The ingredients and reviews look too good to be true, but I’m always looking for options that can put off needing to put a dog under for a dental. I have two small dogs who were blessed with really bath mouths, so their teeth get yucky even with brushing and chewing bones.
https://www.chewy.com/dog/trudog-spray-me-cat-dog-dental-spray/dp/105018
Thanks!
I’m putting my “vet assistant” hat on to answer this.
All of these dental sprays and dental chews are made for you…not your dog. Unless it’s a spray to help prevent infection–like chlorhex or something after an extraction. But once a dog has enough tartar and calculus built up, you can’t scrub it off with a tooth brush and you certainly can’t spray or chew it away.
The tool that we use during a dental to get off major calc looks kind of like a nut cracker. This stuff comes off in chunks. Then you scale the teeth with an ultrasonic scaler–just like at your dentist. Then you tackles the finer areas with a hand scaler–just like at your dentist. Most humans get their teeth cleaned frequently enough and do a good enough job at daily brush and floss that they don’t need major scaling but for some, it’s a matter of genetics and it’s just part of the deal for them. Similarly, some pets have issues no matter what you do.
All that said, the ONLY way to decrease the need for dental cleanings (genetics and soft food aside) is to stay on top of daily brushing to physically remove what you can. Most people can’t/won’t do that. Hell, I don’t do it. But buying a spray is not likely to help at all. If you’re going to get all up in your dog’s business daily to use a spray, then commit to brushing instead. It will actually help.
My two cents.
Now…I’ve also been really blessed with dogs with great genes who really haven’t needed frequent cleanings. I had a dog (just passed this fall) who I used to ask about every time “Is he ready for a dental!!!” Because I could NOT trim his nails to save my life. And sadly (actually great), he really never “needed” a cleaning. Not in 13 years. He go one once because we needed to knock him out to do rads and I asked that it be done, but the vet didn’t think it was quite necessary yet. Sigh.
But I’ve had patients at various clinics who needed them every 4-6 mos by age 3. A lot of it is genes. Smaller breeds especially seem to have dentition issues that require more attention.
But the spray? No. I wouldn’t waste my money or my time applying it if it were free. Sorry!
Not this spray- BUT i have had luck with a spray called Petzlife Oral Care spray. at the time i used it, my JRT was getting older and i did not want to put her thru a dental. i decided to try this, b/c people gave it rave reviews. I used it on a q-tip rather than spray it on, bc she preferred it that way. I used it every night, and after about 2-3 months, her tarter did start to go away. after another month, it was pretty much gone.
My only worry is that it is possibly not healthy. The main ingredient was grapefruit seed extract. I don’t know if that could cause any health problems, and since my dog was older, there is no way for me to know now if she was having any adverse affects. at the time she seemed fine. I’m not saying it was not healthy, i just don’t know. She had to be PTS at age 13 due to her back issues as well as having IBD. But i know neither of those things happened bc of the spray. She had both issues before i ever tried it.
I used the PetZLife toothpaste years ago on my last dog. She was fed a raw diet, then kibble when she got older and pickier. Her teeth stayed clean with that paste, but I don’t think they sell it anymore (it was a gel in a squeeze bottle).
For my next dog, I’ll be using Plaque Off! again. It’s a tiny daily serving of some kind of seaweed that prevents plaque build up. Probably works in a similar way to Xylitol for humans (poisonous to dogs). I use Xylitol daily and my teeth have never felt cleaner or looked whiter.
http://www.plaqueoff.com/animal/ProDen-PlaqueOff-Animal.html
My experience over three Doberman lives has been regular brushing does a better job than gel the vet put on. The first had infected / receding gums. The gel was supposed to prevent the reinfection. Didn’t work. Regular brushing with a human toothbrush dipped in human Mouthwash worked well for years till her passing. The next two Dobes got regular brushing plus hand scaling by me. I found a small UV light recently, that shows the tarter. I do a pretty good job by most standards. My dobes never get put under for dental cleaning.
The key to training them is a piece of kibble for each time I work in their mouth. The sessions are very short at first. Like brush A single tooth … get a treat.
Of course a dobe’s mouth has more room to work than a small dog’s. Your experience may differ.
I’ve been using one you add to their water - TropicClean Fresh Breath Plus.
Visually I’ve noticed a reduction in tartar in the older dog, and when my older cat went in for a dental his teeth were in very good shape for his age with no extractions required. So no clue if it is actuallly effective or not but it appears to be helping.
My sister’s vet recommended it and she felt it made a difference too. It takes away any bad breath they may have so I feel it is worth it.
Well - Ive been using the TruDog spray on our little dog and I believe it has made a positive difference. The tartar is not gone entirely by any means, but on one incisor it is definitely less thick (maybe 1/2 of what it was) and on the other (which was worse) I believe it has decreased by maybe 1/4
Our problem with our dog is that she’s older, she has a partially collapsed trachea, she is terrified of car rides and panic stricken at going into a vet’s office - I really think it could kill her to send her in to get her teeth done and to be put out, so you do the best you can with what you have in front of you and we simply don’t want to knock her out for this procedure and have her stressed by the car ride/vet visit/overnight stay. It simply isn’t worth it
She been getting better about having me handle her teeth so I have started brushing them and will try to pick up the largest piece of tartar and will continue on with the TruDog spray as well
Yes it is very great!
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