Pekingese dental care after water additive fail

A dental water additive that puts a dog off drinking entirely is the worst outcome — especially in a nine-year-old Pekingese, where dehydration is a real risk on top of the dental problem you were trying to solve. Dental disease is genuinely serious: it's not just bad breath, it's chronic pain and bacterial load that can affect the heart and kidneys over time. The most effective home care combines brushing with the right toothpaste, or dental chews for dogs who won't tolerate a brush. Before I point you toward something that'll actually work for your dog, can you tell me: has your vet flagged any specific concerns about her teeth, and will she let you anywhere near her mouth with a brush or finger brush?

That's really helpful, thank you. Periodontal disease in a small flat-faced breed at nine is very common — Pekingese have crowded teeth in a short jaw, which gives plaque almost nowhere to go. Given she's ruled out brushing and the water additive was a disaster, dental chews are your strongest remaining option for daily home care. My one question before I recommend: does she actually chew things properly, or does she tend to swallow treats whole? Some small Pekingese barely engage with chews, which would make a difference to what I suggest.

Perfect — that makes this straightforward. I'd go with Virbac C.E.T. Enzymatic Dental Chews for Dogs, sized for small dogs. These are the chews most frequently recommended by vets for exactly this situation: they contain glucose oxidase and lactoperoxidase enzymes that actively break down plaque rather than just scrubbing mechanically, so they work even if she's not gnawing for a full two minutes. They're palatable enough that most reluctant dogs accept them without fuss, and crucially they don't contain anything that'll interfere with her drinking water. One chew daily is the routine. They won't replace professional cleaning, but for a dog at early-stage periodontal disease who won't tolerate brushing, this is the closest you'll get to meaningful daily intervention without a fight.

Good instinct to flag the kidney diet — that matters. Virbac C.E.T. chews are low in sodium and don't contain any ingredients that typically conflict with renal support diets, but because she's already on a prescription protocol, I'd run it past your vet before starting, just to confirm they're happy with the additional calorie and ingredient load. In practice, most vets prescribing renal diets are familiar with these chews and consider them compatible, but your vet knows her specific case. The other thing worth mentioning: at nine with early periodontal disease, she's likely a candidate for a professional scale and polish under anaesthetic if she hasn't had one recently — chews slow progression but won't reverse existing disease. That's a vet conversation rather than a home care product, but worth raising.

Yes — if the chews don't land, your next option is Petzlife Oral Care Gel, which is a salmon-flavoured gel you apply directly to the teeth with your finger or just to the gum line. Many dogs who won't accept a toothbrush will tolerate a quick finger application because it's fast and the flavour is appealing. It uses grapefruit seed extract and other natural antimicrobials. It's not as well-evidenced as enzymatic products, but it's widely used and better than nothing for a dog who won't accept any other approach. Start with the Virbac chews though — for a dog who chews enthusiastically, they're the stronger choice.