Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Doggie Dental Care

     Did you know that dental care for your dog isn’t only important just for it’s teeth? If your dog has bad teeth you will also need to worry about the dog’s mouth , brain, lungs, heart, liver, and kidneys.

     MOUTH - Periodontal disease can cause bad breath as well as lead to soreness and destruction of the gums, and loose or missing teeth.
     BRAIN - Occasionally, bacteria will cross the blood-brain barrier and may cause damage.
     LUNGS - Bacteria infecting the lungs may cause bronchial or other respiratory infections.
     LIVER - Bacteria entering the liver may result in a variety of liver disorders.
     KIDNEYS - Periodontal disease may affect the kidneys by contributing bacteria that cause kidney infection and damage.
     HEART - Periodontal disease may result in inflammation and damage to the heart.
    
Look for these warning signs.
·        Bad breath - one of the first signs of dental disease.
·        A yellowish-brown crust of plaque on the teeth near the gum line.
·        Red and swollen gums.
·        Pain or bleeding when your pet eats or when the mouth or gums are touched.
·        Decreased appetite or difficulty eating.
·        Loose or missing teeth.


     If your pet displays any of these signs, serious periodontal disease may be present. The way to prevent this from happening to your pet is to brush it’s teeth regularly.                                                                                                   
     I have found that dog toothpaste and the Pet Oral Hygiene Solution works wonders on the dog’s teeth. Remember NEVER use human toothpaste on any animal it is poisonous to them. Using the Pet Oral Hygiene Solution is very simple all you do is measure out the correct amount of solution and put in the dog’s drinking water.

Here are some easy steps you can do to get you and your dog used to teeth brushing:

     STEP 1- Prior to beginning a home-care program, examine your pet’s teeth and gums. Brushing inflamed gums may cause discomfort and upset your pet. A visit to the veterinarian for complete teeth cleaning may be required, if your pet shows signs of gingivitis or tartar present on the teeth.
     STEP 2 - Introduce daily tooth brushing slowly so that your pet will accept it. Initially, it may be necessary to get your pet used to you lifting their lip to examine their teeth without a struggle. Be sure to reward your pet with praise.                                 
     STEP 3 - As your pet becomes accustomed to having you examine it’s teeth, you can begin using a finger brush and rubbing the outer tooth surfaces. Start with a few teeth at a time and gradually increase the areas you rub until all the outer surfaces are being cleaned.
     STEP 4 - Now you are ready to introduce brushing with a toothbrush. As in Step 3, being with brushing a few teeth at a time, until your pet tolerates thorough, daily brushing.


You want your dog to live a long and healthy life and adding a dental care routine is just one step toward that goal.
Happy Brushing!

2 comments:

  1. Good to know! How often should a dog's teeth be brushed? And do you brush only the outer surface? (I can't imagine my dog willingly opening her teeth to brush inside!)

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  2. Great questions. You would want to brush your dog's teeth at least once a week, but of course once a day would be ideal.

    Brush any part of the dog's tooth that you can however brushing the whole tooth is the best way to go. I totally understand that some dogs are not going to sit for that, so in those cases do as much as you can with out overstressing the both of you.

    Remember that any bit of brushing you can do is a positive and is much better for the health of your dog then not brushing.

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