Sooooo…. National Pet Dental Health month is definitely having a moment right now. Which makes sense, since it is currently happening.
What do you need to know? To start, it is not just your dogs that you need to be worried about. It is important for those kitties too! According to the AVMA, your pets teeth need to be checked at least once a year by an actual vet.
Beyond the obvious signs (bad breath, broken teeth, etc), another common sign that your pet needs their teeth looked at is a decrease in appetite. My dog, Opal, has always been a picky eater. We got her when she was 3, and just thought that she was a little princess that didn’t like to eat hard stuff. After all, mashed up sweet potato is a lot yummier than kibble. But, when we took her to the vet, it turned out that she needed 14 teeth removed. Just for the record, this is unusual, and the vet thinks that it is her genetics. Once she got her teeth removed, she started eating all sorts of hard goodies.
The AVMA does not recommend anesthesia free cleanings. You can’t get down to the gums. Clean gums are key!
So, what can you do for your fur babies at home if DIY teeth cleaning is out? The obvious, and likely most straight forward is brushing your dogs teeth. There is doggy toothpaste! But, this can be tricky. Opal is only 15lbs, yet has made it super clear that I will be brushing her teeth over her dead body. I think it is incredibly important to not force your pet. They trust you, and using your strength to force them into anything just seems wrong. I have heard of dogs that love their teeth being brushed. All of these dogs started brushing their teeth when they were puppies, and the toothpaste is like a treat. All the more reason to start the dental routine right away!
Another common solution is dental treats, chews, or kibble. The key is that they will be chewing on the treat/food for a long time. If they can gobble it down, while yummy, it doesn’t actually do much for their dental health. Your pet needs to be consistently having these treats, as in almost every day in order for them to be effective.
Right now there are also a lot of chew toys that I am seeing that claim to be good for your dogs dental health. According to the AVDC, like the food options, “Chew toys are only of benefit if they are played with frequently and over the long haul”. I just heard from the majestic Queen B’s mom that she loves her new Bristly chew toy! Beignet is a very picky about her toys. So, I would consider this quite the endorsement! I also just ordered Opal a similar product, and will let you know how Opal feels about it later this month on Instagram.
It turns out, there are kitty dental chew toys as well! As you would imagine, they involve catnip. These mice seem like a lot of fun, and come with a lot of great reviews. The only negative thing I saw mentioned is that they are very small. There were other options, but they all had a lot of mixed reviews. Who is surprised though? Cats are all picky in some way or another.
If you have the urge to look more into dental health for your pets, here are a few links that should get you started.
Love, Elise
Pet-a-Go-Go 