Is Fido suffering from bad breath? When he greets you, panting profusely, eagerly wagging his tail are you beginning to wish that you where really being greeted by his the end with the tail attached? Are his teeth a dark shade of brown rather than a sparkling white? What all this may indicate is that Fido may issues with his oral hygiene.
Just as a human should keep his teeth and gums clean so should Fido. Dogs can have bits of food and other debris trapped in between their gnashers. This will lead to plaque and tartar causing a brown discolouration. It will also lead to bad breath, gingivitis, pus, and infections, which can subsequently enter the blood stream and infect other major organs such as the heart liver and lungs.
Feeding Fido dry kibbles rather canned or soft meat variety of dog food can go a long way to preventing the build up of tartar, and chewing can break down the stuff already existing on the teeth. Although if the condition of the teeth is already quite bad a trip the vets is in order for some professional descaling. There are many chewy products on the market which encourage Fido to masticate for the good of his own health. However, there is nothing that the larger dog loves to chew than a big meaty bone, which helps the molars and premolars. However, for the front teeth (and for smaller dogs who are not so enamoured with chewing) brave owners may have to resort to the tooth brush and paste.
Teeth cleaning should happen 2 to 3 times a week. This procedure might be perceived hazardous and probably traumatic for the both of you. It’s best to get Fido used to the probing of his mouth from a young age. Then he won’t be quite so startled when you approach him with a brush loaded with paste. It is not advisable to use human tooth paste as its foaming will encourage Fido to swallow it, leading to problems in his gut. Fortunately the vet can supply suitably meaty flavours that are Fido-friendly. As for the cleaning implement any tooth brush which is soft should do the trick. Although there are brushes which will fit on your finger, for easy tackling of those hard to reach places. If you’re flush and want to pamper pooch even an electric tooth brush can be used.
