Your Dog's Health;
Why Dog Breath is No Laughing Matter
Your dogs health is important to you. You show her how
important by keeping her well fed and groomed, making sure
she gets plenty of exercise and providing a collection of
fun, safe toys for her entertainment. You don't skimp on
the quality of his food. And to reward good boys and girls,
there are always lots of delicious treats in the cupboard.
But if he has bad breath, you could be overlooking a serious
problem with your dogs health.
|
|
"Dog Breath" is such a common
condition that we make jokes about it. Sometimes we
even tease our human "friends" using "dog
breath" in play-ground style name-calling ( although
hopefully this is limited to teenage boys.) And I know
many pet owners who comment that they love their dog
or cat like a child, but just can't stand the smell
of the animal's breath! Well, guess what? "Dog
Breath" isn't normal.
It's estimated that 80 percent of dogs and 70 percent
of cats over the age of three suffer from the periodontal
disease — a serious deterioration of the gums
and supporting bones of the teeth. Yes, it's periodontal
disease that's responsible for "dog breath".
But the problem doesn't confine itself to your furry
baby's mouth. It's an infection, and the tiny creatures
responsible for it can break loose and enter the
bloodstream. Once they do, they can infect vital
organs such as the liver and kidneys, endangering
your dogs health by causing a far more serious illness. |
The best way to insure your dogs health, especially where
periodontal disease is concerned, is with prevention. It
can make all the difference.
Periodontal disease begins as gingivitis, which is virtually
harmless and completely treatable. If allowed to move to
the next stage--Periodontitis-- it can be stopped, but not
cured. And the worse it gets, the faster it progresses. This
applies to all animals, two legged and four legged alike.
Think of a car parked at the top of a hill. The emergency
break is released, and the car begins to roll downhill. Now,
if you hit the breaks right away, no harm done. But the farther
the car rolls the faster it goes, and the more momentum it
builds. It gets harder and harder to stop it. By the time
it's halfway down the hill, you could be headed for disaster!
You can maintain your dogs health nicely with proper home
care. But, like the rolling car, if disease is already present,
stopping and controlling it is a bigger job.
Prevention involves, above all, regular veterinary checkups
and professional cleanings beginning early in your dog or
cat's life. I'll show you how you can help maintain oral
health at home, but it's impossible to do a thorough cleaning
on an animal who's awake. Trust me on this. It's hard enough
to do a thorough job with a cooperative human patient. When
we're talking about animals who don't understand what we're
doing or why, forget about it.
Most veterinarians recommend annual cleanings, but more
frequent or involved treatment may be needed depending on
your animal's condition. Please, no matter what you're doing
at home, follow the vet's recommendations. As for your part,
introduce your dog or cat to the idea of having his teeth
brushed as early as possible. I know, it's not easy, and
it takes time and daily conditioning to get your little guy
or gal used to it. But your dogs health is worth it!
So how do you prevent the most common of threats to your
dogs health? Brush her teeth, of course! Every day. Just
like you would your own (twice a day for you, and floss too!!).
This isn't easy, but it can become an expected part of your
dog's routine if you do it right. Here are some suggestions:
1.Start when your dog is a puppy. The earlier the better.
2.At first, you just want her to get used to you handling
her head and looking inside her mouth. Practice lifting up
her lips and looking at her teeth and gums--front, back and
both sides of her mouth.
3.Now begin gently touching the gum tissue with your finger
and rub along her gums and teeth as if your finger were a
toothbrush. Let her get used to the sensation. This is exactly
the way you would introduce a human baby to brushing, beginning
with just her gums. Even before there are teeth, there are
harmful bacteria. So don't worry about a tiny puppy who doesn't
have a full set of teeth yet--rub her gums, swab out her
little mouth with your finger, and get her used the this
kind of contact from her owner.
4.Your next step is to wrap gauze or a soft washcloth around
your finger and rub the gums on both the outer and inner
surfaces of the teeth.
5. Finally, introduce a tooth brush in one small area. As
your dog gets used to the brush, you will be able to use
it in place of the gauze or washcloth. Remember to brush
the inside surfaces!
A little brushing a day, beginning with the first step and
working your way up gradually, will eventually lead to a
one to two minute session. Your dog will learn that it doesn't
hurt and that she gets a couple of minutes of your undivided
attention every day. It generally takes 8 to 16 weeks to
get there, but in the end your dog will accept brushing as
part of her daily routine.
If a little brushing is done every day at a set time, eventually
your pet gets used to it, and some will even look forward
to it. It will take most pet owners from 8-16 weeks until
the pet accepts it readily. Now the pet realizes it doesn't
hurt and that it will get 1-2 minutes of your undivided attention.
Your pet enjoys your attention, and will eventually wait
patiently for you to brush his teeth.
There's a toothbrush with three heads that will allow you
to brush all three surface of the tooth at one time, which
makes life a lot easier for both of you! It also has nice,
soft bristles so you won't harm your pet's delicate gum tissue.There
are also products that can be rubbed on the gums and added
to the drinking water to help reduce bacteria in an animal's
mouth and promote the dogs health and healing. Bad breath
is actually a by-product of the bacteria that populate the
mouth. They break down proteins and carbohydrates from your
dog or cat's diet, and produce something called "volatile
sulfur compounds", or VSC's. It's the sulfur that make
the breath smell extra special!
Certain dental products have an agent that neutralizes the
VSC's. Many owners have commented that their cat or dog seems
to like the drinking water better when these products are
added--even though they have no flavor! And there's a gel
available that, although formulated for the gums, can be
very soothing for skin conditions, cuts, and surgical wounds
thanks to the Aloe Vera it contains.
The best oral care products work without the use of fragrances
and flavors, which entice human consumers, but don't benefit
your cat or dogs health in any way!
I was a practicing dentist for over 20 years, and I saw
a lot of human patients who had terrible breath (and periodontal
disease) and weren't even aware of it. People don't like
to tell each other about bad breath. Even the dentist has
to be delicate with this piece of bad news.
At least when dealing with a pet, you don't have to worry
about social embarrassment in order to address your dogs
health problem! Don't be shy, get in there and do something
about it. Not only can your dog get rid of her breath odor,
but she could even live 2 to 5 years longer as a result.
And you'll be able to get close again, without holding your
breath.
About the Author
Carolyn Schweitzer DDS. Dr. Schweitzer was a family dentist
for 20 years and is now owner and editor of several websites.
You can learn more about specific dental care products by
visiting her website at http://www.great-dog-gift.com/dentalcare
Thank you for using 4Dog Info for
information on Dog Breath.
|