(You can see some tartar buildup on my teeth there. I guess a trip to the doggy dentist is in my future.)
It has recently come to my attention that February is National Pet Dental Health Month. It is estimated that only 2% of pet parents brush their fur-baby's teeth regularly. Not surprisingly then, roughly 80% of dogs show signs of dental disease by age three. Hey! What's the deal with that, Mama?
Dental disease in dogs can cause bad breath, tooth decay and loss, and in some cases, break-away bacteria from diseased teeth and gums can enter a dog's bloodstream and cause damage to vital organs. (My grouchy husky mix brother Claude has some horrible dragon-breath; I think we need to get his teeth checked ASAP.) Some breeds of dogs--not corgis, I'm happy to say--seem to be pre-disposed to dental diseases, however, any of us can have problems due to our diet, overall health, lifestyle, and age.
So what's the solution? According to vets, the key is regular toothbrushing. I'm going to rat out my Mama right here--she doesn't brush our teeth as she should. Oh, she's tried it a few times, but usually gets frustrated and gives up the practice pretty quickly. You see, a lot of us dogs aren't too fond of having someone, even our mamas, messing around in our mouths. We will pull away, resist, even go so far as to growl and nip. What is a pet parent to do?
According to our friends over at PetMD, here are some ideas:
1. Start clean. While any dental care is good, it is best to begin or resume your routine with a fresh mouth. Take your dog to the vet and get a good professional cleaning. This is usually done under anesthesia (the vet doesn't want to get nipped either!) and will be recommended by most vets at the time of our regular check-ups. Just like it is for our humans, the doggy teeth cleaning will remove built up tartar and restore our teeth to "factory condition." While doing the cleaning, the vet will also check for decayed teeth, gum disease, and anything odd, like mouth sores or tumors.
Ask your vet to show you the proper methods for brushing your dogs' teeth. The vet should be able to show you how best clean those pearly whites, as well as recommend ways to help you and your dog have a more pleasant brushing experience.
2. Once you have your dog's mouth all sparkly, get on a regular brushing routine. Our vet recommends that our pet parents brush our teeth for at least one minute every week. That doesn't really sound like much and should be doable for most of us. While there are lots of products you can purchase for doggy dental care--special toothbrushes, doggy toothpaste, etc...--just some regular, cheap items can be used just as well. Instead of the specialized doggy toothbrush, use a child's soft bristled brush or even a piece of gauze to rub on your dog's teeth to remove plaque. The meat flavored toothpaste for dogs is nice, but you can dip the brush in beef broth for a less expensive alternative.
It is best if you can get your dogs accustomed to brushing at an early age, but you can teach an old dog new tricks. Pet your doggy, stroke her face, go slow, speak reassuringly. Maybe you can begin by just wiping your dog's teeth down for a few seconds at a time, then work your way up to a full-on brushing. As with anything else, lots of praise is always the best way to get us dogs to do your bidding. (Well, that and bacon.)
3. If you just cannot get your dog to brush...Let's face it, some of us can be intimidating. We snarl. We growl. We may even bite. Our teeth are pretty precious to us; they serve as our eating tools, a method of defense, our way to carry things, the key to play and exploration of our world. Is it any wonder, then, that dogs can be quite leery of having even a trusted human messing around in our mouths? Sometimes, it truly is just impossible to get a dog to cooperate with brushing. In those cases, regular use of dental treats (like Greenies) or toys especially designed to scrape off plaque should help some. There are even some products that can be added to your dog's water that are supposed to help prevent tartar buildup.
4. Finally, just as is the case with our humans, even regular brushing doesn't always keep the tartar at bay. Every so often, your dog may just need to have a good old deep cleaning at the vet's office. These cleanings are expensive, so it is very helpful to your wallet to use regular brushing as a means to keep these cleanings to a minimum.
There is nothing better than a corgi smile, so celebrate National Pet Dental Health Month by taking a look at your fur-baby's mouth today!
Thanks for checking in with us today! Until next time...
Love ya,
Lily the Corgi
(This is my cousin Quincy the Wiener Dog. He is ancient and has had 22 of his teeth pulled--that means he only has 20 left and most of them are on one side of his mouth! He still manages to eat, chew, and play just fine with his limited number of teeth.)
(And here's a picture of me on Christmas morning, putting my teeth to good use in accepting a treat that came as a gift from my human cousin Katie--thanks again, Kate!)
Healthcare information for this article was obtained from the PetMD website.
No comments:
Post a Comment