The Importance of Doggie Dental Health
As a dog owner, you may have learned to live with your dog’s breath as part of their charm. But did you know that excessive bad breath could be a sign of possible health issues for your pup?
Since February is National Pet Dental Health Month, it’s a good time to take a closer look at what’s happening with your pooch’s mouth, gums and teeth and make sure they have lots of reasons to smile.
Every breath they take
The first sign of a possible problem in your dog’s mouth is bad breath. A distinctive smell can be caused by a combination of leftover food and bacteria around their gums and teeth. Left untreated, this combination can cause plaque to form on their teeth just below the gum line.
Once plaque has formed, it continues to harden and can lead to gum diseases such as gingivitis. To make matters worse for your pup, these gum diseases can lead to further problems like cracked and broken teeth, a misalignment of their jaw bone, and serious conditions like kidney, heart or lung disease.
What can you do?
Keep your pup’s teeth nice and healthy by giving them bendable chew toys to play with, which can help maintain the health of their teeth and gums. And, as an added bonus, this stimulation of saliva can actually improve their breath!
[hh_question]To avoid your pup getting bored with chew toys, rotate different ones in and out from week-to-week. Chewing is one of your dog’s natural instincts and having lots toys that encourage it will benefit their oral health and provide a fun distraction for both of you.
Wipe your dog’s teeth and gums gently with a warm cloth after meals to help get rid of the leftover food, excess saliva and dead mouth cells which can cause plaque. Also, vets recommend brushing your pup’s teeth every day, if possible.
Call in the pros
To keep your dog’s teeth strong and healthy, book regular pet dental services with your vet and remember to brush your dog’s teeth regularly. No time to brush your canine’s canines? We can help! Dogtopia offers tooth brushing for your dog as part of our luxurious doggie spa services. We’ll give your pup’s teeth a thorough and pain-free tooth brushing and point out any warning signs that could foretell any possible future dental issues.
Give your local Dogtopia a call to book an appointment at their spa and give both you and your dog a reason to smile even wider!
If you need help getting your dog more active or introducing them to some new friends, we here at Dogtopia can help. We offer a safe and fun-filled environment with an action-packed daily schedule to ensure your furry friend gets plenty of exercise and socialization while you are at work or running errands during the day. Learn more about our dog daycare services here or contact us for more information.
