When it comes to my dogs health I often worry, complications can arise so quickly and often seem like out of nowhere. To avoid this we visit the vet routinely and I pay attention to my dogs closely. Jake, our lab mix boy has been with us since he was six weeks old. He is ten now and loves to be by my side at all times. I remember sleeping in the spare room with him when he was just a pup to avoid the waking others in the house. He is my best-friend, my companion and a big part of our family. We even got our younger dog to keep him company when we can not be around, and they are best-buds. It would break my heart if anything ever happened to him, so I do what I can to keep him healthy.
When it comes to dental health and my pets, I really do not know much. I know to watch for pain and bad breath, but I am clueless about anything else. Luckily this month is Dental Health Month for Pets and Jake is getting a cleaning done at the vet. Like any mamma I am a bit nervous as they put him under while they do this. However, for his age it is time to get it done. Last week he went for the pre-appt to make sure he is in good health and ready for the procedure. The vet said he is the perfect candidate and his teeth look pretty good. He said a cleaning will do him well and to start brushing his teeth at home. After the cleaning, Jake is going to be switching food and eating Royal Canin Dental, designed to provide triple action dental care. It prevents plaque and tarter while meeting specific nutrient and energy requirements of adult dogs. The vet even sent home a toothbrush for him! So I am starting to brush his teeth and can not wait to see the results. I hope it does not bother him as we never did this before and I am a bit sad we are just starting now.
Did you know you should ideally brush your cat or dog’s teeth twice per day?
According to Canadians polled in a recent study, pet dental health is lacking, see the infographic below for details.
As you can see from the infographic, I am not the only one not brushing my pets teeth. I thought their food did what was needed and honestly had no idea I should be. This is all changing now, for both of our dogs.
Your dog is an important member of your family! Providing the best nutrition plays a pivotal role in your canine companion’s health and longevity. In addition to unparalleled quality and safety standards, Royal Canin’s portfolio of canine formulations is based on the most recent research and scientific innovations in pet health nutrition. All Royal Canin dog food products deliver complete, precisely balanced nutrition, tailored to your dog’s unique individual needs.
Periodontal disease is the most common infectious disease of adult dogs. It is a progressive, cyclical inflammatory disease of the supporting structures of the teeth and is the main cause of dental disease and early tooth loss in dogs and cats. It affects over 87% of dogs and 70% of cats over three years of age. Book a visit with your veterinarian and discuss the best ways to prevent and manage periodontal disease in your pet.
I will be sharing Jake’s cleaning with you all here on another post as well as his transition to the new food, Royal Canin Dental. Follow the discussion on social media and see what others are saying #DentalPetFacts Read more about your pet’s health and Royal Canin here www.royalcanin.ca
Edited to add
Jake went to the vet for his dental cleaning. This needed to be done before we started his new food. Below are the pictures from that so we can see the change in his teeth over the course of the trial. I have noticed his breath has been better as well.
He was put under during the cleaning, so the tube you see is a part of the procedure.
The transition to the new food has been great! I can not wait for the after exam to see the results.
So tell me, have you brushed your pet’s teeth before?
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Royal Canin Dental, all opinions are my own
It’s easy to forget about our pets’ teeth. Our dog just got 2 teeth repaired because they were broken. It was causing a lot of pain. Pet dental health is so important.
I used to have a cat and I’m embarrassed to say I never brushed her teeth. I honestly never ever knew I had to (I was quite young when we got her). If I ever get a cat again I will make sure to look after her teeth!
We just got a puppy and made sure to ask the vet about proper mouth care because I didn’t remember my parents doing much for the dogs I had growing up. I want to stop the cycle and treat my dog as I would myself and that means proper hygiene.
We have Milo’s teeth checked when he goes to the vet, but I love that you are raising awareness about this. It’s SO important.
I really never did anything with my dog’s teeth. The last dog we had he actually hardly ever grew any tartar even the vet thought it was uncanny. I should look at it for my next dog though. I am sure I will not be that lucky again!
I had no clue I was supposed to be brushing his teeth. Tucker has really bad breath so I think he has a couple of rotten teeth. I need to take him to the vet and have him looked at. Thanks for this post –it really helped me to learn more about keeping his teeth clean.
This is a great post about how to take care of your dogs teeth! Thank you!
Oral health is very important for our dogs and cats. Unfortunately, it’s still something that a lot of people don’t think of.
I knew that you were suppose to brush your pets teeth. I have two cats and I’ll be honest, I haven’t brushed their teeth before. Luckily right now they have great teeth. I suppose I should really look in to getting some products to keep them clean.
It definitely is easy to forget about things like this, I love the tips. I should look in to getting some products for my pug, she’s a family favorite and we want to keep her healthy. I never knew a lot of these, thank you!
A very good reminder for all of us pet owners! Your dog Jake is very handsome. I can see why he stole your heart. 🙂
I have two cats. I have never brushed their teeth, but I definitely need to look into it.
I had a friend that didn’t seem to care about his dog’s teeth and that poor dog had rotting teeth and terrible breath. This is important into to get out there to the masses!
My Sister was just talking about her little dogs teeth the other day. She has been trying to buy treats that brush. I will have to ask her if she has tried to brush them before.
Dental health is so important in animals!! These are great ways to help your pet keep their mouth healthy!