and the other RVT in our office prefer VeggieDents and have had great success using them with our dachshunds.
I would stay away from any water additives that claim to keep teeth clean. Most of the time, they don’t work and there’s a risk of them negatively impacting your pet’s organ functions. Ideally, brushing teeth every day would be wonderful. Even doing it once a week has shown to have a significant impact on dental health. There are tons of YouTube videos on training your pet to like teeth brushing.
Hello and thank you for your reply.
At 11, the dog is in overall excellent health; he still goes for long walks and has plenty of energy. As a result, I believe I will assist the parents in meeting the expenses. We’re in Canada, so that could explain the greater cost, but I’ll definitely look into it.
In the meantime, I guess we’ll just keep using coconut oil and fish oils.
AFTER, not before, he has the tooth extraction and cleaning, you can try feeding him raw, meaty bones to help keep his teeth clean. They must be raw, not cooked. Depending on whether he is a miniature dachshund or a standard dachshund, either chicken wings with the skin removed or turkey necks will do a good job of keeping his teeth clean. Feed these once or twice a week for best results.
I feed my 9 lb chi x dach a few different types of raw bones (he’s sensitive to chicken, so we avoid that), and so far, the vet has not recommended a dental for him. He’s 5 years old, and most chihuahuas or dachshunds need a dental by now. I do not brush his teeth.
He has been served raw chicken wings and drumsticks for the past year and really enjoys them. I wish that had been done his entire life. He’s a small dachshund yet weights 19 pounds.
Wow, is $1100 the most expensive dentistry in Orange County?It’s hard to believe… Even at our clinic, some bills have been nearly $2000 (especially if there are a lot of difficult extractions and lots of radiographs)… but the clinic up the street has had multiple bills up to $3000 and even a little over that with full mouth rads, follow-up rads, blood, ecg., full mouth extractions… etc…), and that does not include what can be done at a specialist with root canals, bonding, braces, etc… bills can easily top $4000 with all that going on. And because Orange County has a more expensive environment than Los Angeles, you might be able to discover locations that charge significantly more.
I’m in Los Angeles County, and while some Vets are really reasonable, I’m not sure I want them working on Samantha. Our veterinarian does not provide free services, but he loves animals, is very thorough, and is excellent at following up. I know I pay slightly more than someone down the block, but the treatment is excellent, and I absolutely trust him to do what is best for Samantha. Our insurance plan has not objected to his pricing, therefore I would say he is within range.
I was charged $2300 for my 13-year-old adopted Mini. I think her teeth are starting to annoy her. I’ve already spent $11,000 on back surgery when she was six, and that was only after I adopted her after my father died. I am not sure what to do. She is slowing down, but is this simply life? Her teeth definitely look dreadful, and my father was so concerned about her back–the entire teeth thing is new. I botched up.
A dog with terrible teeth that is otherwise healthy is unlikely to stay that way. major dental disorders, whether in dogs or humans, can have an impact on general health, including some major cardiac difficulties.