As you may know, taking care of a dog requires a lot of care, attention and commitment from you, the owner, so that your pet may live a long and healthy life. This means that feeding, caring and spending time with your dog is only a part of the treatment that you give your pet.
In order to help your dog have good dental health, it is important to make sure that your dog's teeth are clean. In order to do so, you will need to use a dog toothbrush to get the plaque off dog and its teeth. The ideal dog toothbrush will have a long handle, an angled head to better fit the mouth and extra soft bristles. Another option is the finger dog toothbrush that fits over the tip of your finger, which allows you better access to your pet's teeth.
In order to brush your dog's teeth well, you have to work with the dog in a gentle manner. If you begin to use a dog toothbrush on your puppy as soon as you get it, you will have an easier time with dog plaque removal. Start slowly, you can use a washcloth to wipe the teeth, front and back in the same manner you will eventually be using the dog toothbrush. Do this twice daily for about two weeks or until your dog is comfortable. Then take the pet toothbrush, soak it in warm water and start brushing daily for several days. When your dog accepts this brushing, add pet toothpaste to help you fight plaque and work as dog breath fresheners.
Bad breath sign of bad dog health? Nah, that can't be possible! Well it is true. While it's perfectly acceptable to have your pooch's breath smell of scavenged or raw meat, every time he breathes into your face, unknowing of the torture he subjects you to, you should have alarm bells ringing if his breath smells really-really bad every single time. Highly offensive bad breath means your pet health is at risk.
Halitosis, or bad breath, is a horrible odour coming from mouth of your doggie. There is more than just your pooch's breath that is unpleasant. While there are plenty of pet products available to help all you pet owners deal with bad breath and the overall dog health. These pet products include dog toothbrush and toothpaste, treats that are meant to reduce tartar, and doggie breath drops or breath fresheners! However, it's very important to know what really causes Halitosis and affects the pet health as well as the treatments that are available for this condition.
Typically, halitosis affects the pet health due to oral causes, but in some cases bad breath can be caused by other diseases or dog health conditions that include:
1.Gingivitis (inflammatory gums)
2.Periodontitis (inflammation of the tissues, which surround the teeth)
3.Infected tooth/teeth
4.Foreign bodies such as piece of bone, hair, or plant material stuck in the dog's mouth
5.Oral ulceration/ Oral neoplasia
6.Lung diseases (ex: lung cancer)
Halitosis can be discomforting for the dog as well. He may not be able to convey his pain or discomfort. So don't risk the dog health and watch out for symptoms such as:
1.Oral pain and discharge
2.Bloody discharge from the mouth
3.Excessive Drooling
4.Dysphagia (or difficulty in swallowing food)
5.Depression
It can be depressing not just for the pooch but for you as well, if you dog is no longer smiling or if you have to shove his off every time he approaches you. The best thing to do when you notice any or some of the above symptoms is to get medical advice. Only a vet can assess the cause or extent of damage caused by Halitosis and its affect on the pet health. The veterinarian will most likely make a complete oral examination as well as subject your dog to periodontal probing. Sometimes, a full mouth X-ray may be necessary.
While the vet will do what is best for the dog health based on the correct diagnosis and tests, you can also ensure that the pet health is maintained by brushing your dog's teeth every day. There are several products on the market to help you deal with doggie breath including dog toothbrush and paste, dog treats that can help minimize tartar or freshen dog breath as well as doggie breath drops. It is first important to understand and treat any underlying diseases that may be causing the foul odour. You can also follow dietary recommendations (as advised by the veterinarian). Vets suggest Hill's Prescription Diet T/D or Eukanuba Restricted-Calorie Rewards for Halitosis.
Both Grojan Fabiola & Thierry Babineaux are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.