A dog's mouth is warm and moist and provides an ideal environment for bacterial organisms to grow sometimes leading to plaque and calculus. Once plaque and calculus form on the teeth, the normal microbes gets out of balance and trouble can follow. A common condition discovered during a physical exam is a foul breath odor resulting from periodontitis. Periodontitis is a general term for a disease of the oral cavity that attacks the gum and bone and the delicate tissues around the teeth.
Other common dental conditions seen in dogs include: Gingivitis an inflammation of the gums; Caries - an area of decalcification of the tooth enamel leading to cavities in the tooth; Plaque - the buildup of material adhering to the enamel of the tooth composed of a mixed colony of bacteria; Calculus (Tartar) - calcium carbonate and calcium phosphate combined with organic material, deposited on the surface of the tooth; and Pyorrhea - an inflammation of the gums and tooth sockets, often leading to loosening of the teeth and accompanied by pus.
What should you do?
One of the best ways to ensure oral health is to provide the dog with a well-balanced, meat-based dog food. Meat assists in keeping the mouth environment healthy. Encourage your dog to chew treats that require some exercising of the teeth, such as is provided by compressed rawhide chewies, and hard rubber or nylon chew toys. Brushing the dog's teeth can be a big help, too, but needs to be done almost daily.
There are also new dental care products that include antiseptic chewies, canine tooth brushes, and even flavored tooth pastes. Routine oral hygiene vet visits for ultrasonic teeth cleaning, close inspection of teeth and gingiva, and assessment of overall oral health is recommended. Your personal vet will have some training in assessing your pet's dental needs and providing treatment. Pet dentistry is also one of twenty specialties currently recognized by the American Veterinary Medical Association. A certified pet dentist will have had 3 to 6 years of training in the area of specialization beyond the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree.
1. You and your dog will learn more advanced commands. You've got a good start with "sit" and "let's go," but in class you'll master exercises like "down," "stay," "heel," "stand" and "come" as well - the vocabulary she'll need to become a really responsive and trustworthy friend and partner.
2. Your instructor can address your specific needs. Books and videotapes are great, but they can't stay after class to discuss your dog's individual problems or strong points, they can't demonstrate new moves to you, and they can't tell you whether you're holding your leash funny or giving your dog a confusing command. There's really no substitute for the one-on-one attention and suggestions of a good instructor.
3. You 'II learn from the other people and dogs in the class. Your classmates may have new ideas for you, or you may pick up tips just from watching them. And you'll find that they're sympathetic to your problems and proud of your successes in ways that your non-dog-loving friends may not be.
4. Your dog will get used to other people and dogs. This is a biggie. No amount of backyard practice can teach your dog to behave in the presence of other exciting people or pups. And if your dog is still a little worried about the world at large - and many of them are - obedience class will give her a chance to make friends and gain confidence. So even if you've already been through obedience class with another dog and know the ropes, it's a good idea to take your new dog to a class of her own.
5. It'll give you an incentive to train your dog. Let's face it, sometimes it's tough to get motivated for your daily training sessions when you know only a couple of exercises and you don't have an instructor and classmates to keep you from getting lazy!
6. You'll have a terrific time. Obedience class is fun! You'll make new friends (I know several married couples who met in obedience class) and get lots of exercise, and your relationship with your new dog will soar to new levels. And who knows? You might just get hooked on dog training and find yourself with a new hobby.
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