[Dailydrool] Preventing and removing tartar

[Rosemary Ryan]

A couple of years ago I started giving my dogs ProDen Plaque Off.  It's 
a sea weed that grows in the North Atlantic . It worked, and it's chock 
full of vitamins!  The only caution is that it is rich in iodine and 
which is contra-indicated for dogs who have a hyper-thyroid (too much) 
condition.  Not a common problem in bassets,  so I started using it.  My 
only complaint is that it's expensive. The best price I've found is $80 
for a 1 pound jar, and that was on the net.  At the pet stores it is 
even more.

The ProDen website says "It is a special type of seaweed (D1070) which 
has been found to have specific beneficial effects for oral care." I did 
a bit of research and discovered that D1070 is actually quite common and 
grows all over the North Atlantic. I found a harvester in Maine that 
sells a large grind version for farm animals at $24.99 for 12 pounds 
plus shipping (which brought my price to around $40). It's too coarse 
for the dogs, so I grind it myself. I add between 1/8 and 1/4 tsp per meal.

Their website is: http://www.vitaminseaseaweed.com/vitaminsea_farm.html.

The results?  One of my dogs had a huge problem with tartar buildup.  It 
took about a year, but the seaweed (plus some cleaning with gauze pads) 
eventually removed her tartar. My youngest ones, who are now 18 months, 
have gotten the seaweed in their food since they were about 3 months old 
and their teeth are gorgeous! My vets are always surprised when they 
open my dogs' mouths and see their teeth.

Write me if you'd like more information.

Rosemary
Uncle Isaac (10), Grandma Dinah (8), Hilary (5), and her pups Spencer, 
Esther, and Regina (18 months)