Pet Lovers Palace » Pet Bones http://www.petloverspalaceblog.com Pet Supplies and Accessories Wed, 13 Jan 2010 12:25:29 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 en hourly 1 Dogs Bones, Dog Food Treats, Pet Bones, Pet Rawhide http://www.petloverspalaceblog.com/pet-lovers-palace/dogs/dogs-bones-dog-food-treats-pet-bones-pet-rawhide http://www.petloverspalaceblog.com/pet-lovers-palace/dogs/dogs-bones-dog-food-treats-pet-bones-pet-rawhide#comments Wed, 13 Jan 2010 12:25:29 +0000 admin http://www.petloverspalaceblog.com/?p=421 Is dog dental hygiene as important as human dental hygiene?

 
      
 

 

Let’s start with you. What happens if you don’t brush your teeth? Plaque starts to build around the gum line and in between the grooves of your teeth and a funky smell begins to follow your words out of your mouth.

Brush at least twice a day with dentist-recommended toothpaste and we come close to eliminating most of the common human dental problems.

So, why don’t our dogs get the same consideration? We complain that they are the family member with the un-kissable breath but often do nothing to help them combat the problem.

  • Common symptoms of dental hygiene problems 
  • Preventive Care
  • More Severe Dental Issues
  • Natural remedies for common dog teeth care issues

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  • Common Symptoms of Dog Teeth Care Problems

    Common symptoms of dog dental hygiene problems are often similar to humans…

    • Bad Breath
    • Blood in the saliva
    • Broken teeth
    • Drooling
    • Loss of appetite
    • Swollen, bleeding gums
    • Yellow-Brown tartar at the gum line

    If your dog is experiencing any one of these, even a minor one like bad breath, it is likely that dog teeth care could be improved. See a description of common dog dental problems further down the page.

    • Dog Dental Hygiene Preventive Care

    As with all health and wellness related
    issues, good dog teeth care begins with
    solid preventive care:

  • Daily brushing
  • Healthy Diet
  • Exercise
  • Regular visits to the veterinarian,  which should include an oral check-
    up and teeth cleaning. 
  • Discuss your planned teeth-brushing
    with your vet prior to beginning. If your dog has unhealthy gums or broken teeth, brushing may be painful and you should use gentler options.

    • “Daily brushing? My dog won’t let me hold her face still for 3 seconds to clean out her eyes, let alone for the amount of time it would take to brush her teeth!”

    This was my reaction the first time I heard this advice. After much trial and error, this technique seems to be the most effective:

  • Start in your dog’s favorite and most comfortable area and at
    a time of day when she
    is the least excited
  • Be very slow and gentle. Use as little restraint as possible
  • Reward your dog with his or her favorite organic treat after each session

    • Now for the actual steps:

    1. At first, only briefly hold and look into your dog’s mouth – but do it often.

          2.  Once comfortable with allowing you to look, start to massage the gums a little. Move in gentle circles around the outside of the   gums and teeth. Do this quickly at first,
    and spend a little more time with each attempt.

           3.  Now it’s time to introduce a brush. Use the same technique, and add a dab of dog toothpaste.

           4. BE PATIENT – it takes some dogs over a month to get used to it. How long would it take YOU to get used to someone grabbing your face and putting something into your mouth?

    Ultimately you want your dog to get excited when the tooth brush comes out. Believe it or not, this can eventually be fun for them! So remember:

    • Be gentle!
    • Go at your dog’s own pace.
    • Reward your dogs with a treat, trip outside, game of fetch or whatever they like most.

     

     

     

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