If you have a new puppy, it is essential that you stay on top of your new puppy's dental health. Below is an overview of the top four reasons why you need to make sure that you take your new puppy in for a dental exam at your vets at least once a year.
#1 Clean Up Plaque & Tartar
Through the day, plaque and tartar build up on your dog's teeth just like they build up on your teeth throughout the day. Ideally, you should start brushing your dog's teeth on a daily basis when your dog is a puppy and provide them with dog treats that are specifically designed to fight against plaque and tartar build-up.
When you take your puppy to the vet for a dental exam, your vet will remove any additional plaque and tartar that has built up on your puppy's teeth and will remove it from hard to reach places, like in between your puppy's teeth and below their gum line.
This is especially important if you don't brush your dog's teeth; they will really need to see the vet to ensure their dental health if you are not taking this step at home.
#2 Get Rid Of Bad Breath
If you don't clean your dog's teeth or take them in for regular dental cleanings from their vet, your dog is going to have breath that smells unbearably bad. Dogs develop bad breath because they have bacteria growing in their mouth and compromising their dental health. If you don't want your puppy to turn into another dog with bad breath that people turn away from when your dog gets close to them, you need to make sure that they get regular dental care.
If you brush your dog's teeth, provide them with plaque and tartar fighting treats and toys, and take your dog to get regular dental cleanings, your dog should not develop bad breath.
#3 Fight Against Disease
Dogs can develop serious dental health problems you fail to take care of their teeth. Their teeth can develop cavities and can rot out just like human teeth can if their teeth are not taken care of properly. Dogs can also develop other dental health issues, such as gingivitis, gum disease, periodontal disease as well as abscesses when their dental health is ignored. Poor dental health can affect the rest of their body as well; when your dog has poor dental hygiene, bacteria from their mouth can enter their blood stream and ultimate affect and damage their heart, liver, and kidney.
You can prevent all of these complications by making your dog's dental health a priority.
#4 Keep Your Dog's Smile Looking Good
Finally, taking care of your dog's teeth will help ensure that your dog has a great looking smile. When you don't take care of your dog's teeth, your dog can end up with teeth that don't look that great. When you see a dog with teeth that have a brown or yellow tint to them or with off-colored gums, it is because their owner has not taken care of their dental health.
Part of being a responsible and effective dog owner involves taking care of your new puppy's dental health; make sure that you learn how to brush your puppy's teeth and provide them with treats and toys that will keep their teeth in good shape, and finally be sure to take your puppy in for regular canine check-ups. Doing these things will help ensure that your puppy stays healthy.
Share27 October 2016
After our youngest daughter was in high school, I realized that I liked having people around to take care of and that my window for doing that was closing quickly. Instead of having more children, I decided to see about adopting a pet or two. I looked everywhere for a dog and a cat that would meld well with my lifestyle, and it was incredible to find a pet that I really connected with. However, I was able to find pets that I absolutely adored, and so I made them a part of our home. This blog is here to help new pet owners to adjust to their new situation and to learn to love everything about having new pets.