What is better for dog to keep his teeth clean, sterilized bones that your can buy from any online Pet Store or a raw knuckle bone from the butcher? If I get a raw bone is it better to boil it for several minutes before you give it to the dog or let him chew it raw? And I’m wondering, cooked or sterilized bones are harder on the teeth? Could they wear down the dogs teeth? Also I’m concerned that the sterilized bones have some kind of chemicals in them since they look so white.

I have been giving my dog Nylabones and wonder if it would be better to just stick with that kind of bone to keep his teeth clean?

My dog has horrible breath you can smell a mile away. Part of it is she has kidney failure, which I recognize causes foul breath. But she’s also 10 years old and never really had any dental care before. In the last few months, about the time her bad breath became noticeable, she developed nasty tartar on her teeth. She will probably have to be anesthesized to have her teeth cleaned. I understand at her age and health, there is a risk of death. How much should I expect to pay for this type of teeth cleaning?