Like us on Facebook
Tri-County Animal Rescue
  • Home
  • Pick me!
  • Joann's Blog
  • Fundraising Events
  • Donations/Volunteering
  • Success Stories

Joann's Blog

"I've seen a look in dogs' eyes, a quickly vanishing look of amazed contempt, and I am convinced that basically dogs think humans are nuts."
--John Steinbeck

Facebook

Pet Tips - Canine Dental Health

1/30/2014

26 Comments

 
Did you know that regularly brushing your dog’s teeth and providing them with a healthy diet and plenty of chew toys can go long way toward keeping their mouth healthy? Many dogs show signs of gum disease by the time they are four years old because they aren’t provided with proper mouth care and bad breath is often the first sign of a problem. Give your dog regular home checks and follow these tips for healthy mouths:.

1. The Breath Test 
Sniff your dog’s breath. Normal doggie-breath isn’t particularly fresh-smelling. However, if his breath is especially offensive and is accompanied by a loss of appetite, vomiting or excessive drinking or urinating, it’s a good idea to take your pooch to the vet.

2. Lip Service
Once a week, with your dog facing you, lift his lips and examine his gums and teeth. The gums should be pink, not white or red, and should show no signs of swelling. His teeth should be clean, without any brownish tartar.

3. Signs of Oral Disease
The following are signs that your dog may have a problem in his mouth or gastrointestinal system and should be checked by a veterinarian:
·        Bad breath
·        Excessive drooling
·        Inflamed gums
·        Tumors in the gums
·        Cysts under the tongue
·        Loose teeth
Continue reading below...

4. The Lowdown on Tooth Decay
Bacteria and plaque-forming foods can cause build-up on a dog’s teeth. This can harden into tartar, possibly causing gingivitis, receding gums and tooth loss. One solution… regular teeth cleanings.

5. Canine Tooth-Brushing Kit
Get yourself a toothbrush made especially for canines or a clean piece of soft gauze to wrap around your finger. Ask your vet for a toothpaste made especially for canines or make a paste out of baking soda and water. Never use fluoride with dogs under six months of age…it can interfere with their enamel formation. And please do not use human toothpaste, which can irritate a dog’s stomach. Special mouthwash for dogs is also available.

6. Brightening the Teeth
Taking these steps will make brushing a lot easier for the both of you:
·        First get your dog used to the idea of having her teeth brushed. Massage her lips with your finger in a circular motion for 30 to 60 seconds once or twice a day for a few weeks. Then move on to her teeth and gums.
·        When your dog seems comfortable being touched this way, put a little bit of dog-formulated toothpaste or a paste of baking soda and water on her lips to get her used to the taste.
·        Next, introduce a toothbrush designed especially for dogs…it should be smaller than a human toothbrush and have softer bristles. Toothbrushes that you can wear over your finger (or a clean piece of gauze) are also available and allow you to give a nice massage to your dog’s gums.
·        Finally, apply the toothpaste to her teeth for a gentle brushing, as in step 7.
·        A veterinary exam beforehand may be helpful to find out if your dog’s gums are inflamed. If your dog has mild gingivitis, brushing too hard can hurt her gums.

7. Brushing Technique
Place the brush or your gauze-wrapped finger at a 45-degree angle to the teeth and clean in small, circular motions. Work on one area of your dog’s mouth at a time, lifting her lip as necessary. The side of the tooth that touches the cheek usually has the most tartar, and giving a final downward stroke can help to remove it. If your dog resists having the inner surfaces of her teeth cleaned, don’t fight it since only a small amount of tartar accumulates there. Once you get the technique down, go for a brushing two or three times a week.

8. Know Your Mouth Disorders
Getting familiar with the possible mouth problems your dog may encounter will help you determine when it’s time to see a vet about treatment:
·        Periodontal disease is a painful infection between the tooth and the gum that can result in tooth loss and spread infection to the rest of the body. Signs are loose teeth, bad breath, tooth pain, sneezing and nasal discharge.
·        Gingivitis is an inflammation of the gums caused mainly by accumulation of plaque, tartar and disease-producing bacteria above and below the gum line. Signs include bleeding, red, swollen gums and bad breath. It is reversible with regular teeth cleanings.
·        Halitosis-or bad breath-can be the first sign of a mouth problem and is caused by bacteria growing from food particles caught between the teeth or by gum infection. Regular tooth-brushings are a great solution.
·        Swollen gums develop when tartar builds up and food gets stuck between the teeth. Regularly brushing your dog’s teeth at home and getting annual cleanings at the vet can prevent tartar and gingivitis.
·        Proliferating gum disease occurs when the gum grows over the teeth and must be treated to avoid gum infection. An inherited condition common to boxers and bull terriers, it can be treated with antibiotics.
·        Mouth tumors appear as lumps in the gums. Some are malignant and must be surgically removed.
·        Salivary cysts look like large, fluid-filled blisters under the tongue, but can also develop near the corners of the jaw. They require drainage, and the damaged saliva gland must be removed.
·        Canine distemper teeth can occur if a dog had distemper as a puppy. Adult teeth can appear looking eroded and can often decay. As damage is permanent, decayed teeth should be removed by a vet.

9. Chew on This
Chew toys can satisfy your dog’s natural desire to chomp, while making his teeth strong. Gnawing on a chew toy can also help massage his gums and help keep his teeth clean by scraping away soft tartar. Ask your vet to recommend toxin-free rawhide, nylon and rubber chew toys.  Gnawing also reduces your dog’s overall stress level, prevents boredom and gives him an appropriate outlet for his natural need to chew.

10. Diet for Healthy Teeth
Ask your vet about a specially formulated dry food that can slow down the formation of plaque and tartar. Also, avoid feeding your dog table scraps, instead giving him treats that are specially formulated to keep canine teeth healthy.
26 Comments
Renata link
9/18/2014 05:26:33 pm

The real art of interpretation is in perciving a consistant conclusion from between physical and nonphysical. I hope you can feel what I mean.

Reply
search amazon by discount link
9/26/2014 08:13:55 pm

I managed 31 out of 36 and I couldn't be more surprised. I barely spend any time with humans and my entire life and work revolves around anticipating behavior in animals.

Reply
amazon link
10/8/2014 07:15:23 pm

While some emotions are primal across all cultures, there still might be some nuances.

Reply
June link
11/13/2014 03:28:11 am

I get them mixed up sometimes) should be able to recongnize that a quick 5 minute exam isn't likely the best determining factor of your ability to recognize emotions.

Reply
Jon link
4/21/2015 02:41:38 am

I had the same thought--just chiming in to agree and note my disappointment. And I would have been quite interested in seeing how the authors of the quiz would have chosen to portray male "fantasizing"/"desire".

Affordable dentist in Fort Worth link
12/10/2014 08:39:45 pm

Jefferson Dental Clinics offers patients the best, and most affordable, dental services throughout Dallas, Fort Worth, and Houston.

Reply
green gemstones link
12/24/2014 12:58:39 am

Hey, It genuinely is extremely great and informative website. Hold writing the great perform, Nice to discover your web-site.

Reply
Best Astrologer in India link
1/6/2015 04:51:36 am

Hey, It definitely is fairly good and informative internet site. Retain writing the very good execute, Good to determine your web site...

Reply
Root Canal Therapy Overland Park KS link
3/16/2015 10:15:31 pm

Hi! the topic is very much in demand today and everyone wants to read about it. Thanks

Reply
essay writing link
5/5/2015 07:34:14 pm

Education helps us to improve our living standards. People who mostly belong to very low standard ranking do not have much know how about the recent scenarios and how the things going around them they usually are less aware of it.

Reply
sewa mobil surabaya link
6/28/2015 04:04:13 pm

very happy to see that many people are providing dental related problems and talking about it. I am also a dentist and if you want anything or want to know about anything then you can visit our website for more info

Reply
dentists brampton link
7/8/2015 11:50:28 am

WebMD discusses 10 tips for helping to ensure dental health in dogs.
pets.webmd.com/dogs/guide/tips-better-dental-health-dogs

Reply
www.einnews.com/pr_news/284236969/ed-miracle-shake-review-ingredients-of-miracle-shake-examined link
9/14/2015 09:58:11 pm

There are many health topics that we could have focused on in this website. The topics that have been included here represent the health problems

Reply
sewa mobil surabaya link
9/16/2015 05:58:27 pm

Greetings admin. your post is very nice sekali.sangat glad I could find this post.9

Reply
primeresumewriter.com link
10/21/2015 07:11:18 am

Everyone who takes care about health of the animals and other people should recieve the respect, as it is very important to make someone to be happy in a difficult minute.

Reply
facial implant oklahoma city link
11/4/2015 12:51:08 pm

All about dental health, including brushing teeth, teeth whitening, finding and NHS dentist, dental check-ups, dental treatments and fear of the dentist.

Reply
http://oralleste.com.br link
11/18/2015 02:15:06 pm

According to the American Dental Association, “dental public health is that part of dentistry providing leadership and expertise in population-based dentistry,

Reply
ed miracle ingredients link
12/9/2015 07:58:59 pm

I actually don’t find out know a amount with enable that your chosen blogs and forums give. I believe, I recognize not wearing running shoes them weren’t for your personal blogs and forums I will can’t you create determined to support by using this works. The following company presents a it has the term plus Everyone loves toughness they give you. Thanks a ton!

Reply
Approach women link
12/14/2015 04:17:39 am

Attract, seduce and date Beautiful young women
How to Meet,Attract and Seduce Beautiful Women Man's Guide to success with Women ! 
Complete Attraction System !

Reply
cara menyembuhkan infeksi saluran kemih link
12/28/2015 10:28:51 am

exercise for pets is also very important. thanks for the tips.

Reply
mauritius apartment link
1/6/2016 03:24:58 am

The bedroom boasts a double bed, air-conditioner or ceiling fan, digital safe, LCD TV and hairdryer. There is an en-suite bathroom that is fitted with a large shower cubicle, toilet and vanity.

Reply
Obat Herbal Kebas link
1/19/2016 10:53:22 am

In recent days I'm looking for articles on the topic of health, but it does not go find it. And finally I found the website, thanks author.

Reply
cara menghilangkan selulit di paha link
1/19/2016 12:54:43 pm

until today article I was looking for the task is still not met, hopefully by visiting this website, the problem can be resolved.

Reply
Cara Menyembuhkan Radang Tenggorokan Akibat Virus link
1/20/2016 09:45:22 am

Very interesting article, I also quite comprehensive . This article also helps me in doing my job. Thank you very much.

Reply
obat tradisional untuk kram perut bagian bawah link
5/10/2016 06:02:55 pm

When I originally commented I clicked the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and now each time a comment is added I get four emails with the same comment. Is there any way you can remove me from that service? Thanks!

Reply
Cara Mengobati Ruam Kulit di Selangkangan link
5/27/2016 08:09:53 pm

I’d have to check with you here. Which is not something I usually do! I enjoy reading a post that will make people think. Also, thanks for allowing me to comment!

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Joann loves all her babies

    Author

    Joann with her husband Doug are the owners of TCAR. She takes in and loves every unwanted dog she can.

    Archives

    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Web Hosting by IPOWER
Photo used under Creative Commons from Jasen Miller
✕