RSS
Home
How often should you brush your dog's (and cat's) teeth? The answer may surprise you (VIDEO)
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
How's your teeth? (www.healthypets.com)
It's a rainy Sunday afternoon and, no, I'm not sitting at my favorite brunch place or laying on the couch reading the Style section of the Times. I'm attending a free Pet Dental seminar at the West Village Veterinary Hospital.
Yes, folks, this is how much I love my dog. I will sacrifice a Sunday, slog through the rain and sit through a one hour workshop--and even take notes and film a video of the live demonstration.
What I learn will scare me so badly that I will dash home and immediately brush my dog's teeth--something I had neglected to do for some time because they looked white and clean.
But lately, I'd been smelling bad doggie breath on my cute little pooch.
As I listened to veterinarian Dr. Lucy O'Byrne, I realized the bad breath could be a sign of periodontal (or gum) disease and a potential harbinger of expensive dental bills to come--not to mention the pain it could potentially cause my dog.
All of this can be avoided with regular brushings at home.
How often should you brush your pet's teeth?
According to every veterinarian I spoke with, ideally, you should brush your dog's and cat's teeth every day.
Otherwise, plaque and tartar will build up, leading to gingivitis and periodontal disease, which is dangerous for your pet.
"Every time a dog with periodontal disease bites down, he is releasing a whole explosion of bacteria," Dr. O'Byrne says, "which may damage the kidney, liver and heart."
Yikes! In addition to letting your pet have bad breath and painful gums, you could be jeopardizing your pet's overall health--all of which is avoidable if we are diligent enough about brushing our pets' teeth.
So start today. For those who already do this at home--extra gold stars for you!
How to brush your pet's teeth
- Get a soft pet toothbrush. (You can also use a rough white gauze (not the soft kind) and wrap it around your finger as a makeshift toothbrush; my dog prefers this method.)
- Get pet toothpaste. The enzymes in special pet toothpaste help break down bacteria.
- Put a little toothpaste on the toothbrush, let your pet lick some of it to get accustomed to the taste. No need for water or rinsing. The pet toothpaste is edible. (My dog loves the taste of CET Enzymatic Toothpaste in poultry flavor. He thinks he's getting a treat.)
- Using a back and forth motion, brush one side of your dog's mouth for 30-40 seconds. Repeat on the other side. Brush the front teeth, too.
- The whole thing should take you about one minute to a minute and a half.
A company called Virbac makes a whole line of pet dental products called C.E.T. It is sold at most veterinary offices and available online.
Watch Dr. O'Byrne demonstrate with her dog, Aloha...
Want more tips from Dr. O'Byrne?
- Chomping down on Rawhides, Bully Sticks, and Flossies can help break down plaque on your dog's teeth. (These items may not be suitable for dogs that chew part of the way, then try to swallow the remainder whole.)
- Try C.E.T. Enzymatic Oral Hygiene Chews for dogs. (My dog loves these.) They've got a fish flavor for cats too.
- Greenies are good for freshening your dog's breath, but be careful that your dog does not try to swallow it whole and chews the Greenie well enough.
- You can brush your pet's teeth at any time of the day; it doesn't have to be last thing at night like us humans.
AVOID:
- Dentabones--they are too hard for our dog's teeth.
- Marrow bones are not good for our dog's teeth. Once the marrow has been licked out, take the bone away.
- Human toothpaste can be harmful to our pets because of the flouride content.
Schedule a dental cleaning for your pet. How often you need to have it done depends on each pet. Check with your veterinarian.
In Manhattan, a pet dental cleaning costs anywhere from $400 to $600 (and does not include the cost of any tooth extractions, oral surgery or dental x-rays that may be necessary). The cost includes hospitalization, gas anesthesia, IV fluids, pre-anesthetic blood panel (to make sure that your pet is okay to undergo anesthesia), pain medication if necessary, nursing care, anesthetic monitoring of the heart, respiration and blood pressure and any possible take home medication.
Related Articles:
Comments
