Just an update, and some information for anyone considering adopting a greyhound. When Winnie was rescued, the adoption agency took care of her first dental visit. She had a tooth extracted because of an exposed root, which is very painful, and can cause a lot of problems for any living creature. Greyhounds need to have their teeth checked once a year at minimum. They have a unique snout and mouth that can cause food to become trapped in their teeth. This breed requires a little extra care in this area. Thankfully I was informed about this need well before we met Winnie. I started collecting items for our future dog about five months ago. I visited a Petsmart, and asked for help picking out dental hygiene products for my future greyhound. I recommend spending a good amount of time in pet stores, chatting with people who work there well before you bring your dog home. The toothpaste I chose is a Nylabone Advanced Tartar Control Paste with Denta-C. I was informed that the main thing to look for is a tartar control toothpaste. There are also liquids you can add to your dogs water to help strengthen teeth. The worker also told me to just buy a soft toothbrush at a dollar store, rather than spending extra money on the expensive ones they sold. The assortment of products can be quite overwhelming. If you can't decide, ask for help. Most pet store workers have a lot of knowledge about the products, and are usually pet lovers themselves with firsthand experience.
Dog Teeth-brushing Tips
Force brushing is not the way to go. I gave Winnie two days to get used to me before I introduced the toothpaste to her. The first time she just got a taste of it, and I was only able to swipe a bit on her long front teeth with my finger. I kept the experience short and sweet. She licked a lot, and didn't seem traumatized by it, but I didn't want to push her. She received a lot of praise, and then I left her alone.
I waited two days later and tried again. This time after she licked some toothpaste off my finger I attempted to get more toothpaste smeared on other teeth further back, and in the front. This was difficult because she just wanted to eat the toothpaste, and lick the air until the taste was gone. Dog toothpaste is made to taste yummy I guess. I spent less than three minutes this time, and then praised her and gave her space.
Tonight I let her spend some time licking the toothpaste off my finger, and just enjoy it. After she was done, I put more toothpaste on my finger and used my other hand to gently open her mouth, praising her for letting me. I tried to get toothpaste on a small section of her teeth at a time, and then gave her a moment to lick and just enjoy it. Then I reopened her mouth to try to spread more toothpaste in a different part of her mouth. I was a little nervous about sticking my finger back into her mouth to reach her molars, but I was successful. It took about five sessions of opening her mouth, rubbing the paste on a section of her teeth, and then letting her relax and lick it off.
Once she becomes comfortable and familiar with my fingers rubbing the toothpaste on her teeth I will try the toothbrush. If she has a negative response I will go back to using my finger. The important thing to remember is patience and consistency will bring about the best results.
Here is a link with more information about dental care for greyhounds.
Greyhound Dental Care Information
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