Help, My Dog Has Bad Breath!

November 13, 2009 by admin  
Filed under Dog Health


The dental health of your pet is very important to their overall health and wellbeing. If Fido has bad breath, check first to ensure that her gums are not infected. Infected gums not only cause bad breath, but it is also painful and could cause a problem to internal organs diseases to organs such as heart, kidneys, intestines and joints. These organs can be subsequently infected by the bacteria spread from mouth region. With regular dental care, you can prevent such serious side effects.

Dental Care Tips:

Allow your pet to chew on raw bones at least once a month to prevent tartar build up. Regular chew on raw bones will avoid dental visits at the vet. Avoid giving cooked bones as these bones may splinter when chewed and can cause potential damage to intestinal linings of your pet. If your pet has never had raw bones, monitor them initially and ensure that they are able to handle it well and not swallow the bones whole which can cause chocking which is dangerous and could be fatal. Most dogs naturally are able to handle raw bones well. To be safe, get the huge beef or mutton knuckle bone where they cannot chew it down but use it for exercising the jaws and cleaning their teeth.

If feeding your dog raw bones is not something you want to try, go for dried bones instead. Dried huge knuckle bones are commonly found in pet shops. Ensure you purchase the huge mutton/beef bones that they cannot swallow.

Another alternative you can consider is brushing Fido teeth regularly at least once a day. Focus on the upper teeth as plaque tends to build up faster. Do not dig into Fido teeth with a toothbrush immediately. Start by getting them used to the toothbrush and toothpaste taste first before you make your next move. This training cannot be rushed, be patient and only go a little further when Fido allows you to. This feat is best accomplished only when Fido enjoys it else it will be a daily struggle with her which can be stressful for her as well.

Avoid rawhide. Though they are used commonly to clean Fido teeth, most rawhide have been preserved and cured with toxic chemicals and that is really unhealthy for your dogs. Furthermore, if your dog do not chew on it properly and swallow it whole, it can cause intestinal blockage. Besides, rawhide beef source is questionable. Food sources meant for pet consumption may come from sources not appropriate for human consumption.

There are crunchy snacks that claims to have dental cleaning abilities, do not depend on this as it may not be that effective as eating such foods in the first place would cause build up of food bits stuck in the teeth. Best to take the necessary actions to ensure long term good dental health for Fido to avoid unnecessary repercussions to their internal health condition.



Some Good Dental Care Tips

July 30, 2009 by admin  
Filed under Dog Health


So are you looking for help with your dental care questions? I was once was in your position, until I learned about dental plans and how good they are. Dental plans provide full dental coverage for all procedures and are extremely convenient and cheap.

Home dental care is given more emphasis nowadays because of the fact that the dental diseases are emerging in pet animals like dogs to a greater extent than before. Though you are providing home dental care, if you suspect any dental diseases, then immediately approach the veterinarian for intervention. This is always the safest option.

Try to provide bone materials without very sharp points to the dogs. They love to chew them and then swallow the bitten products. Such activities help them to develop strong teeth structures in a natural manner.

Know that certain breeds of dogs like Pekingese, etc. are more prone to develop some types of tooth diseases because the teeth are closely crowned in the oral cavity and can be small in size and hard to get to. It is more critical to check for excessive plaque buildup in these types of dogs more often in the convenience of home.

While dentures can replace teeth lost due to periodontal disease, decay or injury, they cannot be as good as your natural teeth. While dentures may be valuable to keep your facial muscles from sagging and for other health reasons, they can also cause a good amount of pain and discomfort. Among the times when dentures can cause enough discomfort are during the adjustment phase

Many people feel they can’t afford to go to the dentist without insurance. They also feel they can’t afford the insurance. The result is millions of Americans putting off dental visits. Now people are living in pain or are embarrassed about their smile.

The number one health problem in children is tooth decay. Many kids live with chronic pain & 51 million school days are lost each year due to tooth pain. There are programs to help those who need dental care but can’t afford it but they are to small & to few to even put a dent in the problem.

Harvard did a study and asked Americans “What would be the first thing you would see the doctor for if we had universal health care?” The number one answer was teeth.

Your dentist should invite you back for regular check-ups. This will ensure that no problem will be left unchecked. The dental hygienist should perform oral prophylaxis or dental cleaning after every 6 months.

Your dentist should take x-rays more responsibly. Full series of X-rays should be taken no more than once every five years or so. Not taking any X-ray’s on the other hand is as bad as taking X-rays too often.

Your dentist and dental hygienist should practice proper care against infection. They should wear rubber gloves and a mask when treating their patients. Your dentist should be keen in explaining to you any sanitary procedures his clinic is implementing and or using to protect his patients and himself against unwanted infections.