I know a secret. It’s something you probably don’t know but that could be making your dog miserable. So, listen up because this is really important! The secret is … your dog probably needs dog dental care. Why dog dental care, you might ask? It’s because your dog most likely has a dental problem of one kind or another.

The Good News For Fido

The good news for dogs is they don’t get cavities. Wouldn’t it be great if we were so lucky? The bad news for dogs is they get just about every other dental problem that plagues us. For example, dogs develop plaque and tarter just like we do. Knowing this should give you incentive to provide you dog with dog dental care.

Plaque And Tartar

What is plaque and tarter you might ask? Plaque is a biofilm that is usually colorless and builds up on the dog’s teeth over time. The microorganisms that form the biofilm are mainly Streptococcus mutans and anaerobes. If the plaque isn’t removed from the surface of the dog’s teeth, it mineralizes into tartar. Tartar is caused by the continual accumulation of minerals from saliva on the plaque. It has a rough surface that provides an ideal host for more plaque formation. Eventually, tartar will destroy the dog’s gum line. Once the gum line has been destroyed, the dog can lose teeth, ensuring the need for dog dental care.

Tooth problems can also cause your dog to have halitosis – or bad breath, periodontal disease and oral pain. Worse yet, the bacteria in the dog’s mouth can also affect other parts of the body, such as the heart and kidneys. This makes it important to eliminate the dental diseases as soon as you detect them, no matter how minor.

If Your Dog Is Three Years Old Or Older

Here’s a sad statistic. By 3 years of age, 80 percent of dogs will show signs of gum disease, which only gets worse as the dog grows older.

The odds are that you’ve probably never given a moment’s thought to your dog’s dental hygiene. You’re not alone. A recent study by the American Animal Hospital Association showed that about two-thirds of pet owners do not provide their pets with the recommended dog dental care.

Take A Good Look At Your Dog’s Teeth

If you want to keep your dog from losing its teeth, the first thing you need to do is inspect your dog's mouth. Lift the lips all around the mouth, looking at the front and back teeth as closely as possible. Be gentle and use caution, to avoid being bitten.

Bad breath or a yellow brown crust of tartar around the dog’s gum line, pain or bleeding when the dog eats, can all be signs of gum disease. Other signs of dog dental disease include:

  • Red and/or puffy gums
  • Bleeding gums
  • Increased salivation
  • Missing and/or loose teeth
  • Reluctance to chew or crying out when chewing
  • Anything else about the mouth that appears unusual

If your dog is showing any of these signs, you need to get them to your vet for professional dog dental care. If your vet finds that the problem is mild, you may be able to take care of your dog's dental needs yourself by doing something as simple as changing your dog’s diet or by starting a program of regular teeth brushing. On the other hand, if the dental problem is severe, your vet may have to do a thorough cleaning, extraction or other dental work which means anesthetizing the dog.

How To Prevent Plaque And Tartar

The best thing you can do to protect your dog from plaque and tartar in addition to other dental diseases, is to prevent it from occurring in the first place. Brushing your dog's teeth , assuming they will tolerate it is the first step in providing your dog with good dog dental care. If your dog won't tolerate having their teeth brushed, make sure you are feeding your dog dry, crunchy food and not soft canned food which will remain on the teeth to cause problems. In addition, there are a number of edible canine chew-type products that have received the Veterinary Oral Health’s Council of Acceptance as meeting defined standards for plaque and tartar control. They include:

  • Canine Bright Bites and Checkup Chews for Dogs - all sizes
  • Canine Greenies® - all sizes
  • Canine Greenies® Lite - all sizes
  • Canine Greenies® Senior - all sizes
  • Del Monte Tartar Check® Dog Biscuit: Small & Large sizes
  • Friskies Cheweez Beefhide Treats for Dogs
  • Hartz Flavor Infused Oral Chews - Large Dogs and Small Dogs Sizes
  • Iams Chunk Dental Defense Diet for Dogs
  • Purina Veterinary Diets DH Dental Health brand Formula
  • Purina Veterinary Diets DH Dental Health brand Small Bites Canine Formula
  • Purina Veterinary Diets Dental Chews brand Canine Treats
  • Tartar Shield Soft Rawhide Chews for Dogs
  • Vetradent Dog Chews (usually sold as 'Bluechews' and Dental Chews)

Give The Dog A Bone – Natural Or Otherwise

Another good way to prevent your dog from developing dental disease it to make sure it gets a bone to gnaw on from time to time. You can either give Fido a natural bone such as a beef bone or a synthetic bone such as a Nylabone. Nylabones and oher hard rubber bones are texturized to give your dog's teeth a good scrubbing as they chew. This is a cheap and fairly effective way to provide your dog with dog dental care without your having to lift a finger.

Periodic Wellness Checks

An important part of dog dental care is simply checking your dog’s teeth on a regular basis. This is the simplest way to catch teeth problems and avoid severe dental disease in your dog.

In addition, if your dog is a puppy, you should have your vet give it a wellness check at every vaccination appointment until the dog is four months old. From there until the dog is three, you should have your vet give it a dental exam annually – unless you spot problems or there are special circumstances.

If the dog is four to six years old and has perfect teeth, an annual vet exam should be sufficient. However, many dogs in this age range require exams every six months. And once the dog reaches seven years or older you should definitely have your vet give it a dental exam every six months.

Toothaches Hurt Dogs Just As They Hurt Us

You wouldn’t want to spend day after day with a toothache or other dental problem and neither does your dog. Dog dental care can be simple and inexpensive if you take the time to monitor your dog’s teeth and ensure your address dental problems before they can become serious. Taking care of your dog's dental needs will help ensure your dog will be around to spend many happy years with you.

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