Virbac Plaque Tartar Control Enzymatic Dog and Cat Toothpaste, 2.5 oz, Beef

I am a registered dental hygienist (for people) who has also cleaned dog teeth in veterinary settings as well as my own dogs' teeth at home, so I can attest to the importance of good oral care for us and our pets! Regular effective cleaning can help guard against both tooth decay and gum disease (which causes the teeth to become loose and fall out eventually). Cleaning your pets' teeth "in office" at the vet is a valuable service -one which I highly recommend; but it's hard on your pet (anesthesia req'd) and on your pocketbook; so if you can do it once every few years instead of every year, you will both be better off! Let me be clear: if your vet recommends in-office treatment, then you should do it -there are many problems which they can diagnose and treat only in their office under anesthesia. But in the meantime, and afterward, you can do a lot at home. I've had great success with C.E.T. Enzymatic toothpastes -they work great, imho better than competitors' brands, and my dogs love the taste. Enzymatic toothpaste works by dissolving deposits chemically, before they harden into tarter which must then be removed with an instrument by a professional. Brushing is still vital, as the mechanical action also cleans the teeth -sprays just don't get it. You must brush regularly (before those deposits become hardened onto the teeth). Regular brushing also helps train your pet to accept treatment -really they all come to love it and look forward to the taste and the attention. You can start off very slowly, just putting the brush near their mouth, next time touch a few teeth, etc -reward with small taste of the toothpaste or with another tasty treat (I use tiny bits broken off a mozzarella stick) -S-L-O-W-L-Y build up the time you spend brushing...depending on your pet it may take days or weeks for them to accept long enough treatment time to clean all the teeth. There are many helpful videos online which demonstrate how to slowly train up to this and the instructions from C.E.T. are very good as well. I use a human kid-sized brush for the small dog and regular adult brush for the big guys, there is really no need for a special brush -though the ones with bristles that wrap around all sides of the teeth are kinda nice. This is a slow process at first, but invest the time and soon you'll be able to do it quickly and efficiently. Brush REGULARLY -no less than once a week, preferably every 1-2 days, to get those deposits off before they harden (they can harden in just a few days)! And brush your own teeth -twice a day, slowly (2-3 minutes), followed by flossing. Same rules apply: once that stuff hardens on there, only your dentist or hygienist can get it off...and as long as it's on there it is leading you closer to tooth decay and gum disease...and ultimately tooth loss. The sooner you begin, the better -please do not wait until the dog is old, not eating well because of tooth pain and missing teeth...often by this time your beloved pet is too old and unhealthy to risk anesthesia, and you feel terrible knowing you could have prevented this with a small investment of quality time with your pet. Another note: be careful what you let your dog chew on -hard toys, bones that are not fresh, and tennis balls can severely wear down and break their teeth over time and this too will lead to tooth loss or possibly emergency extractions. Always supervise and limit chewing behaviors. I like fresh marrow bones and the elk antlers for giving my girl something safe to chew on.

I originally got a sample of the Vanilla Mint toothpaste from my vet. My cat's gums bled a little when I first started to brushed her teeth, but after a week of use with the Virbac CET toothpaste the bleeding stopped and her teeth looked much better. Her vet has never indicated that she needed a teeth cleaning, and she doesn't have bad breath. I have brushed her teeth with other enzymatic toothpaste, but it never made much of a difference before. Always introduce your pet to something like this, let them sniff it and lick a little off your finger to see what it is. When I got this tube of BEEF toothpaste my cat wasn't all that interested in the flavor, but my dog is MORE than willing to eat it right out of the tube if I'd let her! I REALLY love that this toothpaste is formulated for cats AND dogs, instead of having to spend a small fortune on specific toothpastes for my pets I can use Virbac CET toothpaste on BOTH my pets. When I started brushing my dog's teeth today she started like she usually does, fighting the brush, but as soon as she realized I had the Virbac on the brush she started trying to lick it while I was brushing her teeth- making it MUCH easier to actually brush her teeth. After I finished brushing I let her sit there licking the brush so that her breath would be nice and fresh. My dog rarely has bad breath though, so it was more for her enjoyment and my reassurance that she had plenty of the enzymes in her mouth to breath down tarter. I'm so impressed with how much my pets like this toothpaste compared with other pet toothpastes I've tried. And if the sample I received from my vet is any indication, this toothpaste works far better than any other toothpaste I've used on them.

I've used them both and consistently this is the better product for my dog. He likes the beef flavor of course, and his regular reward for being nice while being brushed (or having his nails trimmed) is a yummy tooth brushing. What I notice about this brand are a couple of things. First, this is a nice, concentrated, semi transparent gel. The Petrodex is a putty looking paste. This brand seems to take care of bad breath better than the Petrodex, which is the one bonus. They both seem to work well, but I put my faith in the brand with the bad breath killing power. Using every couple of days is usually more than enough. The amounts to use are not large either, so the tube lasts. And this tube doesn't tend to crack open like the Petrodex tube. (What a mess!) Try them both out. But I prefer C.E.T. And the Amazon.com price blows away the Petco and Petsmart prices. (And make sure you have a good doggie toothbrush - this brand does have an available starter kit).

My cat absolutely loves this toothpaste. He prefers brushing his teeth to getting a treat!

Virbac Canine Toothpaste is perfect for any Dog or Cat. They make it in several Flavors. It encourages Pets to enjoy their Brushing by providing a pleasant scent and Flavor. We have found that our Dogs have only needed one Cleaning in Seven years with regular use of Brushing every other day.

Dog tolerates well

Will clean a dog's teeth. My dog likes the taste no problem with cleaning.

Not many places sell the beef but my dog likes this one better than poultry quick delivery on time great service

I used Ryer cat toothbrush with the toothpaste for the first time. My kittens love it. My furry daughter is extremely cautious with her mouth and teeth. She started lick and chewing the toothbrush. So happy! First step successful with years ahead of dental care for my furry babies!

Excellent doggy toothpaste.