Happier, Healthier Lives
Dental care for dogs and cats.
Happier, Healthier Lives
Dental care for dogs and cats.
Dental disease has real consequences
There’s a reason that we often notice cats and dogs acting much livelier and healthier after a dental treatment. Dental disease is destructive and painful and affects pets’ comfort and quality of life. It can even shorten it too, but placing chronic stress on their body. While there is no substitute for regular, professional dental cleanings under anesthesia, there are many things you can do at home to protect your pet’s comfort and health.
Brushing
This is the best thing we can do to prevent tartar build up in your pet’s mouth. Check out our video to learn more about this process.
Before starting, we recommend desensitizing your companion with treats for 3 to 4 weeks. To do this, take your finger and rub it along their gums with their mouth closed, then give a high value treat. Do this 3 to 4 times a day for 4 weeks to make them more comfortable with having their mouth touched.
When you’re ready to proceed, check out the dental products we recommend on our online store (appropriate options for both cats and dogs).
Brushing is most effective if done daily using a soft pet toothbrush and a well flavored pet toothpaste that is safe to be swallowed. Virbac CET brand products or PetSmile are recommended. Alternatively, you may use a finger brush, or a wet towel to brush the teeth. The most important area is the outside surface of the upper teeth towards the back of your pet’s mouth. The easiest way to do this is by keeping your pet’s mouth closed and brushing under the lips.
Chew Treats and Toys
Many different dental chews exist to help reduce tartar and plaque on the teeth. We recommend Oravet chews for dogs to help decrease the bacterial population in their mouth, make bacteria less likely to grab onto enamel, and improve their breath. Another great option is Virbac CET chewables. These chews must be given daily to be effective and are best used in combination with brushing. Look for a VOHC label of approval on any dental treats you are feeding your pet.
Although some chew toys can help clean the teeth, many can cause dental harm. Do not offer anything to your pets that cannot be indented with your thumb nail – anything that is firmer than this may break the teeth. Chew treats like raw hides and greenies are not appropriate for an aggressive chewer who breaks off large chunks and swallows them.
Diet
When animals chew hard kibble it helps to brush plaque off of the teeth. For animals who tend to inhale their food, rather than chew, we recommend slowing them down with a puzzle or play feeder. You may also consider a diet with larger kibbles that force pets to chew such as Hill’s Healthy Advantage Oral+ (for dogs) or Hill’s t/d (for cats or dogs). Check our online store to find this diet options.
Healthy Mouth Water Additive
This is a liquid you mix with your dog’s or cats’s drinking water to make an oral rinse. It has been shown to decrease bacterial populations in the mouth and reduce tartar accumulation.
Dental disease has real consequences
There’s a reason that we often notice cats and dogs acting much livelier and healthier after a dental treatment. Dental disease is destructive and painful and affects pets’ comfort and quality of life. It can even shorten it too, but placing chronic stress on their body. While there is no substitute for regular, professional dental cleanings under anesthesia, there are many things you can do at home to protect your pet’s comfort and health.
Brushing
This is the best thing we can do to prevent tartar build up in your pet’s mouth. Check out our video to learn more about this process.
Before starting, we recommend desensitizing your companion with treats for 3 to 4 weeks. To do this, take your finger and rub it along their gums with their mouth closed, then give a high value treat. Do this 3 to 4 times a day for 4 weeks to make them more comfortable with having their mouth touched.
When you’re ready to proceed, check out the dental products we recommend on our online store (appropriate options for both cats and dogs).
Brushing is most effective if done daily using a soft pet toothbrush and a well flavored pet toothpaste that is safe to be swallowed. Virbac CET brand products or PetSmile are recommended. Alternatively, you may use a finger brush, or a wet towel to brush the teeth. The most important area is the outside surface of the upper teeth towards the back of your pet’s mouth. The easiest way to do this is by keeping your pet’s mouth closed and brushing under the lips.
Chew Treats and Toys
Many different dental chews exist to help reduce tartar and plaque on the teeth. We recommend Oravet chews for dogs to help decrease the bacterial population in their mouth, make bacteria less likely to grab onto enamel, and improve their breath. Another great option is Virbac CET chewables. These chews must be given daily to be effective and are best used in combination with brushing. Look for a VOHC label of approval on any dental treats you are feeding your pet.
Although some chew toys can help clean the teeth, many can cause dental harm. Do not offer anything to your pets that cannot be indented with your thumb nail – anything that is firmer than this may break the teeth. Chew treats like raw hides and greenies are not appropriate for an aggressive chewer who breaks off large chunks and swallows them.
Diet
When animals chew hard kibble it helps to brush plaque off of the teeth. For animals who tend to inhale their food, rather than chew, we recommend slowing them down with a puzzle or play feeder. You may also consider a diet with larger kibbles that force pets to chew such as Hill’s Healthy Advantage Oral+ (for dogs) or Hill’s t/d (for cats or dogs). Check our online store to find this diet options.
Healthy Mouth Water Additive
This is a liquid you mix with your dog’s or cats’s drinking water to make an oral rinse. It has been shown to decrease bacterial populations in the mouth and reduce tartar accumulation.