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How often should my dog's teeth be cleaned and are rawhides safe?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Male | neutered | 1 year and 6 months old | 55 lbs

How many times a year or month should my dog get his teeth cleaned at the groomers? And is it bad to give my dog rawhide treats?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Stephanie Echols, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on July 15th, 2019

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I recommend daily teeth brushing with dog toothpaste daily. Groomers only brush a dogs teeth when they are groomed- likely every 6-8 weeks. That would be like us brushing our teeth once every 6-8 weeks. It’s not a bad idea but it’s not going to do a whole lot in the long run. I also recommend a professional teeth cleaning by a veterinarian every year- to remove plaque, polish after (very important after plaque removal), and to check for problems/bad teeth before they cause other problems. Rawhides are not bad but they will not take the place of daily dental care. Also, they can cause intestinal upset so I do not recommend them frequently. They also have a lot of calories so you have to make sure Scooby doesn’t gain weight when feeding them. Kisses to Scooby!

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