Picture this: you're playing with your dog, rubbing his belly and *WHAM* it hits you. His breath STINKS! Every dog owner has had this experience and will have it again, but we have some tips to make it happen less.
Dog Teeth - The Basics
Dog teeth are like human teeth; they need to have preventative care to ensure both their teeth, and their whole body, stay healthy.There is a natural buildup of plaque that develops on dogs' teeth (like ours!) and if not dealt with, willcause serious problems for your dog's health. Regular dental care for dogs will prevent things like infected gums, heart disease, losing teeth with age, and even oral cancer!
Photo by Stephen Andrews @porkbellysteve on Unsplash
Doggie Dental Care - The Deets
Dental caremeans brushing. Depending on the size of your dog,there are a few different options for toothbrushes.Long-handled toothbrushes that look like they're meant for ahuman are great for getting all those hard to reach places in a larger dog's mouth. Afinger brush fits on your finger and is a much better size to fit in a small dog's mouth.It's best to experiment and find out what works best for you and your canine kids!As for toothpaste,make sure to use a dog-specificone. That means not sharing your Colgate with Fido! Mostdog toothpastes will be flavored with meat or other yummy foods for dogsso they're more willing to have you wiggle a brush on their teeth for a few minutes. Some dog toothpastes even contain enzymes to help reduce bacteria to improve your dog's health and make the newfound fresh breath last as long as possible.(NOTE: most human toothpastes contain Xylitol, which is an artificial sweetener compoundthat is poisonous to dogs. It can cause liver damage and severe drops in blood sugar. If your dog gets into human toothpaste, take them to the vet right away!)
Mr. Bite-y Doesn't Like Toothbrushes...
If you've tried and tried, but your furry child will just NOT let you brush their teeth, don't fear, there are some other solutions.First: diet can make a difference and also be a useful tool in maintaining oral health for your doggo. Dry kibble is much better forFido'soral health. This isbecause it minimizes the amount of food that getcaught in between teeth and gums which cancreate andexacerbate existing dental issues.You can also feed your dog treats and chews specifically for dental health.Dental treats are very well known and there aremany different brands & styles that do the same things.Bully sticks andjerky work well (and taste yummy according to Zuko).Rubber chew toys andnylon bones also do the trickwithout the additional calories.
Photo by Norbert Buduczki @buduczki on Unsplash
Second: get an annual or bi-annual dental cleaning.Vets normally offer dental cleanings in their office to get a thorough look at the health of your dog's mouth. These generally involve putting thedoggos under general anesthesia to do an in-depth cleaning to remove seriously built up plaque.
Clean Teeth, Any Age!
Dental health is an important part of maintaining your dog's overall health and it is never too late to start including it in your routine! Let us know in the comments below how you take care of your doggie's teeth.Did we miss anything? Let us know!
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Picture this: you're playing with your dog, rubbing his belly and *WHAM* it hits you. His breath STINKS! Every dog owner has had this experience and will have it again, but we have some tips to make it happen less.
Photo by Stephen Andrews @porkbellysteve on Unsplash
Photo by Norbert Buduczki @buduczki on Unsplash
Photo by Marek Szturc @m_maaris on Unsplash
