Dental care for 12 year old chihuahua?

i have 3 chihuahua . one just passed away last sunday of leaking heart valve. i m so sad. now i have 2 left they both 12 years old and they are very little. i didn't know how important dental care is for dog so i never take them to the dentist. now i want to take my other 2 chihuahua to go clean up their teeth but i m so afraid my chihuahua can't handle it because i think the dentist might take some of their teeth out. i m so scared please help me should i take them to the dentist or just brush their teeth at home? their teeth are very yellow and smell.

Dental care for 12 year old chihuahua?
If their hearts can take the anesthesia, it is best to take out any loose, rotten teeth.
Reply:starting brushing teeth now is pretty much useless...you should talk about it with your veterinarian. There's a new product out there(I'm not sure if you guys have it or not) that is called "plaqueoff" it's a podwer you dribble on the food that will eventually get rid of the plaque on the teeth.





But like I said...give your veterinarian a call...and talk about the pros and cons on having dental at this point
Reply:You need to speak with your vet about this. Toy breed dogs are notorious for having very bad teeth. You really should have been up on this from when you got them.





Brushing is not going to remove tartar. Neither will greenies, flossies, dental treats, etc. Only a teeth cleaning will do this.





Because your dogs are older and "very little" you'll need to discuss with your vet about how to proceed. See if he's comfortable cleaning their teeth under anesthesia. If he's not, then look for an awake teeth cleaning service.





If the vet needs to remove teeth, then you need to have it done. He won't remove teeth just because he feels like it. He will because they are decayed or infected or problematic. Look at it this way - if you had an infected or decayed tooth, would you just leave it there?





After the teeth are cleaned, then yes, you would need to start caring for them at home. Brushing them, giving the dogs dental treats, etc.
Reply:you can brush their teeth at home, but if some need to come out then that is the best move for their health. realize that decaying or rotting teeth can be hazardous to the dog's health and even cause infections that spread into their blood stream. if your vet needs to remove teeth, it is for the dog's health.
Reply:If the dentist takes out teeth, it wouldn't be bad for the dog, it would probably be a huge relief if the poor thing has that bad of teeth. If you've ever had a toothache you should know how painful it can be. You should not only have the vet clean their teeth, you should also regularly brush them at home.
Reply:Ok i had got 2 chihuahaua i rescued them from people that where beating on them and thay had really bad teeth we took them to the vet to ask them about it and thay said you prob shouldnt take them to get there teeth worked on cuz thay are so small just brush them your self and give them the dental treats that help them clean there teeth when thay eat them
Reply:to prevent the dentist pulling out their teeth go to your pet store and buy a toothbrush and PET toothpaste. Dont start brushing their teeth right away. start by forming your hand in a 'c' shape with your pointer and thumb. Like your putting in a retainer, start circling their teeth and gums. then after their used to you messing with their teeth start brushing them
Reply:If you do decide to get their teeth cleaned by a vet be sure to have a blood test done to test for possible health problems and so that they can adjust the anesthesia properly for the best possible outcome.
Reply:I would not be scared about teeth being removed.





They do not remove them simply for fun, but because tooth base abcesses can form that will create an infection just below your dogs eyeball, and it is potentially lethal.





Another reason is that toxins around the base of a bad tooth can get into the blood stream, killing your dog.





Your vet may not be comfortable putting a 12 year old dog under anesthesia though.





I know the vet I work for will not do it once they have reached 12 years, but it all is relative to their current health.





Just have a talk with your vet.