I'm curious if others have found that their English Setters needs frequent dental cleanings? What is reasonable in terms of frequency? Mine seems to have tarter and plaque develop rather quickly. I hesitate to provide bones due to all the warnings about broken teeth or problems with bone fragments being swallowed but I can't help but wonder if it wouldn't help clean the teeth. I hate putting my boy under anethesia.
Bones are fine as long as they are not cooked, you can buy rib bones from Pets at Home, or duck or turkey necks, I freeze them and give to my my dog straight out the freezer frozen.... chicken wings are also OK ,
Pereg had her daily bone meal [turkey necks - chicken carcasses - large sardines or other fish, whole and ungutted etc] bought fresh and individually frozen by me, straight from the freezer. Tikva, being a lot smaller, has chicken necks - chicken wings - and smaller sardines or other fish, also straight from the freezer. Pereg's teeth were always unmarked - no plaque or tarter, and she never had any problems with them, and little Tikva's are the same. No splintered bits swallowed, it was/is crunch, crunch, crunch.
The best way I have found to avoid dental cleanings is to feed raw. My dogs go through their entire lives without ever needing a cleaning. My pup is currently on ground raw with supplementation, but still gets beef neck bones every Wednesday to keep her teeth clean. Beef neck bones are non-weight bearing, so they will not break teeth. Anesthesia is much riskier than providing like raw meaty bones.
My vet, who's very into preventative pet nutrition, recommended a product that creates healthy enzymes in the dogs mouth that deter plaque build up- OraVet Dental Hygiene Chews. My dog gets 1 per day and loves them. I've seen my vet use his thumbnail to pop off plaque from teeth! This is what they basically do ( with instruments) at a anesthesia-free teeth cleaning. There's probably someone offering it in your area. Some dogs won't sit still for it, however but it's an alternative.
