I was going to ask her permission if I could take a picture of her performing Daisy's exam, but she's kind of intimidating and after she started scolding me about the pet's teeth, I lost my nerve.
All of our pets are now senior citizens, with Daisy the oldest at 14. Daisy is still pretty perky for a dog of her age, but the vet did tell us that she noticed some bradycardia in Daisy. Her heart rate is down to 88, slower than the last check-up and slower than the average which should be 100-120 for a dog her size. She told us some things to watch for in Daisy's behavior. We're thankful for every day we have with her at this age and that other than the heart, her health is excellent.
We also got the lecture on dental care. Penny's teeth were the worst and I got pretty much the same lecture from the vet that I get from my own dental hygienist.
Penny recovering from her shot.So I'm wondering, how many of you pet owners brush your pet's teeth? Did you start doing it when they were a puppy or kitten?
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I found this baby bird sitting in a tree this afternoon. I saw a chipping sparrow fly out of the tree and when I walked past to try and locate a nest, I noticed this little one on the branch. You can't tell the size from this picture, but it's almost as big as the adult chipping sparrow that was feeding it, so I'm pretty sure it's a baby cowbird. I think the beak and the spots on its chest kind of give it away as a baby cowbird also. A couple years ago, I had a chipping sparrow on my deck feeding a baby cowbird that was twice its size. I'm sad to think of the baby chipping sparrows that didn't make it.
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I've seen this in the past when it's very dry in the summer, but here's a picture of some honeybees on the edge of my bright blue ceramic birdbath. There's usually only 1 or 2 at a time, but they really seem to like this birdbath.
7 comments:
Our dog needs some oral hygiene badly! He is 8 years old and we never tried to brush his teeth when he was a pup. I tried to do so this past winter and we took a movie of it. He has never bitten anyone, but this came close. Now, if he sees a toothbrush, he is gone.
Ruth
You're lucky to have a vet that makes house calls, though I could do without the hard time.
I've never brushed my dog's teeth and no vet has ever suggested it!
Our older cat (15 yo) had 5 teeth removed a few years ago. Bad teeth had made her very sick before we realized they were even bothering her.
But the wrestling that would be involved, and claws and flying fur, still haven't encouraged us to make tooth brushing part of our care routine.
I hope the dry food and occasional raw chicken does the trick!
I've never brushed pets' teeth but our dog Gidget gets hers brushed at the groomer's a few times a year. Thinking about her breath reminds me it's time for another visit!
I LOVE the picture of Penny! My kids have been begging for a cat (I grew up with cats and dogs) but right now we have a dog and a house rabbit who love each other and I worry about adding another pet to the mix.
Chloe will be 11 years old this month and we never brushed her teeth because she's a bitch and would have no parts of it! As a result, she had most of her loose and decayed teeth pulled in February. She's a happier dog (pain free). I'm brushing Bella's teeth once in a while but I'll also have her teeth scaled when she's 4 or 5.
Poor Chloe.
Thanks everyone for sharing your pet dental care stories. I asked a few people at work today and could not find anybody there who brushes their pet's teeth either. I suppose our dogs would have been better off if we didn't feel them "people food" also. When I was growing up, I don't remember the vet ever telling my mom that we should brush the pet's teeth, so veterinary medicine has obviously undergone transformation over the years also.
Hi Ruthie - I might as well join this group with letting you know that with 6 pets, it's impossible to brush their teeth. I have been purchasing (from Drs. Foster & Smith) the dental mint biscuits and dental mint rawhide for the dogs. I haven't done anything about the cats, except every few years take them to the vet to have their teeth cleaned. Much easier, but quite expensive. :(
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