Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Molly and Kathleen on March 8, 2009 at 11:44pm

Wow, I'm sure sorry, I don't have that issue, just allergies. Good luck finding out information. Also, you may want to create a discuss group with Corgi's with teeth issues to try to get more information.

Permalink Reply by Furby,Baylee&Nellie on March 9, 2009 at 10:11am

Hi Kathleen,
I was reading your reply to Tracy I also don't have the teeth problems like she has but read that you deal with allergies with your kids and I was wondering what topical flea med do you use . I went through hell with my Furby and had many many vets tell me it was food and polin allergies. Thousands of dollars later I finially found Dr Ringler and he told me that 99.9% of dogs do not have allergies and ask me what topical I used? At that I replyed frontline plus I had always used frontline plus and it worked great. Part of the thousands of dollars I had spent to help get relef for my boy was take blood and checked if he had allergies chicken,beef,soy corn etc..... all had moderate to med readings so I was so sure that was it. Furbys allergies to fleas was off the chart. I laughed well ALL dogs are allergic to fleas. Not correct some are much worse so thats why the frontline was not what I should on my boy I . I switch to Advantage and no more sraching. It was immediate!!!!! I also have capstar in my doctor bag and mostly in the summer I have to do him every 2 to 3 weeks ( of course I live in florida so the fleas very bad) Hope this helps Jenny

Permalink Reply by Jill M on March 14, 2009 at 5:56pm

hi! My oldest corgi does. Not the extent that it causes brown spots, but caused them to be weak. Consequently, she's had two root canals in the course of her life and is REALLY restricted to the hardness of things she is allowed to chew. Her doggie dentist said she has to eat hard food 100% of the time, he'd prefer that she switch to Canine t/d by science diet as her main diet however that's not possible due the fact that she's had rare bladder stones (severely) and is on a special diet to prevent a reccurrance of that. So, she gets two pieces of the canine t/d large large chunks as a bed time snack and is allowed to chew the petite CET Hextra chews, but that is all. She for a while had to have a dental twice a year but by doing the above we've gotten it down to once a year. If your regular vet doesn't specialize in teeth, you might want to get a second opinion from one that does. Good luck and best wishes.

Permalink Reply by MaryAlice Musante on March 22, 2009 at 12:51pm

Our Lucy had bad tartar build-up and brown spots up at the gum line. I too, would brush her teeth every week to no avail.Greenies didn't work, either. I started her on a raw diet including raw beef bones. I was told by a friend that the enzymes in the raw meat would clean her teeth. Well, he was right! Her teeth are markedly better after 3 weeks. The tartar is going away slowly, but surely. With no more brushing (which she hates and her gums bleed).
Raw feeding is a hotly contested issue and I highly recommend research before starting. There is a yahoo group of very experienced feeders - some are breeders and some are vets. It's called rawfeeding. Check them out and the many websites available.
Lucy looks great - her weight is perfect, her breath is sweet, her coat is soft and her eyes are bright. Our relationship has changed, too. Funny, but she looks to me as the "bringer of meeeeeaaat..." The first time I gave it to her, she followed me around the office and layed at my feet all day! I hope this helps you - we had a border collie who died of congestive heart failure too young because of her teeth. I won't let this happen to our little Lucy.

Permalink Reply by Raul Guillarte on May 18, 2009 at 2:23pm

I concur with Mary Alice's post. I got my corgi when she was 3 years old and the previous owners, although they were great and gave her plenty of love, neglected her teeth. Needless to say she had a massively hardened film of plaque in her back set of teeth as well as black gums. I make a concerted effort to brush her teeth everyday (however, it usually ends up to be about 5 days a week). The problem brushing is it is too difficult to brush all parts of her teeth regardless of the frequency.

The most progress I have made is when she chews on hard substances. Generally this includes a RAW BEEF bones and cow hooves. Mary Alice's point that raw feeding is very controversial is definitely true and can potentially pose serious problems. Before you give your dog raw bones make sure to supervise the furball because they get so anxious they might want to swallow it whole and also be conscious of the bone density. This can be fatal because the soft bones can shard and tear up the intenstintal track. I have been using femur bones and will try knuckle bones eventually.

I wish I took before and after pictures to show the progress of her teeth but it has been less than a year and her hardened film has finally subsided and her gums are not nearly as black. all in all I agree with Mary Alice's suggestion.

good luck

Permalink Reply by Cathy Santarsiero on June 22, 2009 at 9:07pm

He sounds awfully young to have such issues. Try a product called Petz Life Oral Care spray. I started using it a few months ago after the vet tech at my vet's office gave it a glowing reference. You just need to spray it into his mouth twice a day and continue with regular brushing. Don't expect results overnight, but after a few weeks you should notice a real improvement in plaque build up and brown stains. You should be able to google it but if you can't find it, go to my blog www.christmascorgi.blogspot.com and scroll way down on the left and you will see an Amazon widget. I put a few of my favorite products in the groomng section there, but do shop around as you may be able to find it cheaper elsewhere. It is only a 2 oz bottle for around $20 bucks. A little goes a long way. Does he breath through his mouth alot rather than through his nose? Is his mouth always open even when at rest? Sometimes dogs who have a hard time breathing through their mouths can develop plaque quicker than dogs who can breathe easily. Be careful also about HOW often and how you brush. You will want to be use only a soft brush as you do not want to wear the enamal away. There is also another product which you can probably find on the petz life web page that you add to their drinking water. I would try both if his teeth are that bad. Good luck! Hope you can keep the tooth fairy away.

Permalink Reply by Shelby, Riley and their Momma! on June 26, 2009 at 12:09pm

Yes my 8 year old has always had teeth problems but I feel it is from neglect from her previous owner ( I got her when she was 3) Unfortunately it has led to 3 dental cleanings and several teeth extractions. I do my best to encourage her to chew and i try to brush but I think she will eventually be toothless. Keep brushing but you may be in for expensive dental cleaning to maintain his teeth. Sorry :( I know its frustrating

Permalink Reply by Jim & Deb McClay on July 5, 2009 at 12:21pm

Our MacKenzie has had to have 3 cleanings for tartar buidup in 7 years and this last time she went in also had 3 extractions due to loose teeth. Vet said it's just something that happens. She also had surgery for bladder stones 2 years ago, so we watch her diet (hard food only) and plenty of chewies. Apparently it is just something that happens to individual dogs. The extractions do not affect her eating, but is noticeable when she gets treats like bacon strips or dog biscuits. She manages to grind them up, but has to manuever them for a few minutes to get a good bite on them. And they certainly didn't affect her personality at all.

Permalink Reply by Connie Miller on July 19, 2009 at 4:56pm

My nine year old Corgi had to have a tooth pulled because it was cracked. The vet said no more marrow bones or pig ears!!!
I had to give Murphy a summer buzz and he looks soooo cute.

Attachments:

• DSCF0012.JPG, 817 KB

Permalink Reply by Andrea on August 2, 2009 at 5:43pm

We use Denta bone to help clean Willis' teeth. He is showing a bit of plaque so the vet recommended brushing with a doggie toothbrush. Check and see if there is any holistic support that may help. It could be food related. Hope you find something that helps, and let us know.

Permalink Reply by Pat Grissett on August 9, 2009 at 5:52pm

So sorry to hear this. I have 2 Corgis and have had Corgis for the last 17 years and this is the first time I've heard this. So there is nothing that can be done?

Permalink Reply by Jessie on December 2, 2009 at 9:06pm

My tri-corgi has always had the WORST breath and horrible plaque, even on several different meds from the vet. At 11 she had her teeth cleaned yet again and three teeth had to be pulled. I thought my vet was going to kill me. I am going to look into some of the recommendations from this discussion. : ) My vet certainly did not have the solution KB needed to save all her teeth.