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Archive for March 17th, 2012

A devoted dog owner does everything humanly possible to ensure their dogs hygiene. However, one area that bewilders dog owners is how to brush my dogs teeth?

Why Brush A Dog’s Teeth?

Dogs suffer from a variety of tooth problems, just like their owners:

1. Loose teeth
2. Abscess teeth
3. Cavities
4. Periodontal disease

The common symptom of periodontal disease is bad breath. In fact, 98% of all dogs with bad breath suffer from periodontal disease. If there is a delay in treatment, the bacterial infection can develop and spread to the dog’s kidney, liver, heart and brain.

Thus, it becomes important to brush the dogs teeth.

Steps In Brushing A Dog’s Teeth:

Many dog owners take their dogs to the vet for a regular teeth cleaning. Many vets offer medical plans for pets that include this important routine. Usually they will put the dog to sleep or medicate the dog to avoid bites. This is safer for the dog and the vet. However, if you cannot afford to do this and/or choose to do it yourself, below are the steps to take in cleaning your dog’s teeth.

1. Allow a vet to check the dog’s teeth before brushing. Otherwise, brushing may be painful, and it will associate brushing with pain.

2. The dog needs to be used to the owner checking its mouth regularly. Reward the dog for cooperation.

3. Get a pet dental kit from a pet store. It needs to have a pet toothbrush, pet toothpaste and a finger toothbrush that the owner can wear on a finger and brush the dog’s teeth.

4. Human toothpaste is not edible and dogs are likely to swallow toothpaste. Therefore, try to buy beefy flavored toothpaste that the dog can enjoy. In addition, avoid toothpastes with detergents, salt or baking soda. Instead, try to buy toothpastes containing fluoride and enzymes, as they are good for dogs’ teeth.

5. Ease in the brushing process. On day one, merely wipe the dog’s teeth with gauze. Later, adapt the pet to warm water brushing. Finally, add toothpaste.

6. To brush the dog’s teeth, place the brush bristles at a 45-degree angle to the teeth, at the border where the teeth meet the gums. Gently, move the brush in an oval motion, to complete ten back-and-forth motions. Then, move the brush to cover at least 3-4 teeth at a time.

7. Remember to brush the dogs teeth all the way to the back, which is where most problems develop.

Other Important Tips:

A dog’s dental hygiene will not be flawless, if you only brush the dog’s teeth. Try some of these tips to ensure a good dental health for the dog:

1. To avoid the onset of periodontal disease, take the dog to a vet for regular checks.

2. Vets can also clean the teeth occasionally to remove tartar deposits.

3. Feed hard foods to the dog or give bones or hard toys to chew on.

These are certain systematic ways of avoiding dental problems, but do not forget to brush your dog’s teeth regularly.