Have you ever scooped up your dog or cat for a warm embrace, but were greeted with a fowl smelling lick? Enforcing proper oral care for your pet not only helps to keep your puppy's breath fresh, but it also ensures that teeth remain healthy and strong. Neglecting your pet's oral care practices may lead to gingivitis (Yes, our pets can get it, too) and periodontal disease, which can cause your dog's teeth to become brittle and even lead to other more serious problems such as kidney, liver, and heart disease.
What is Bad Breath?
Like humans, our pets can suffer from bad breath as well. Bad breath is the result of a buildup of odor producing bacteria in your dog's mouth, lungs or gut. Persistent bad breath can indicate that your dog needs better dental care or that something is wrong in his gastrointestinal tract, liver or kidneys. In all cases, bad breath is a definite red flag that should be investigated further by your veterinarian in Lewisville, TX.
Canine bad breath is most often caused by dental or gum disease, and certain dogs - particularly small ones - are especially prone to plaque and tartar. Persistent bad breath can indicate a larger medical problem in the mouth, respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract or organs. Your veterinarian is the best person to pinpoint the cause of your dog's bad breath. A physical examination and laboratory work may be performed to find the cause of your puppy's bad breath.
Home Pet Oral Care
Your Lewisville veterinarian offers a few choices for daily pet oral care. Rated from Good to Best, these options can further help you keep your pet's teeth healthy. C.E.T. - Enzymatic Oral Chews for Dogs and Cats feature a Dual-Enzyme System and are made from select beefhide to combine a natural antiseptic plus an abrasive texture that works with the pet's chewing action to loosen tartar and provide plaque control. These come in a 30-count bad designed for giving your pet one each day.
The best choices for home oral care for your pet include:
*C.ET. AQUADENT Drinking Water Additive - A daily drinking water additive with xylitol for dogs and cats to help fight plaque and freshen breath. Add two teaspoons to a quart of pet's drinking water every day to provide clinically tested dental care every time a pet drinks.
*C.E.T. Oral Hygiene Rinse - this is a dental rinse for cats and dogs containing chlorhexidine gluconate, cetylpyridinium chloride, in an oral rinse formulation to help fight plaque, maintain oral health, and freshen breath fast. One squeeze into your pet's mouth quickly covers and rinses the entire mouth. You do not have to rub it around, as your pet's natural licking action does it automatically, which makes it ideal when brushing is not an option.
Brush Daily
The best way to provide your pet with optimal oral health care is to brush their teeth daily. Daily tooth brushing is the best at-home method for maintaining good dental health for cats and dogs. There are several types of toothbrushes and different flavors of toothpaste to make it easy and effective for cat and dog owners to care for their pet's teeth as part of their daily routines.
By visiting All Creatures Veterinary Center, your veterinarian can show you the different styles of toothbrushes and demonstrate how to properly use them on your pet's teeth. Keep in mind, you do not have to choose just one method of dental care for your pet, as it may even be better for you and your pet to brush some days and have a chew the other days.
If you would like to get an idea about what condition your pet's teeth are in, just call and make an appointment with your veterinarian in Lewisville, TX. Your veterinarian will give your pet a complete oral exam and even demonstrate any of the home dental care methods or products that are of interest to you.
