One of the most important things you can do for your pet’s short term comfort and long term life expectancy is to give them proper dental care. In this article you’ll learn the basics of why dental care is important. We will also teach you easy tips to keep your pet’s teeth healthy. And we will reveal an exciting promotion we are only running for February, which is National Pet Dental Health Month!

Why it’s important

As your dog or cat eats, plaque accumulates on their teeth. If the plaque isn’t soon removed, it hardens and turns into tartar. The accumulation of tartar promotes the growth of unhealthy bacteria, which erodes the supporting structures around your pet’s tooth. This is very painful for your pet, and can cause tooth decay and loss. Worst of all, the unhealthy bacteria can spread into your pet’s bloodstream and make its way into your pet’s vital organs. Alarmingly, this can cause heart, kidney and liver disease, which are very dangerous health conditions.

Home Care

Daily brushing keeps plaque from hardening into tartar. In this section, we’ll teach you how to turn this into an easy, fun and fast routine for your dog or cat!

Important Tip: NEVER use toothpaste designed for humans. It can be extremely toxic to dogs and cats. Always use toothpaste designed specifically for pets. You should also use toothbrushes designed for your dog or cat too.

Dogs

Step 1: In order to make this process easy, you want to positively condition your dog to enjoy getting their teeth brushed. Find a flavor of dog-specific toothpaste that your dog likes. Give it to them periodically as a treat for 3-4 days, offering a lot of praise when you do.

Step 2: Find a dog-specific toothbrush suitable for your dog’s mouth size. Put some toothpaste on the brush and allow your dog to lick the brush. This lets your dog get used to the bristles.

Step 3: Brushing time! Gently hold back your dog’s lips and place the brush at a 45-degree angle to the gum line. You only need to brush the outside of your dog’s teeth. Move the brush gently back and forth a few times for each tooth. Brush only a few teeth the first time, and gradually lengthen your sessions until you brush the outside of each tooth! And remember to give your dog a lot of praise when you are done!

Cats

Step 1: The first step is to get your cat used to putting something in their mouth. Dip your finger in your cat’s favorite liquid treat (like tuna water). Call your cat with your “who wants a treat” voice, and allow them to lick it off your finger. Then gently rub your soaked finger over your cat’s teeth and gums. Do this once a day for a few days.

Step 2: Find some toothpaste that your cat enjoys – many feline toothpastes are poultry or fish flavored. Present the toothpaste as you would a treat to your cat, and let your cat lick some off your finger. Then gently rub the toothpaste over your cat’s teeth and gums. Remember to be encouraging and positive throughout your efforts. Do this once a day for a few days.

Step 3: Brushing time! Use a cat toothbrush or a dental sponge and put a drop of toothpaste on it. Gently lift your cat’s lips and brush back and forth on the outside of your cat’s upper canine teeth (the large ones in front). After you do this for a couple days, you can brush the outside of all the rest of your cat’s teeth.

Veterinary Care

Your dog or cat needs to have a dental exam at least once a year to monitor for any oral health issues. If your dog hasn’t had a dental exam with us in this last year, please call us right away. Dental exams are important in preventing your dog or cat from forming periodontal disease, which causes the erosion of your pet’s tooth structures and the spread of bacteria to your pet’s vital organs.

Important tip: Please call us right away if you notice that your pet has bad breath, red or inflamed gums, excessive drooling, pawing at the mouth, or bleeding from the gums.

If your dog or cat has inflamed gums along with a buildup of tartar on their teeth, it is very important to schedule a professional dental cleaning in order to reverse the damage. Your pet will be very carefully anesthetized in order to remove any stress from the procedure. Then we will meticulously scale and polish your pet’s teeth in order to remove all tartar from your pet’s mouth – including below the gum line (where periodontal disease typically lurks).

Promotion

In order to raise awareness about the importance of oral health for pets, we are offering you an exclusive promotion!

Only during the month of February, we will be providing dental cleanings for $150 off! Please click “redeem” below or call our team in order to claim your special discount!

Redeem