Post by Deleted on Mar 14, 2012 10:58:51 GMT -5
So, I am in the midst of switching my kids over to raw. They are still in the soupy stage of the switch.
I know that I need to be doing something about their teeth. Soxx's breath is rather awful (he's ~7 years) and he has some crud built up on his back teeth. Freya's teeth look fine (she's ~1.5 yrs), Marley has a smidge of crud built up on his back teeth too (he's ~1 yr).
Heather (my switch mentor) recommended making a paste of ground eggshell and their marine/fish oil supplement and using a baby toothbrush (or one of the finger-cap toothbrushes, but I went with the baby one -- I'd rather not get my fingers that close). I have a few questions about this though (and since it doesn't pertain directly to my switch I figured I'd start a new thread).
1. Until they are eating RMB, is this eggshell/oil paste the best method that y'all can think of? Marley and Freya get 1/2 an Nbone a few times a week, but Soxx won't touch them.
2. If so... Will the eggshell, however finely ground I can get it, be too abrasive? How likely is it that I might accidentally cut one of their gums?
Which leads me to,
3. The fish oil is red. If I do nick a gum, I won't be able to tell if they are bleeding. Should I use EVOO instead of the marine fish oil? The do loooooove their fish oil.
4. How should I hold them to go about this teeth brushing adventure? Soxx I'm not too worried about. I wasn't going to even TRY Marley until I looked at his teeth more closely today and he has some gunk built up
He is super squirmy on the best of occasions and is also the one most likely to bite me.
I can try to get pictures of teeth if that would be useful. Thanks!
I know that I need to be doing something about their teeth. Soxx's breath is rather awful (he's ~7 years) and he has some crud built up on his back teeth. Freya's teeth look fine (she's ~1.5 yrs), Marley has a smidge of crud built up on his back teeth too (he's ~1 yr).
Heather (my switch mentor) recommended making a paste of ground eggshell and their marine/fish oil supplement and using a baby toothbrush (or one of the finger-cap toothbrushes, but I went with the baby one -- I'd rather not get my fingers that close). I have a few questions about this though (and since it doesn't pertain directly to my switch I figured I'd start a new thread).
1. Until they are eating RMB, is this eggshell/oil paste the best method that y'all can think of? Marley and Freya get 1/2 an Nbone a few times a week, but Soxx won't touch them.
2. If so... Will the eggshell, however finely ground I can get it, be too abrasive? How likely is it that I might accidentally cut one of their gums?
Which leads me to,
3. The fish oil is red. If I do nick a gum, I won't be able to tell if they are bleeding. Should I use EVOO instead of the marine fish oil? The do loooooove their fish oil.
4. How should I hold them to go about this teeth brushing adventure? Soxx I'm not too worried about. I wasn't going to even TRY Marley until I looked at his teeth more closely today and he has some gunk built up
He is super squirmy on the best of occasions and is also the one most likely to bite me.I can try to get pictures of teeth if that would be useful. Thanks!
Napoleon was the only ferret I ever brushed teeth with and I just sat at the table put the oil and egg shell on the table...dipped the brush, scruffed Napoleon but put his butt on my knee (oh, you may want to put a towel down on your lap...oil stains) and gently brushed. He usually yawned which meant I got at those back teeth and then when he locked his jaw (he wasn't going to like this) I brushed the outside. I've done this with my finger too but I knew that Napoleon would never bite me. I always used fish oil because my guys hate olive oil.