Our pearly whites are precious to us. We take care of them daily and purchase the latest treatments to keep them as pristine and perfectly white as possible. We know how important it is to ensure our dental health is always cared for at the highest level as we know the dangers of unhealthy teeth and gums. The same goes for our canine companions.
Bad dental health in our furry family members causes more than just discolouration of their teeth and bad doggy breath. The nasty bacteria that proliferate in this environment can spread to vital organs and can cause dental related diseases to develop. That is why it is important to implement the below steps in your routine, to ensure not only your pet’s dental health but that their overall health and wellbeing is at its best.
Step one
- Watch out for the below symptoms in your dog as indicators of dental disease is vital
- Dropping food
- Bad breath, smell and tartar
- Crying and aggression when mouth is handled
- Inflamed and bleeding gums
- Loss of teeth
- Loss of interest in eating
- Lethargic
Step Two
Seek advice from your veterinary care team about what treatment may be required and what you can do to make sure you are always implementing the correct health care plan. When discussing dental health, the good news is that some aspects are preventable and reversible. If tartar is present, a professional de-scale and polish is needed to clean the teeth. Once clean, you can help slow the build up by taking a few active steps when it comes to the day-to-day care of your dog. This includes:
Dental diet: Specially designed foods aimed to help your dog’s dental health can be a great addition to your pet’s dental health plan. These nutritionally balanced dry biscuits are formulated to grip around the tooth and help to mechanically clean the teeth, rather than shatter in the mouth like normal biscuits.
Dental toys: There are a range of dental toys as well as teeth cleaning treats that can help clean your pet’s teeth. Your pet will get excited about the treat and you will be actively helping your pet to have pristine dental health — a win in our books!
Brushing their teeth: With your handy pet toothbrush and toothpaste you can begin cleaning their teeth daily. Be sure not to use human toothpaste. A visit with your local veterinary team can help you decide what will be best for your pet. There are also wipes or gels which can be used in those dogs that don’t enjoy tooth brushing. Remember to be careful of your hands whilst doing anything with your dog’s mouth.
If you are worried about your dog’s dental health and they are showing any of the symptoms we have mentioned, you can visit us and get their dental health checked out. When it comes to our furry friends, it is best to ensure their overall health is in tip-top condition. This can start with a dental health check!