Got questions about your dog’s health, nutrition, or oral care? Ask a pet expert!

[LibbyMumsnet]

Whether you’ve got a new puppy or a well loved senior dog, we know that caring for a dog can come with plenty of questions. Is their diet right? How do you keep their teeth healthy? How much exercise is enough?

We’ve teamed up with Pedigree® and Dr Marie-Louise Bennett to help with all your dog related questions - whether it’s about the best diet for them or maintaining their oral health.

• How it works: Post your questions below and Dr Marie-Louise Bennett will be back in a few weeks to answer.
• Prize draw: Everyone who posts a question on this thread by 24th November 2024 will be entered into a prize draw to win a £100 voucher to treat your dog (or yourself, no judgement!).

Dr Marie-Louise Bennett
Dr Marie-Louise Bennett has more than 25 years’ experience in the field of veterinary oral health and has led research at the Waltham Petcare Science Institute investigating how to help prevent dental issues in dogs and cats through superior nutrition and gold standard home care.

Marie-Louise is the Scientific Communications Director for Mars Petcare Europe and works closely with key external organisations such as the British Veterinary Dental Association to help raise awareness of oral care issues in pets and ensure every animal has access to effective home oral care regimes and supportive veterinary care.

We’re looking forward to seeing your questions and helping you and your four-legged companions!

Insight T&Cs apply

How healthy ( or not) are the green toothbrush things for dogs please? The ones they chew. How often should you feed them if ok. Mine loves them!

@Tooffless - There is some research showing that a certain seaweed extract in powder products can help prevent plaque build up (rather than scrape it off), look for products with the VOHC as many claim to contain seaweed but may not always have it at the required concentration or have evidence for it working. Chewing on proven dental chews can help keep the teeth clean also – again look for chews with the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) seal of approval as these have been proven to work in clinical studies. There is no evidence that sonic toothbrushes work better than manual ones but some manual ones are better than others. Look for ones that are gently curved inwards so that you can clean to the back of the mouth. Also please take a look at this guide so that you can brush up on your technique!

@Sammyislost - Yes as gum disease is a progressive disease you may find that your dog starts to show signs of gum inflammation and possible some loose teeth. It is never to late to start a brushing routine and this handy guide will help you with that - well done for being such a great pet parent!

@MintGreenDream - Some dogs can be sensitive to grains but it is quite rare so unless your vet has told you that it is a problem for your dog then you should be fine to keep feeding treats with grains in them. Dogs need carbohydrates as an essential part of their diet and these grains can be very important in producing the right texture in dental treats such as Pedigree Dentastix - the texture is key to keeping the teeth clean of plaque. Itchy paws and skin can sometimes be done to a dietary intolerance but also sometimes due to an infection or infestation. It would be best to get your vet to help you determine the underlying cause so that you can treat accordingly or try some alternative foods. My own dog cannot tolerate chicken as it makes her very itchy, so she has James Wellbeloved fish variety and this suits her very well.

@ThatFlightyTemptressAdventure - Carefully controlling their levels of exercise as a puppy so as not to overstress those developing bones and joints and then later in life making sure you keep them in an ideal body condition. It is very easy for weight to creep on and so keeping a close eye on their body condition as well as ensuring adequate amounts of daily exercise are key.

@pinkstripeycat - It sounds like you have some concerns with his body condition and so you might want to ask again at the vets if they can score his body condition for you. Here is some information that can help you further https://www.royalcanin.com/uk/dogs/weight-management. As an oral health specialist I am going to have to ask you to avoid bones as I have seen so many very painful tooth fractures from dogs chewing on bones sadly. Veterinary dental specialists will advice you to use the "rule of thumb" when it comes to choosing dog chews and toys, if you can't indent it with your tumb nail then it is too hard for their teeth. Did you know that dog tooth enamel is 6x thinner than ours? Their teeth aren't as indestructible as we think so we have to take real care of them on their behalf.

@CheshireCat1 - Some people have success with the plug in calming aroma adapters - you might want to ask your vet practice if there is a particular brand they recommend.

@Seasmoke - Any brushing is better than none so please don't get disheartened if you struggle sometimes. Some dogs may not like our technique too much so we have worked with a vet dentist to put together this really useful guide that shows you how to do it like a pro! I hope it helps you

@ButterOllocks - The very first stages of gum disease can be reveresed, that is when it is just at the ginigivitis stage. If it progresses beyond this to destruction of the supporting structures around the tooth (ligament and bone) then it cannot be reversed. This is why it is important to have a really good oral care regime at home. Complete and balanced prepared petfoods have the optimal calcium and phosphorus ratios to maintain bones and teeth. Fluoride is not necessary for dogs as it is an ingredient in toothpastes designed to prevent dental cavities. On the whole dogs do not get dental cavities and so do not need flouride. Additionally fluoride can be toxic to dogs if swallowed over a prolonged period of time, another reason why you must always look for doggy toothpaste with no fluoride. The concentrations found in our tap water are perfectly safe.

Is it actually ok for dogs to eat cheese? And is the calcium in it good for their teeth and bones, as in humans?

It is the ultimate high value treat, but how much is too much of a good thing?

Should you always add meat to your dog’s dinner? Eg mine has a mix of wet and dry food, and then I add cooked chicken

What would you feed a dog who has had the majority of his teeth out ? I use the bakers meaty meals - but find that the wet food (quality ones) twice as expensive as the bakers products.

How would I know if my dog is unwell with their teeth - if they hide the pain - my 9 year old had tartar on his teeth, but seems to eat fine (I cannot afford the cost of a descaling and deep clean - so any tips)

Can dogs have fillings to preserve their life -rather than extraction ?

My dog seems to be getting opaque eyes rather than the clear lenses they used to be - he seems to be able to see ok - can this just be old age ? She's only 9

@Raveonette - It does sound like your dog is very attached to you, but perhaps overly so if she is unable to relax without you around. I'm curious if she behaves this way when no one is around? This will help understand whether she is anxious being left on her own and/or is less comfortable in your husband's presence. My advice is to get your husband more involved in activities with your dog, specifically ones which she considers enjoyable and ideally in your absence, but you may need to build up to these until she is more comfortable. It is also important he does things at her pace. For example, does she like treats, certain toys, games, petting?. Choose a selection of her favourite things and have your husband routinely engage with her in these. Ideally have him feed her and allocate a portion of her food that he feeds her by hand. He could make this part of a training activity or game. If he consistently does this over a period of time she will begin to look to him as someone who provides fun things and will be more likley to bond more closely with him and trust him.

How would you treat an elderly dog who seems to be going deaf - can I retrain with hand signals - any tips ? (age 12 labradoodle)

@fionabeeb - It is best to measure your dog's food allowance for the day according to the feeding guide on the pack. Dogs should be fed two meals a day around 12 hours apart. If you leave it too long between meals the stomach can become a bit acidic and cause nausea. Here is a great article with lots more useful information: https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/feeding-times-and-frequency-for-your-dog#:~:text=The%20number%20of%20meals%20a,can%20become%20hyperacidic%20causing%20nausea.

@WhatHaveIDone21 - Sometimes we can get a bit too worried that we are not doing enough with our dogs. But just like children they need some down time too so don't feel that every day has to be a party! Ideally each day should include a nice walk, perhaps letting them choose thier own route for a change, plenty of time for them to sniff around and check out their "wee-mails". Then some interactive play with toys that are kind to their teeth such as rubber balls and pliable chews. Dogs love learning too so any time you can spend training them if never wasted. If your dog likes new sights and sounds then a little walk around the shops or perhaps a new woods you have not visited before will always be appreciated. Then cuddles - some one to one attention and bonding time is key to their happiness.

@purplepandas - If you are talking about Greenies dental chews then these are great for your dog's teeth as they are scientifically proven to reduce plaque and tartar build up and to help freshen breath too. They are also approved by the Veterinary Oral Health Council, an external organisation that award their seal of approval to treats that pass their high standards of safety and efficacy. Greenies are nutritionally complete and balanced which means you can swap the calories that they gain from the chew directly with their main meal so that you are not giving too many calories each day. As a rough guide, reduce the main meal by around 10% to account for the calories from the treat. Please be aware of imitations of these chews that do not have the VOHC seal as we do not necessarily know if work or are as nutritious.

Should I be lured in by the 'human' type dog food - eg lamb casserole with rice and peas - or would kibble be enough - does dog food have minimum nutritional standards ?

My jackahuahua is 4 years old. She eats a mix of dry and wet food but I find she leaves her dry food a lot and eats her wet food only sometimes. Any advice?

@ClicketyClickPlusOne - If a dog is on a complete and balanced diet then there is no reason for it to need calcium from other foods since it is all taken care of in their main meal. Cheese is very calorie dense and so using it as a treat may in the long term lead to weight issues. Over 50% of dogs are overweight or obese already sadly. Some dogs can also be sensitive to lactose so care needs to be taken there. You might want to look at other treats instead that you dog really enjoys.

@Dizzywizz - There is no need to supplement diets with meat if your dog is on a complete and balanced commercially prepared petfood. These are carefully formulated to meet all the nutritional requirements of dogs at any given life stage. Your dog may however love the chicken you give it but just be careful to account for the calories with a reduction in its main meal.

@DenDenDenise - Dogs can cope quite well with missing teeth and to a certain extent the gums will harden a bit to cope also. You shouldn't have to make too many adaptations but just watch your dog carefully to ensure that they can cope with the kibble size of a dry food and are not just bolting things down.