Phew! Doggie Breath Part II

By MaryMargaret Hyde

Part I of Phew! Doggie Breath discussed some causes of a dog's bad breath and what it can mean. Part II will focus on preventive measures that may forestall the diseases covered in Part I.

In a human's dental program brushing twice a day, flossing, rinsing and six month checkups supplement a nutritional diet consisting of a wide variety of foods. For dogs a similar program may consist of frequent brushing, high quality foods, food supplements to support oral health, raw bone chewing and periodic professional cleanings.

The foundation of good dental health begins with good nutrition. Many holistic veterinarians recommend raw meaty bones and raw vegetables supplemented with wild salmon oil and probiotic enzymes. The raw meaty bones supply the chewing and pulling action required to remove the meat from the bones while supplying the natural calcium so necessary for optimum health. A holistic veterinarian can determine if a dog should be supplemented with certain other vitamins and antioxidants. Vitamins A, C, E and coenzyme Q10 are often given in veterinarian recommended amounts as both preventive and as treatments.

After providing the best quality of food available, the next most significant service you can render to your dog is to engage in a good dental health program. Ideally, beginning with a very young puppy, during daily play run your fingers over the teeth and gums. This is quite normal since puppies explore the world with their mouths and your fingers will frequently be in their mouths during play anyway. Continue with this 'mouth play' slowly increasing the time. Give lots of praise and treats. After a few days you may introduce a doggie toothbrush, again slowly and gently massaging all the teeth and gums, inside and outside. The last step is adding a doggie toothpaste and you are set up for success. (Never use human toothpaste. Your dog will swallow it and it can harm him.)

If your dog is an adult and has never been exposed to a tooth cleaning treatment you may need to take a bit longer with the introductory step. However, once you have a tasty toothpaste on hand most dogs look forward to their daily toothbrushing 'treat.'

Many people feel they don't have time to engage in this routine daily. And it may be that most dogs don't get the benefit of a daily brushing. Even if done three or four times a week your dog will benefit greatly.

Then you will notice, "No more doggie breath!"

PawPrancer is a pet site offering fresh frozen raw dog/cat foods, unique organic beds for pets with allergies, stylish collars and leads and more. All our products are USA made.

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