How To Look After
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Your Dog’s Teeth
– Petcover Australia Research at Cornell University suggests more than 80% of dogs over the age of four suffer from some form of dental disease. This high number is understandable when you think about it – our canine friends explore their world with their mouths. While most are pretty good when it comes to grooming and keeping their coats healthy, they can’t pick up a toothbrush and look after their teeth and gums in the same way. This is where you, as their responsible owner comes in. The majority of dental disease is preventable with a little time, patience and knowledge. WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON DENTAL DISEASES IN DOGS? Periodontal diseases are most common in dogs and this is where they get an infection and inflammation in the tissue surrounding the tooth. Luckily, it’s easy to stop any dental problems in your dog from getting this far. Periodontal diseases often start out as gingivitis which just like humans can be easily noticed by gums being redder than normal and swelling. This is caused by bacteria in the mouth getting into the gums. To make sure any gingivitis doesn’t progress into a more serious periodontal disease, you need to be
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DOG WORLD August 2021
checking your dog’s mouth every day and looking out for signs of swelling or bleeding gums. HOW CAN I CHECK MY DOG FOR DENTAL DISEASE? The best way to keep your dogs’ teeth healthy is to get them used to being checked from a young age. If they’re used to you gently opening their mouths and even using a dog toothbrush, they’ll be more tolerable of this as they get older. If you’ve adopted an older dog, you’ll need to earn their trust before you start putting your hand inside their mouth. If you’re confident they’re relaxed, start by gently lifting their lips when panting or already have their mouth open. HOW CAN I PREVENT MY DOG GETTING A DENTAL DISEASE? As mentioned, the earlier you start checking your dogs’ teeth the better, if they’re happy for you to look at their gums on a regular basis, you’ll be more likely to notice when something’s wrong. You can buy dog toothbrushes and toothpaste but it’s very important you introduce your pet to this gradually as it will be a very unnatural sensation for them to begin with. Start by just letting your pet sniff the toothbrush and let them decide if they want to lick it or have it in their mouth. You can try adding some
