Monday, January 30, 2012

Dental Month's Almost Here



Dental month is fast approaching!  This is a continuation of our dental tips leading into February.  I will be covering tips six and seven today.

Tip 6~  Dont' Get Bit
  • If brushing your dog's teeth is too stressful for your dog, don't put yourselves through it.

Tip 7~ Dental Friendly Treats
  • Feed carrot or apple slices as treats to help with your dog's weight control and dental health.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Weekly Dental Tip


This week we are covering dental tips four and five.

When it comes to toothbrushes, keep an open mind.
  • One dog may prefer a finger toothbrush while another may simply prefer that you use a gauze square with some pet toothpaste.
Never use human toothpaste on your pet.
  • The fluoride in human toothpaste can be toxic for pets.  After all, your dog would probably prefer liver or poultry-flavored pet toothpaste!

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Dental Tip # 3


Say Cheese!

This weeks tip for better at home dental care~
Keep it short and make it fun!

Especially when you are starting out, make each session a few minutes long and follow it with a play session or some other kind of reward. 

This begins to reinforce with your pet that playing with their mouth (just like with their feet) isn't a chore.   It has it's own rewards, and many times tasty ones.

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Quick Dental Tips


Happy New Year!  If you are like most pet owners, you're thinking, "Pet Dental Program?  No Way!", but just like you, your pets need to have their teeth cared for.  Over 80% of dogs and 70% of cats show signs of oral disease by age 3!  With a few easy at home care tips and periodic dentistry by your veterinarian, you can maintain good dental health for your furry companion.  This will help prevent, stinky breath, gum disease, periodontal disease, and the systemic complications (organ damage) that can occur with excess oral bacteria. 

February is National Dental Month and is already fast approaching.  So we are going to do a weekly post for the next eight weeks on quick at home dental tips.  In this week's post, we are going to  jump in and do two tips.

1.  Start Early~ It's never too early to get a puppy used to handling of all kinds from handling the paws for nail trims to working in the mouth for tooth care.  If your starting with an adult dog who has just had a professional dental cleaning, start three to five days after the dental to prevent new tartar accumulation.

2.  Go Slow and Give Rewards~  Start by gently rubbing your fingers along the side of your dog's mouth so he/she gets used to the sensation, and then be sure to give him/her praise.


Stay tuned for more weekly tips as we approach dental month~  most importantly if you have questions feel free to call for advise, this is not to be stressful for you or your pets!