Bad Breath

[Michael Romanos]

Volntitan - I can't tell you where to get raw bones suitable for dogs from - I get mine from a local supermarket - but I can tell you a little about bones suitable for dogs. Their are four safe kinds of bones to give dogs and they are all from beef or lamb. Bones must not be cooked, any excess fat removed, don't give your dog any other kind of meat bones because they are unsafe - cooked they may splinter and do unreparable damage to a dog, uncooked they are dangerous for the three kinds of elements that can make a dog very ill or indeed, kill.

The four types of bones in the order of what's best are: canon, chin, femur and brisket. With brisket you should permanently remove the bone from the Corgi as soon as it becomes soft. The other three don't degenerate in this way.

Canon bones are marvellous, They are very big, so I get mine cut in two. They are still too big for a Corgi to bury so I refrigerate the one I give Taylor after he has had a good go at it and he gets it back again for a couple of hours per day for around two to four days. In NZ, two halves of a canon bone costs $1.50. So they are inexpensive. Raw bones of this type are the best of all for a dog's teeth and gums as well as the mental and physical stimulation they bring.

[Volntitan]

What is a canon bone? Is there a certain type of meat that is best.....

[Michael Romanos]

As I have already mentioned: BEEF or LAMB meat bones of the types I have also stated previously. Look up canon on the internet. There could be an alternative name for the bone in the USA or elsewhere. Canon is the largest of the bones.

[Mvons]

Oh for heavens sake, I'll look it up as Michael can't be bothered. Why reply if you don't have the answer. You assume only the one person wants to know.

Canon bone: The shank bone, or great bone above the fetlock, in the fore and hind legs of the horse and allied animals.

So the shank bone is what it is called in the US and Betty Crocker cook book!

Merrie

[fido]

thanks michael and merrie for clearing that up!

[Clogs]

Rosie gets "dog breath" sometimes and it can generally be made sweet by giving her a morning portion of yogurt with crushed garlic stirred into it. Then thin this slightly with lactose-free pet milk. Oddly enough, she doesn't get garlic breath from this, but just a nice, sweet kissing-close breath. We've never brushed her teeth, but give dried lambs tails as treats, instead of bones. (The breeder advised against bones...)

[Corgis4me]

Saw this on Good Morning America today; Didn't say what pet food companies have contacted him.

ABC News: Candy Cure: Lollipop Fights Cavities

[Michael Romanos]

Some non-pristine breath in dogs is only due to the great food that they get. I'd rather keep to the good food and find some other way of giving them a better smelling breath or just puting up with it. Thus does not include the bad breath from bad gums and teeth which is a serious problem and can cause diseases and death.

[Chip's Mom]

Michael

Are you saying good food causes bad breath?????

[Michael Romanos]

Absolutely. For instance, Cooked ox heart meat gives Taylor a breath that is far from perfect. Ox heart is an exceptional fresh meat for dogs. Some of the dry food producers have taken at least one great ingredient out of their food mixture in order to lesson the bad breath reputation that will hinder sales.

[LaRogue]

Has the vet checked your corgi's teeth yet? I know bad breath is a problem for alot of people, but I've the only times I've had a dog with doggy breath, there has been a broken tooth.

I brush Pip's teeth. I started when he was a puppy and he is almost 3 years old and it can still be challenging. I found a step by step guide on the internet (I'll look for it later to see if I can find the link), and it said to start with the front teeth. That seems to help a bit. I also have dental wipes and give him a bully stick to chew on, but they are pretty pricey and sometimes hard to find. As per his vet, he is not allowed bones, since he had a molar pulled and is a very agressive chewer. I would like to find something that he can chew on, but so far That's all I've been able to come up with.