>>How To Brush Your Pets Teeth

How To Brush Your Pets Teeth

To introduce dog or cat to the idea of dental care, start slowly and gradually. The training process may take several days or even weeks. To be effective you should brush your pet’s teeth every day.

  1. Dip a finger into beef bouillon (for dogs) or tuna water (for cats) and gently rub along your
    pet’s gums and teeth. Make the initial sessions short and positive*.
  2. Once your pet is okay with a little bit of touching, gradually introduce gauze over your
    finger (dipped into the beef or tuna flavor) and rub the teeth and gums in a circular fashion.
  3. When your pet can handle the gauze, try brushing with a toothbrush specially designed for
    pets or a very soft, ultra-sensitive toothbrush designed for people or kids. The bristles should be held
    at a 45-degree angle away from the gum line, and be moved back and forth motion. Focusing on the gum line, start at the front of the mouth, then move to the back upper and lower teeth and
    gum areas.

* The most important area to focus on is the gum line (the crevice where the gums meet the teeth), where bacteria and food mix to form plaque.

  1. Gradually add special dog/cat toothpaste (flavored with meat or fish), but never use human
    toothpaste or baking soda, as both will upset your pet’s stomach. Let your pet just lick the
    toothpaste off the bristles of the brush at first to get used to the taste.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbi2Fsj95Ik&w=420&h=315]

The entire process should only take a minute or two. If your dog or cat continues to resist, try gently wrapping him in a large bath towel with only his head sticking out. Above all, avoid overstraining and keep sessions short and positive. With plenty of praise and reassurance, your dental sessions can bring the two of you closer—a closeness that won’t be marred by the perils of dog breath. Home care can be improved by feeding your pet an unmoistened dry pet food and offering him hard biscuits after each meal. Both dry food and hard biscuits produce abrasion to help keep plaque to a minimum on the crown of each tooth.

Regularly examine your pet’s teeth for signs of periodontal disease, such as brownish colored teeth; swollen, red, or bleeding gums; persistent bad breath; loose teeth or loss of teeth; pus between the gums and teeth; broken teeth and any unusual growth in the mouth. Reluctance to eat, play with chew toys, or drink cold water, dropping food from the mouth, abnormal drooling, or swallowing food whole are warning signs of periodontal or gum disease. Consult us if you notice any of these signs in your pet .We can help to have your pet live a long and pain-free life!

2015-06-24T16:20:27+00:00June 24th, 2015|Uncategorized|0 Comments