Clean Dog Teeth in Five Easy Steps- Pet Dental Health Month

By the young age of three, your pet can develop gingivitis, which is inflammation of the gums.   If left untreated, gingivitis may progress to Periodontal Disease which is irreversible.  PD is the most commonly diagnosed clinical condition in pets and it is preventable!

Ok, I want you to know the signs of Periodontal Disease so you can get your pet to the vet and on the road to a good cleaning ASAP.  Visit one of my favorite sites:  peteducation.com for the list and to learn clinical facts.

Signs include:

Excessive drooling

Consistently bad breath

Loose or missing teeth

Bleeding or receding gums

Pet Dental Health Month- Abe and Jenn on Fox

Abe and I Visited My Fox TampaBay with Tips to Clean Dog Teeth

1.  Brush!  Finger brushes are easier for me to use, but you might have success with a traditional brush or even a three headed brush.  At least a few times a week is optimal.

If your pet will not allow you near his/her teeth with a toothbrush, the following options may work for you:

2.  Water additive– a great additional tool is a good water additive.  Simply add to your pet’s water daily and it will eliminate bad breath and will begin to break down tartar and plaque.

3.  Gels and sprays-  Gels are a good alternative to traditional toothpaste and can be used with or without a toothbrush.  Simply rub around the gum lines and you will begin to notice a reduction of plaque.  I recommend using this daily until you have your pet’s problem under control.

4.  Toys and Bones– Rope toys are great to help clean teeth and raw bones are fantastic.  Whenever I give Abe a raw bone, his teeth are a few shades brighter by the end.  I know some of you may have hesitations about raw bones, and I will blog about those this month too.  You might want to start with good chews like bully sticks, antlers or roasted bones….just avoid bones from your family dinner table.

5.  Nutritious food-  Foods with less fillers and additives usually lead to cleaner teeth.  One of my veterinarian friends said that she can always tell when a dog is eating a cheaper dry food.  Much more sticky plaque and tartar.

Ok, I will share with you the products I use with my dogs and would love to learn what works for your pets too!

TropiClean Dental Products– These products are made for cats and dogs

Nature’s Variety Raw Bones– These products are made for cats and dogs

Barkworthies Chews

Bark back Pack Moms!  How do you keep your pet’s teeth clean!

Tags: barkworthies, cat teeth, cat treats, clean pet teeth, dog teeth, dog treats, gingivitis, Jenn Fadal, Jenn Fadal Pet Expert, my fox tampa bay, natural pet food, nature's variety, periodontal disease, pet dental health month, raw bones, russell rhodes, tropiclean, veterinarians

Category: PACK MOM TV, Pet Health, PET WELLNESS