Retailers Top Tips To Avoid Dental Diesease In Your Dog
Studies suggest that close to 80% of dogs will have some form of dental disease by the time they reach the age of 2. Just like humans, good dental health is integral to good overall health, especially as your dog ages.
And just like humans there is no avoiding dental health. You can’t run away from it and you need a long term plan on how you are going to manage your dog's dental health on going.
Your pet’s mouth and teeth are tied directly to their blood stream. Bacteria, caused by poor dental health, can leak directly into the bloodstream causing all sorts of health complications. This is especially true as dogs age and dental cleanings (and sedation) become more dangerous. This often leaves owners having to make the choice between putting a senior dog under anesthetic for a cleaning or leaving rotting or decaying teeth in and dealing with the challenges of that. This is why we need a dental health plan!
Bad breath is an indication of bad dental health. As is ‘greying’ or ‘browning’ of the teeth. It’s important to look in your dog’s mouth on a regular basis to monitor their dental health. A good exercise is to try and touch their back 4 molars as well as all 4 canine teeth. This will take you on a nice ‘tour’ of your dog's mouth. Take note of what their teeth look like when they are healthy so that if/when things change you are aware of the difference.
Why is the problem so bad?
A combination of processed, high sugar and high carb foods are largely to blame for the sharp increase in dental problems. There are almost no dental issues found in any wolf or wild dog skeletons. Diet, combined with regular access to chewing, was nature's way of cleaning the teeth. And no, chewing on hard kibble does not help. The ingredients and processing of kibble negate any dental benefits gained from chewing on crunchy food. This would be like chewing a lolli pop and thinking it was good for your teeth!
In addition, dogs are generally given less access to chews in their day to day life. Whether for budget reasons or out of fear we see many dogs that get little to no chewing on a regular basis. We do a lot of education on appropriate chews with our clients to help clear up and get rid of some of the reasons people avoid chews. The health, mental and physical benefits of chews are integral to all happy and healthy pets.
So here are the quick notes on how to best take care of your pet’s dental health needs.
The top 3 things to do to improve your pet’s dental health.
Diet, diet, diet.
Diet plays a much larger factor than people like to think when it comes to dog food. High sugars, carbs and starch that are present in all kibble food are the number one factor leading to dental issues. Similar to kids eating only fruit loops, those foods tend to stick around in the mouth longer and cause damage quickly to the enamel of the teeth.
While raw food is always our preferred choice, moving from kibble to dehydrated, air dried and freeze dried foods is the first and most important step to improving your dog’s dental health. Simply by providing a species appropriate diet you are going to remove a large portion of dental care and maintenance because build up and damage from food will be minimal.
Here are a few of our favorite, low processed diets:
Chews
Chewing is a basic need of all dogs and chews need to be provided on a regular basis to have a healthy and happy dog. Just like humans, when food sits on your pet’s teeth for a day or 2 it is going to do damage to the enamel. This is why it’s important to have a REGULAR chew schedule for your dog. In addition to providing the all important abrasion that helps to keep teeth clean, it also provides wonderful mental stimulation, amazing nutrition and entertainment for the pet. We find that regular access to healthy chews is the best way to help clean your dog's teeth. This is also a great strategy for busy homes (no time to brush), or dogs who won’t allow teeth brushing to happen.
Please note: When talking about chews here, we are referring to animal parts (bully sticks, ears, horns, etc) that the dog chews on. Commercially prepared dental chews (e.g. Greenies) are made of biologically inappropriate foods (e.g. glycerin and gelatin). So while chewing on them may provide abrasion, the ingredient list is not healthy for your dog. By using animal parts we are giving a chew that is good for their teeth AND their health. Especially for growing dogs, the nutrition from natural chews is of immense benefit.
Here are a few of our most popular chews:
Canadian Bully Sticks Bulk Pack
Brushing
Brushing is a good alternative to clients that are not inclined to use chews. While brushing can be more economical than purchasing chews it can be much morel labour intensive for the owner. In addition, we are forgoing all of the mental and health benefits that come from dogs chewing on a regular basis.
Having said that, brushing can help. Make sure to use a pet toothpaste - they will be safe for your dog to ingest. And as mentioned above we want to be brushing every 2-3 days to avoid build up and damage.
In order to make this a good experience for your dog it’s important to start desensitizing the dog slowly to the tooth brush. This goes a long way in creating a positive association for the dog. Start by rubbing some treats on a toothbrush and just having your dog lick it off. As they get more comfortable and excited around the tooth brush start with some light movement and brushing. Moving at the dog's pace is important here and it’s not abnormal to take 1 to 2 weeks before getting a full brush in.
Here are a few of our favorite brushing tools:
Summary
Every pet owner needs a dental health strategy to keep their pets happy and healthy for a long time. Avoid the temptation to avoid or delay figuring out how you are going to keep your pet’s mouth clean. While prevention can cost some time and money it will save you time and money in the long term by avoiding a chronic issue that affects an overwhelming number of dogs.
Give us a call or come by the store to discuss your options for keeping your dog's teeth shiny and white!