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What should pet owners know about dog dental care and
periodontal disease?
An important aspect of the good dog dental care is proper dental
hygiene. One of the most common ailments treated by veterinarians
is periodontal or gum disease. Gum disease is progressive. It
starts out with the formation of plaque, a sticky bacterial film
that forms in the mouth at the gum line. If not removed plaque will
harden into tartar above and below the gum line. This build up
causes the gums to become red and swollen, a condition known as
gingivitis.
If gingivitis is left untreated it can lead to advanced gum
disease. Red swollen gums will begin to recede as the infection
travels down into the root of the tooth and the jawbone. Once the
gums have receded the damage is irreversible and the gums will not
grow back. This is known as periodontal disease and results in loss
of bone and loss of teeth. At this advanced stage the bacteria from
the oral infection may now enter the bloodstream. This can lead to
more serious problems such as heart, liver and kidney disease.
These conditions if left untreated can eventually become life
threatening. These problems can also be prevented by implementing a
good dog dental care routine.
Why should I routinely inspect my dog's mouth?
By two or three years of age many pets start to show signs of oral
disease. By implementing a home dog dental care routine you can
assure that your dog’s mouth stays healthy, clean and pain
free. Start by routinely inspecting your dog’s mouth. A
healthy mouth will not smell offensive. The teeth will be clean and
will not have any yellow or brown spots. The gums will be a healthy
pink color and will hug the teeth.
What are the signs of gum disease in dogs?
Persistent bad breath, brownish deposits around the gum line,
especially on back teeth, red swollen gums, loose teeth, painful
and or bleeding gums are all indicators of oral disease. Although
bad breath or “doggy breath” is the most obvious sign of
a problem, many pet owners fail to recognize it as an indicator of
dental problems until it’s too late. As part of a good dog
dental care routine check your dog’s mouth at the slightest
sign of a persistent offensive odor. Other indications can be
decreased appetite and weight loss, a change in chewing habits,
lethargy, and pawing of the mouth or the face.
What should I do if my dog's mouth shows signs of gum
disease?
Dog dental care starts by checking your dog’s mouth regularly.
If you see any of these signs call your vet to schedule a dental
exam. Your dog may just need a routine cleaning. The cleaning
process is performed under general anesthesia. If the condition is
minor, it’s not much different than a dental cleaning that you
or I would have done. Your dog’s teeth will be scaled to
remove tartar above and below the gum line and then they will be
polished. Since your dog can’t rinse and spit the mouth area
will be flushed to clear it of any loosened debris.
If the condition is more serious your vet may need to administer an
antibiotic to clear up any gum infection before cleaning your
dog’s teeth. Blood work will usually be taken so that your vet
can determine if the infection has spread into the bloodstream. If
the disease is in the advanced stages your vet may also need to
extract some teeth. Whatever the outcome, your dog is sure to feel
a lot better after receiving some much needed dog dental
care.
Remember to regularly inspect your pet's mouth, schedule periodic
dental check ups, and perform routine home dental care.
How important is home dog dental care?
Regular cleanings by your vet followed up by a home
dental care program can help keep your dog’s mouth healthy and
disease free. Even if your dog’s teeth are currently in good
condition a preventative home dental care routine is essential to
your dog’s health. If not regularly removed, plaque and tartar
build up can progress very quickly into full blown periodontal
disease.
If you’re new to dog dental care ask your vet to show you how
to brush your dog’s teeth. Also find out if there is anything
else that your vet would recommend adding to your dog’s
preventative home dental care routine.
One recommendation is to entice your dog to chew. Daily chewing
exercises will help remove food debris and prevent tartar build up.
They're also great for relieving boredom and separation anxiety. So
put your pet to work. Give your dog plenty of fun and yummy real
bones, dental dog chew toys, and edible dog chews as part of your
home dog dental care routine.
Do I need to brush my dog's teeth?
The most direct method of preventative dog dental care is brushing
your dog’s teeth regularly. Vets usually recommend that you
brush your dog’s teeth at least two times a week. If your dog
is prone to dental disease you may need to do this more
often.
What should I use to brush my dog's teeth?
If you have a young puppy introducing a tooth brushing routine will
probably be much easier then if you have an adult dog. In either
case start slow, keep the sessions short, and be very gentle while
working in your dog’s mouth. Use lots of praise and
reassurance to reinforce good behavior. You will not want to give
your dog treats during this task for obvious reasons.
Since a dog will swallow whatever you use never brush your
dog’s teeth with “people” toothpaste. This
toothpaste is not formulated to be ingested and can upset your
dog’s stomach. It’s also designed to foam which is not
desirable when brushing a dog’s teeth. So use a pet toothpaste
formulated for dog dental care that does not require rinsing.
You will also need a pet toothbrush. There's a great triple sided
pet toothbrush that will get the job done faster than a traditional
style toothbrush. Or if you have a small dog you may want to try a
pet finger toothbrush. Finger toothbrushes slip right onto your
finger and are easily controlled to reach the common trouble spots
up near the gum line. Add some specially formulated tartar removing
toothpaste and you’re all set. Dog toothpaste is even
available in all-natural formulas and yummy flavors like chicken
and vanilla.
If this is your dog’s first toothbrush look for a pet dental
care kit to get you started. These kits typically include a pet
toothbrush, a tube of pet toothpaste and a pet finger
toothbrush.
Pet dental wipes are great for use on dogs that resist brushing.
These easy-to-use pet teeth cleaning pads help remove food debris
and plaque, kill germs and help to control bad breath. If your dog
will not allow you to use the toothbrush method try using dental
wipes regularly as part of your dog’s home dental care
program.
You may also want to try to increase the amount of time your dog
spends chewing on real bones, dental dog chew toys and edible dog
chews.
This type of chewing helps remove food debris and prevents tartar
build up. If your dog chews enough you may be able to reduce how
often you need to manually brush your dog’s teeth.
How do dog's in the wild keep their teeth clean and
healthy?
Dogs in the wild are generally much more active than our
domesticated pets because they must hunt for their food. They also
spend much more time chewing and gnawing on fresh bones, which
helps to keep their teeth clean and healthy.
Our domesticated dogs can spend a lot of time sleeping with their
mouths closed while passing long period of time alone. It is
commonly believed that the lack of fresh air circulating over the
teeth and gums can encourage certain types of bacterial growth in
the mouth. And since our pet dogs get their daily rations served to
them in bowls it isn’t necessary for them to spend much time
chewing. Although gnawing on bones is how dogs in the wild keep
their teeth free from food debris, bacterial accumulation and
tartar buildup, our domesticated friends rarely spend as much time
at such pursuits.
Encouraging your dog to chew will make a big difference in the
effectiveness of your dog dental care routine. Real bones are
nature's edible dog chews. But if you prefer not to give your dog
real bones there are plenty of wonderful dental dog chew toys and
edible dog chews that will get the job done.
Will real bones help keep clean my dog's teeth?
Give your dog some real bones – Nature’s own edible dog
chews. Most people don’t provide their dog with quantities of
real bones, so as to avoid the mess and unsanitary residue.
It’s great if you have an environment in which your dog can
indulge in working on a fresh bone. But if not, you can buy some
natural sterilized marrowbones. These hollow bones are also
available pre-filled with tasty treats like beef, chicken, cheese,
and granola.
If you get some unfilled bones you may want to try filling them
with your dog’s favorite treats. Try peanut butter, cheese or
one of the yummy pre-made fillings available at pet shops and
online stores.
If you would rather not give your dog real bones there are many
enticing dental dog chew toys and edible dog chews available that
will encourage your dog to chew.
Besides real bones what other types of dog chews will help keep my
dog's teeth clean?
Traditional chew toys are still available and are just as popular
as ever. But there are also a variety of very good dental chew
toys, rope bone chew toys and edible dog chews designed to keep
your dog engaged, with the added benefit of cleaning the teeth.
These toys will entice your dog into playfully attending to the
required dental hygiene. They can also keep your dog entertained
and out of mischief during those times when you must leave your dog
alone.
–Rope Bone Chew Toys
Try a dental rope chew toy for great flossing action. As your dog
happily chews on these toys the rope fibers clean between the
teeth. Spray on some dog dental care spray or rub on a little
flavored pet toothpaste to really enhance the cleaning action of
this enticing dental chew toy. Check out a pet dental care spray
& rope chew toy kit and get your dog dental care routine going
today.
Dental Chew Toys 
–
For long lasting chewing fun, and a great dental workout, get your
dog a dental chew toy. Some brands are manufactured with grooves
that make these dental toys real winners for cleaning your
dog’s teeth. Some dental chew toys can also be stuffed with
your dog’s favorite treats for hours of stimulating chewing.
And for smaller dogs there are dental chew toys that not only have
teeth cleaning grooves but also are combined with a rope chew. Just
add some pet toothpaste to the dental grooves and your dogs will
eagerly participate in their daily dog dental care routine.
Edible Dog Chews –
Are you concerned about giving your dog rawhide chews because they
can "ribbon" and cause your dog to choke? Many pet hops and online
stores now carry a variety of composite chews. These all natural
rawhide dog chews can't ribbon, are easy to digest and dogs love
the baked in flavor. There is even an edible dog chew treat
available that contains no animal by-products.
Dogs, like people, have different tastes and preferences. Choose
whichever dental dog toy or dog chew treat that will keep your dog
happily chewing his or her way to clean and healthy teeth and
gums.
And remember that there are many convenient dog dental
care products available that will help you to keep your dog’s
teeth and gums in great shape between regular visits to the vet and
grooming salon. Unattended dental health problems cannot only
distress your beloved pet, but can lead to serious conditions and
ailments. Many of these problems can be prevented by implementing a
regular home dog dental care routine.
About the Author: Dog-Supplies-Advisor.com a website dedicated to providing dog care advice on a broad range of dog-related topics. Includes informative articles, frequently asked questions, recommendations, and Free Ezine.
Copyright 2004 Dog-Supplies-Advisor.com, all rights reserved. Reprinted with permission