I am always looking inside our dogs' mouths. I check teeth, gums, and look for anything unusual. I always have.
How, then, did I miss the largest teeth in Pav's mouth? Did I forget to check the last couple of times I had him on the grooming table? I don't know. But one month ago, I did check more carefully, and I was horrified!
Pav's largest molars, on both sides were literally caked with tartar. He has been raw-fed for all but his first 6 months, and he does chew his yaks and ocassional rawhides. Does this mean the few biscuits we give him are causing a buildup? Does this mean he is simply more prone to a tartar buildup? Does he not use his back teeth to chew? Is he not chewing enough? I don't know yet.
The buildup was thick, and I was not able to just chip it off with my thumbnail, like I sometimes do for the small amount that sometimes appears on the canines, at the gum line (Dr. Norelli showed me how to do this). And there was a little blood at the gum line. UGH! Of course, Pav would not allow me to use my dental scraper; definitely a doggie dental appointment in his future, or so I thought.....
Out of desperation, I decided to try Leba lll, a spray that I have seen many times in veterinary journals. I figured I'd try it as directed, and if it didn't work, I'd get in touch with Dr. Norelli to arrange a dental. This was not desirable, not because Dr. Norelli doesn't do a great job, he does, but we have never had to have a dental done on our dogs in the 41 years we've owned them, and we avoid anesthesia whenever we possibly can, not to mention the stress on both humans and dogs.
I read everything on the Leba lll web site, including the case studies and photos, and started treating Pav (and his sister Kiki, because she had a bit of buildup too) on October 19th, and I'm thrilled to report that just 3 weeks later, the tartar is almost gone, and his gums above the molars are no longer bleeding. I will continue to treat until the tartar is completely gone, and follow their schedule for maintenance. Whew!
Do they like the taste? I can tell you that when it's time to spray, Pav and Kiki wag their tails, go to their beds and roll over on their backs for some belly rubs! They actually seem to look forward to it! I'm guessing it has no taste or little taste. So easy to do!
What have I learned? 1) even some raw-fed dogs can have a tartar buildup, 2) always check teeth on a regular basis, 3) get on top of any tartar as soon as possible, 4) be sure to always provide something that they love to chew, 4) consider not feeding biscuits to some dogs, but use treats like cut up fruit and veggies, and of course, 5) NEVER feed commercial dog food - that is a guarantee for teeth problems and gum disease.
How to order Leba lll: visit their web site directly, not Amazon.