Doggie Dental Care
Jackie Valentine
Many of us never think of the care of our dog’s teeth until there is a problem. Even though cavities are not common in dogs, they do have the issues of periodontal disease and gingivitis to contend with. When there is a problem in a dog’s mouth, it is usually a big one that takes a lot of money to deal with, not to mention the pain that Rover must then endure.
The Problem
Your dog’s food has a tendency to join with bacteria at the gum line to form plaque. Plaque can be removed, but if it goes too long, it then becomes tartar, a hard, brown coating on the teeth that irritates the gums with a red, swollen infection. This is called gingivitis. Tartar can build up under the gums and form “pockets” that lead to more bacterial growth and infection, which is the beginning of periodontal disease.
Periodontal disease is characterized by loose teeth, abscesses and bad breath. These conditions may not strike you as something that you need to worry about before they happen, but the real issue is what can happen to a dog’s health if periodontal disease is allowed to progress-namely heart and liver disease. Infected gums will eventually result in the loss of teeth, and internal organs then begin to be poisoned by bacteria that are sure to enter the bloodstream. What a tragic thing to happen from the simple neglect of our dog’s oral health.
The Solution
As with most problems, there is also a solution to the dilemma of your dog’s oral hygiene. Doggie dental care consists of several things that are simple enough to take care of if we will acknowledge that they need to be tended to on a regular basis.
The first thing is to check with your veterinarian. Your dog will be examined for plaque or tartar or any other oral problems that it might have. The veterinarian will tell you when it is time for a dental prophylaxis, which is a thorough cleaning and polishing of your dog’s teeth while it is under anesthesia. If this is initiated when the dog is still a puppy, it becomes second nature with most dogs to let the veterinarian check their mouth.
The next line of defense is brushing the teeth at least three times a week. There are tooth brushes that are designed specifically for dogs, and these should be used. Also, do not use toothpaste made for humans because these have detergents in them that can make the dog sick, as well as sugar or sugar substitutes that need to be avoided. If the toothbrush is difficult for you to use, there are other products that you can try, including tooth cloths, finger swabs, and even rinses for the mouth. It is suggested that the teeth be brushed once a day, but three to four times a week can still have a strong positive effect on your dog’s oral health.
If you have never brushed your dog’s teeth before, be sure to start slowly. First, you will need to let him get used to the idea of having your fingers in his mouth. If you proceed with the brushing very gently, he will come to know that you are helping him, not harming him. Some people are able to master this with ease, while others have a much harder time with their dog. If you fall into the latter category, you may want to have your veterinarian handle this for you. It will mean more trips to the vet, but it will be worth it to keep your dog’s mouth out of trouble.
Be careful about what snacks you give your dog. Sugar sticks to their teeth just as it does to ours, but they probably don’t brush as often as we do. Of course, there are other reasons to limit your dog’s sugar intake, most of the same reasons that apply to our sugar consumption. Raw carrots are a good alternative to sweets, as well as apple cores, pear cores, green beans, corn on the cob, and many other vegetables, depending on just what your dog happens to like. Hard chew toys and rawhide can help clean the plaque off of your dog’s teeth. Dental bones that you can purchase for them are also beneficial. They are designed specifically to remove the plaque from their teeth.
In the wild, dogs and their cousins, the wolves, do not develop dental disease because they are carnivores and, therefore, gnaw on bones. Some people give real bones to dogs, but you need to be careful about this. Raw bones tend to scrape off plaque, thus preventing the build-up of tartar. However, since the bone is not from an animal that they have hunted down, it may not be suitable for your dog. This is especially true for small dogs. If you do give your dog a bone, it should be a large one. Small bones (i.e. chicken bones) should never be given to our canine friends, as they tend to splinter off and tear up the dog’s intestines. Also, the marrow of real bones can be too much for the stomach and intestines of many dogs, causing diarrhea.
And last, but not least, the dog’s diet comes into play here. A dog should only have dog food, and only those dog foods that are nutritionally balanced and complete. As a more specific option, there are some dental care formulas available, something to check with your veterinarian about. In any case, we all know that people food just does not do the job for dogs, so don’t do him the injustice of feeding him from the table or giving him your leftovers. You know what is good for him even if he doesn’t, so act on that bit of information to aid in the preservation of his oral health.