How to Keep Your Pet’s Teeth Healthy: Tips from Westway Animal Clinic

As pet parents, we all want our furry friends to stay healthy and happy. One crucial yet often overlooked aspect of pet care is dental health. At Westway Animal Clinic, we emphasize the importance of removing or reducing plaque at home to maintain your pet’s overall well-being. Let’s explore how you can keep your pet’s teeth in top shape with a sprinkle of fun!

 

The Importance of Toothbrushing

The Impact of Frequency

You might wonder, “How often should I brush my pet’s teeth?” While brushing daily is ideal, brushing once a week has been shown to have no significant benefits. The key to effective plaque removal and gum health maintenance lies in regularity and thoroughness.

 

Requirements for Effective Brushing

To ensure toothbrushing is beneficial for your pet, three requirements must be met:

• A Motivated Owner: Are you ready to commit to your pet’s dental health? Your dedication is crucial!   
• A Cooperative Pet: Is your pet comfortable and cooperative during the brushing process? Gradually acclimate them to make the experience positive and stress-free.
• Good Technique: Do you know how to brush properly? Use a pet-specific toothbrush and toothpaste, reaching all areas of your pet’s mouth with gentle, circular motions.

Tips for Successful Toothbrushing

Here are some tips to make toothbrushing a positive experience for both you and your pet:

• Start Slow: Introduce your pet to toothbrushing gradually. Begin by letting them sniff and taste the toothpaste. Slowly progress to brushing a few teeth at a time.

Fun Tip: Turn it into a game! Use a favourite toy or treat as a reward for each successful brushing session.

 

• Make Your Pet Comfortable: Approach your dog from the side rather than the front to make them feel more at ease. Sit small dogs or cats on your lap while brushing, and cuddling them to reduce their apprehension.

Fun Tip: Sing a silly song or talk to them in a happy voice while brushing. It can help calm them and make the experience more enjoyable.

 

•  Gradual Progression: Start with just a few teeth and gradually increase the number cleaned each time until you can clean the whole mouth in a single session.

 

• Focus on the Buccal Surfaces: The mouth does not need to be opened. Concentrate on the outer surfaces of the teeth, towards the cheeks and lips (buccal surfaces), especially at the gum margin. When your pet is comfortable with having the buccal surfaces of all their teeth brushed, you can attempt to open the mouth and brush the inner surfaces. If this is not accepted, continue with daily brushing of the buccal surfaces.

 

• Use Enzymatic Toothpaste: Utilize pet-specific enzymatic toothpaste, such as Virbac C.E.T. Enzymatic toothpaste https://ca.virbac.com/products/dental/cet-enzymatic-toothpaste-dog-cat, which helps break down plaque and reduce bacteria in your pet’s mouth. These toothpastes are safe to swallow and often come in flavours that pets enjoy.

Fun Tip: Let your pet choose their favourite flavour! Some pets love chicken or beef-flavored toothpaste.

 

• Positive Reinforcement: Offer a reward at the end of the brushing session. This helps create a positive association with toothbrushing.

Fun Tip: Have a “toothbrushing party” with treats, praise, and playtime afterward.

 

• Daily Routine: Include toothbrushing as part of your daily routine. Pets and us are routine creatures.

 

Other Measures for Dental Health

In addition to toothbrushing, there are other effective measures to help maintain your pet’s dental health:

Diets

Certain diets can help mechanically reduce plaque accumulation through dietary abrasion on some of the tooth surfaces. Examples include Hill’s T/D diet and PPVD Dental. For a full list of dental foods, chews, and other products, visit the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) https://vohc.org/.

 

Avoid Certain Foods

While it may be tempting to give your pet bones or antlers to chew on, these are not recommended. Chewing on hard objects like bones and antlers can lead to tooth fractures, causing pain and potentially requiring expensive dental surgery. A good rule of thumb is: if you can’t bend or break it, don’t give it to your pet.

Fun Tip: Instead of bones, try soft dental chews that clean teeth while being safe to chew on. They often come in fun shapes and flavours your pet will love!

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By following these guidelines and committing to a daily toothbrushing routine along with other dental health measures, you can help ensure that your pet enjoys a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums. Remember, a little effort each day can make a significant difference in your pet’s overall health and happiness.

For more tips on pet care and dental health, visit us at Westway Animal Clinic or contact us to schedule a check-up for your furry friend. Together, we can keep those tails wagging and those smiles bright!

Pet Trivia: Did you know that dogs have 42 teeth and cats have 30? That’s a lot of teeth to keep clean! Make it fun and keep those pearly whites shining!