Westbury Animal Hospital
713.723.3666 · 4917 S. Willow Dr. Houston, Texas 77035 

Annie's Shenanigans

February is Dental Month!

Friday, February 08, 2013

I attempted to pose for a demo video being filmed for clients on how to brush their dog’s teeth…so maybe I was not the best candidate for the demo seeing as how all I wanted to do was chew on the toothbrush, but I am getting better! And my teeth are still pearly white!

Dog’s need to have their teeth brushed daily too! Can you imagine going your whole life and not brushing your teeth? The amount of gross things that build up and the diseased gums and tooth roots that follow poor dental hygiene is preposterous!  Some dogs build up dental calculus faster than others depending on their breed, genetics, and diet.

Some key facts to remember with dental hygiene in animals:

  1. Only use pet toothpaste not human toothpaste. You don’t want your pet getting fluoride toxicity from swallowing the toothpaste. They don’t know how to spit!
  2. Brushing daily or even once a week will extend the amount of time between routine dental cleanings with their veterinarian.
  3. Start teaching your pets while they are young to tolerate a tooth brush
  4. Old dogs can learn how to brush too!
  5. Stating that your pet chews on rawhides does not preclude a thorough brushing. If you chewed on sticks, you would still get dental tartar accumulation. Allowing pets to chew on hard chew toys or bones causes fractured teeth. No bones should be given to dogs if you cannot push a nail through with just your hand.
  6. Cat’s get dental disease as well. While brushing is encouraged, it may be more difficult. Routine dental cleanings are probably more important for this reason. 

You are logged in as: