Dental  Care for Dogs

How to Keep Fido’s Pearly Whites Sparkling

The idea of canine or doggy dental care was almost unheard of until recent years. Plaque removal? Brushing  Fido’s teeth? Who ever heard of such a thing?  Thankfully today the importance of good dental care for puppies and especially dogs as they age has become more commonplace and can contribute significantly to their health and longevity.

By keeping your dog’s teeth clean and gums healthy, you will help prevent the buildup of calculus and debris, preventing infections that impact not only their teeth and mouth but can cause other more serious problems to their immune system, kidney and heart.

Why Many Avoid Dental Care for Dogs

Many dogs don’t enjoy having anyone open their mouths and start prodding, brushing or touching their teeth and mouths. Let’s face it, neither do you or I think that dental care is exactly ‘fun’ …what must Fido be thinking when you call him over and start a daily dental care regimen?

How to Get Fido Used to Having His Teeth Cleaned

The best “cure” for dental care hesitation on the part of Fido and dog guardian is to start getting your dog conditioned at as young an age as possible.  This won’t be possible if you adopt an adult dog but the principle remains the same. By slowly and regularly conditioning your pup or dog to having his mouth opened, checking for problems,  brushing and cleaning her will be less stressful. Fido will get the message in time, that what you are doing is nothing to be afraid of.

Touch his lips, open his mouth, and touch his teeth in a calm and unrushed way. Look for anything unusual or that needs attention. Do this for 3- 5 minutes every day until your new dog or pup become accustomed to these “checkups” Make it a regular part of your daily dog care and Fido will learn to remain relaxed when you do any preventive doggy dental care.

Most veterinarians recommend brushing your dog’s teeth on a regular or daily basis. Visit any pet retailer and you will find special toothpaste and brushes made especially for dogs.  Be sure NEVER to use human toothpaste on dogs as it may actually be harmful to them. Remember that Fido will not rinse and spit out…so his toothpaste must be made differently than yours !

How to Brush Fido’s Teeth

Brushing or cleaning your dog’s teeth is actually pretty easy once you AND Fido get the hang of it. Here’s a few techniques to help you ‘get to easy’ in no time.. Try them out and see which way works best for you and Fido.

One way is to place a dab of dog toothpaste on a cotton ball and rub it over your dog’s teeth. Since dog toothpaste is made especially for them with the expectation that they will swallow it , it is generally tasty to them, almost like a treat. Fido will probably go along with this approach right away.

Finger brushes which you can buy at a pet store provide a bit more cleaning action and can be used the same way.

If you have a larger such a Labrador or  Dalmatian  try moving up to  a regular dog toothbrush. 

If all else fails, and especially for smaller dogs you can wash your hands thoroughly to get rid of any bacteria, apply some doggy toothpaste to your index finger and rub it thoroughly over all of dog’s teeth. This is not an ideal method but it will provide cleaning action and daily care and is better than neglecting the process if other methods just won’t suit your dog J

Rawhide Chews

Rawhide chews specially formulated for dental care.  Many companies manufacture these chews.  I am not going to endorse a specific one but look for chews that are U.S.  made, without  flavorings that  may be harmful.  Some have an enzyme that helps keep plaque from forming and prevents the buildup of bacteria. 

Dental Health Diets for Dogs

Some companies also make special dental health food, which may be recommended to you by your veterinarian to help prevent dental problems. Once again, look at the ingredient list. If it doesn’t meet the standards we have discussed such as no byproducts,  fillers, preservatives and protein based  meal for starters. If in doubt send us an email. Also, be careful to take the rawhide chew away when it gets small to prevent it form becoming lodged in your dog's throat.

Fido Probably Will Need a Dental  Cleaning at Some Point. Even with proper preventive measures, most dogs will eventually need a dental cleaning

Here are 2 ways that you can approach this.

Veterinary Dental Cleaning

The traditional way is to take your dog to your veterinarian.  If your veterinarian recommends a dental cleaning, it is important that you follow through and get those choppers cleaned !

If your veterinarian recommends a dental cleaning, your dog will typically be sedated.  The anesthesia is light and generally considered to be safe. Veterinary clinics often have anesthesia monitoring systems similar to the ones used those used in human hospitals.

The vet will perform an examination to determine if any teeth should be pulled or repaired.   The vet may also X-ray your dog’s teeth to determine if there are any broken, cracked or diseased teeth.  If any are, your veterinarian may pull them. Veterinarians who specialize in dental care perform root canals and other dental work as well.

Finally, a one of the staff will perform a dental cleaning. The process goes something like this.  First, they scale the teeth to remove any tartar above and below the gum line using hand instruments and ultrasonic scaling equipment.  Fido’s teeth are then polished making them smooth and to stop plaque from returning and attaching to the teeth in the future.

Many veterinarians also do fluoride treatments.  The purpose is to strengthen the enamel and to further help in preventing plaque from returning. .  Most veterinarians will put your dog on a treatment of antibiotics to help prevent bacterial infection.

Another Approach to Getting Your Dog’s Teeth  Sparkling

The following method is not recommended by veterinarian s and is presented  only for information purposes . It is the method that I choose for our dogs and we have seen excellent results for them and others who have decided to take this route tom achieving doggy pearly whites.

There are dog professionals that do teeth cleaning without the use of anesthesia. This is the major reason that I chose this route. I will not allow our dogs …and this is especially true for smaller dogs to be anesthetized unless it is absolutely necessary.

Many small dogs do not do well under anesthetic and while vets dismiss the idea I dismiss their dismissal.. I simply do not believe them

So…we found a trained dental hygienist who works ONLY with animals. She comes to the home or you can go to her office. She uses herbs to calm the nervous pup, and gently cleans their teeth removing plaque and tarter and achieving  what I believe is the same level of cleanliness post session as you will achieve after a clinic cleaning g by a veterinary office.

Vets will tell you this is a terrible idea..that only they can properly and some say ethically clan teeth. I am not here to fight that fight and won’t. I am just telling you that there are other options. The choice is yours.  Whatever you do, just do it and help your fog stay healthy and happier longer with a  clean set of choppers that both of you will love…

And his breath will be better too minus all the bacteria, plaque and tartar…now that’s a bonus no one can refuse !

Caveat-  This type of service provider can’t extract bad teeth or perform surgery. This is just for cleaning.

If you have further questions, consult your veterinarian

Learn how to PROPERLY take care of your dog at home and save on  skyrocketing veterinary bills at: http://www.dogs-4life.com/veterinary-secrets.html

 Disclosure- if you buy this book or service assume we will be compensated. Do your own due diligence.