Caring for your dogs teeth is a vital part of his overall health and maintenance. Sure, you may feel funny brushing Fido's pearly whites every night before bed, but good dental care for dogs is much more than just having white teeth and good breath.
Dental disease in dogs can cause serious health issues as the bacteria from infected gums and teeth can "spread" to other parts of the body and affect vital organs such as the heart, kidneys and intestines. Tarter or dental calculus starts off soft but can harden on the dogs teeth. Once hardened, it cannot be brushed away but requires a dental scaling just like you get in the dentist chair! If the teeth are left untreated, the buildup can cause the gums to become inflamed and can also cause serious infections.
Does Your Dog Have Bad Teeth?
To tell if your dog has bad teeth, lift up his lips and check his teeth at the gumline - can you see tarter? Are the teeth white or discolored? Does his breath smell? Are there broken teeth?
All of these can indicate the need for better dog tooth care. Your veterinarian will probably do a dental check as part of they yearly checkup and can advise you as to the extent of the problem, if any.
Providing Better Dog Tooth Care
Bones
Chewing on raw bones can be a good way for your dog to remove built up tarter. I would advise against cooked bones as they can splinter and cause damage to the gums or intestine if swallowed. There are also some manufactured bones that are specially formulated for dental care.
Brushing Your Dogs Teeth
Brushing is a vital part of dog tooth care and should be done at least once a week. There are plenty of flavored toothpastes formulated for dogs that your pet will love the taste of. You can use a finger brush (a rubber piece that fits on the end of your finger with bristles), a hand held brush that looks much like a human tooth brush, or a little brush that fits on the end of a "ring" which you put on your finger. I have a tiny dog with a small mouth and I find the "ring" brush works best for me.
Scaling
This procedure is done by your veterinarian and is pretty much the same thing as the scaling you get at the dentist. The teeth are scraped and polished and any loose or badly damaged teeth are removed. Your dog is put under anesthesia for this procedure and it is quite costly. Proper brushing will limit the need for this to be done.
Getting Your Dog Used To Brushing
While it's best to start when he is a puppy, it's not too late for your older dog to get good dental care! Start off slowly, maybe with just a dab of the toothpaste on your finger so he can lick it off (my dog loves the taste!). Be sure to use a special paste for dogs and not human toothpaste ? get a paste from your vet that has enzymes that will help fight the bacteria. Also, you'll want a soft brush so you do not damage the gums.
Take it one day at a time and gradually get the dog used to you touching his head and opening the mouth. Each day try to go one step further ? open the mouth, then touch his teeth, then his gums. Use your finger at first and introduce the brush later. This can be a a bonding time for you and your dog - eventually your pet may even look forward to his nightly brushing!
You should try to brush your dogs teeth every day or at least every other day so that the plaque will not have a chance to harden. While this may seem like a chore, think of it as an important medical need for your pet. Frequent brushing and proper dental care can add years to your pets life!
Lee Dobbins is a pet lover and webmaster of epet pet center where you can find out more about the care of pets. Be sure to check out the new epet pet center.
taxi o'hare Wisconsin Dells ..Mabeke is a young gorilla who was born in captivity... Read More
Much has been written about the Discus, or Symphysodon aequifasciatus,... Read More
Domesticated rabbits are one of the most popular pets, apart... Read More
Internet Fraud, Classifieds Scams, Abuse and Suspicious Replies are world... Read More
There are a number of reasons for choosing natural pet... Read More
Training a dog is a fairly difficult task. Some find... Read More
Most people who have horses would like to develop a... Read More
Toy dog breeds include greyhounds, terriers, pinschers, pugs, chihuahuas, pekingese,... Read More
Many different skin problems can arise in the aquarium. thankfully,... Read More
Reading a pet food label, how difficult can it be?... Read More
Thunder storms affected pets differently. Some hardly notice them, others... Read More
While excitement and anticipation will be at the top of... Read More
Man's Best Friend is a great companion around the home,... Read More
Dogs are creatures of habit; and once they develop a... Read More
They may seem to be bold explorers - sniffing at... Read More
Electric Dog FencesIs an electric dog fence something for you?... Read More
Find a vet, if possible, who specializes in small animals... Read More
In most cases you should not be too concerned about... Read More
A new puppy is a joyous addition to any home.... Read More
One of the biggest question asked of the discus breeder... Read More
Wether it be on a vacation to your favorite resort,... Read More
Cryptorchidism is peculiar to male dogs and a condition present... Read More
Do you really get the fullest amount of enjoyment out... Read More
Everybody loves puppies. Who can resist those cute little faces... Read More
Wondering how to begin crate training your puppy or dog,... Read More
bmw rental chicago Ackley ..Did you know that there are key health benefits that... Read More
Did you know that your goldfish can live for over... Read More
Perhaps the best way to train your westie pups not... Read More
The benefits of feeding live food to fish in a... Read More
Mistake #1:"Here, Kitty Kitty..."Unless they have been educated, new horse... Read More
Trying to decide if you should get insurance on your... Read More
Let me introduce my dogs. I have 3, Nikki and... Read More
Many people think cats are asocial, but in fact they... Read More
Adding a new member to your feline family is usually... Read More
Introducing your puppy to the crate should be an easy... Read More
Do you make a lot of trips to the vet's... Read More
It is important to choose a sugar glider breeder carefully.... Read More
Last summer, we added a new pet to our family... Read More
This mysterious cat is originally from the country of Siam,... Read More
Weaning puppies is a perfectly natural process. Mamma dogs have... Read More
The greatest benefits of ownership is knowing that your property... Read More
"Your cat has feline diabetes." If this is your vet's... Read More
Many dogs today suffer from itchy skin caused by a... Read More
Vitamins Can Increase Your Dog's Life Span!There is evidence to... Read More
Yes! We love our wonderful and dear Pooches! We care... Read More
For heat dissipation and body cooling, a horse trotting at... Read More
Many of us dream of having a beautiful, exotic bird... Read More
Training your dog to "sit" is probably the first thing... Read More
If you are thinking of adding a feline to your... Read More
Fleas belong to the insect order Siphonaptera. They are common... Read More
Pet |