Plague and tartar build-up can cause health problems for your dog. Not just dental problems, but also infections and disease of the heart, liver and kidneys. If you’ve noticed your dog has yellowing teeth and very bad breath, then you should consult your veterinarian for advice.
Karingal Vet offers advanced dental care for pets and treatment of dental disease is one of the more common procedures we do. Here are our top 4 tips to keeping your dog’s teeth pearly white.
Tips to keep your dog’s teeth healthy
Your pet’s diet can cause or prevent dental and gum disease. Many foods are not abrasive enough to clean the dog’s teeth as they chew. The physical removal of plaque through simply chewing on appropriate food is one of the best ways of preventing dental disease. The tartar build-up causes gum disease and, if left untreated, can cause root decay and tooth loss.
It’s not the most pleasant job in the world but brushing your dog’s teeth can go a long way to saving you in vets fees later on. In fact, if done correctly – with soothing talk and lots of love – your dog may even look forward to it. Be gentle and make sure you’re using dog toothpaste since the amount of fluoride in human toothpaste is not great for dogs. If you’re struggling with your dog toothbrush you can switch to a finger brush.
If you can get your puppy used to having its teeth brushed, then you can save yourself some difficulty later as your dog will be used to staying calm and still for the tooth brushing session.
Dogs like to chew. Giving your dog specially formulated and designed chew toys or chew bones can be beneficial for their teeth. Chewing can help remove the plaque build-up but chewing alone won’t be enough to keep tartar at bay. You should also choose to use products recommended by your vet since the supermarket versions often don’t do the job.
Signs of dental problems
Karingal Vet in Frankston
If you’d like to bring your pet for a check-up, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
