Grapes, Nuts, and Your
Dogs Health -- Foods that Fido should Avoid
by: Carolyn Schweitzer
Your dogs health is important to you. You show her how important
by keeping her well fed and groomed, making sure she gets plenty
of exercise and providing a collection of fun, safe toys for her
entertainment. You don't skimp on the quality of his food. And
to reward good boys and girls, there are always lots of delicious
treats in the cupboard. But if he has bad breath, you could be
overlooking a serious problem with your dogs health. "Dog
Breath" is such a common condition that we make jokes about
it. Sometimes we even tease our human "friends" using
"dog breath" in play-ground style name-calling (although
hopefully this is limited to teenage boys.) And I know many pet
owners who comment that they love their dog or cat like a child,
but just can't stand the smell of the animal's breath! Well, guess
what? "Dog Breath" isn't normal.
It's estimated that 80 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats
over the age of three suffer from the periodontal disease —
a serious deterioration of the gums and supporting bones of the
teeth. Yes, it's periodontal disease that's responsible for "dog
breath". But the problem doesn't confine itself to your furry
baby's mouth. It's an infection, and the tiny creatures responsible
for it can break loose and enter the bloodstream. Once they do,
they can infect vital organs such as the liver and kidneys, endangering
your dogs health by causing a far more serious illness.
The best way to insure your dogs health, especially where periodontal
disease is concerned, is with prevention. It can make all the
difference. Periodontal disease begins as gingivitis, which is
virtually harmless and completely treatable. If allowed to move
to the next stage--Periodontitis-- it can be stopped, but not
cured. And the worse it gets, the faster it progresses. This applies
to all animals, two legged and four legged alike. Think of a car
parked at the top of a hill. The emergency break is released,
and the car begins to roll downhill. Now, if you hit the breaks
right away, no harm done. But the farther the car rolls the faster
it goes, and the more momentum it builds. It gets harder and harder
to stop it. By the time it's halfway down the hill, you could
be headed for disaster!
You can maintain your dogs health nicely with proper home care.
But, like the rolling car, if disease is already present, stopping
and controlling it is a bigger job. Prevention involves, above
all, regular veterinary checkups and professional cleanings beginning
early in your dog or cat's life. I'll show you how you can help
maintain oral health at home, but it's impossible to do a thorough
cleaning on an animal that’s awake. Trust me on this. It's
hard enough to do a thorough job with a cooperative human patient.
When we're talking about animals who don't understand what we're
doing or why, forget about it.
Most veterinarians recommend annual cleanings, but more frequent
or involved treatment may be needed depending on your animal's
condition. Please, no matter what you're doing at home, follow
the vet's recommendations. As for your part, introduce your dog
or cat to the idea of having his teeth brushed as early as possible.
I know, it's not easy, and it takes time and daily conditioning
to get your little guy or gal used to it. But your dogs health
is worth it!
So how do you prevent the most common of threats to your
dogs health? Brush her teeth, of course! Every day, just like
you would your own (twice a day for you, and floss too!!). This
isn't easy, but it can become an expected part of your dog's routine
if you do it right. Here are some suggestions:
1. Start when your dog is a puppy. The earlier the better.
2. At first, you just want her to get used to you handling her
head and looking inside her mouth. Practice lifting up her lips
and looking at her teeth and gums--front, back and both sides
of her mouth.
3. Now begin gently touching the gum tissue with your finger and
rub along her gums and teeth as if your finger were a toothbrush.
Let her get used to the sensation. This is exactly the way you
would introduce a human baby to brushing, beginning with just
her gums. Even before there are teeth, there are harmful bacteria.
So don't worry about a tiny puppy who doesn't have a full set
of teeth yet--rub her gums, swab out her little mouth with your
finger, and get her used the this kind of contact from her owner.
4. Your next step is to wrap gauze or a soft washcloth around
your finger and rub the gums on both the outer and inner surfaces
of the teeth.
5. Finally, introduce a tooth brush in one small area. As your
dog gets used to the brush, you will be able to use it in place
of the gauze or washcloth. Remember to brush the inside surfaces!
A little brushing a day, beginning with the first step and working
your way up gradually, will eventually lead to a one to two minute
session. Your dog will learn that it doesn't hurt and that she
gets a couple of minutes of your undivided attention every day.
It generally takes 8 to 16 weeks to get there, but in the end
your dog will accept brushing as part of her daily routine. If
a little brushing is done every day at a set time, eventually
your pet gets used to it, and some will even look forward to it.
It will take most pet owners from 8-16 weeks until the pet accepts
it readily. Now the pet realizes it doesn't hurt and that it will
get 1-2 minutes of your undivided attention. Your pet enjoys your
attention, and will eventually wait patiently for you to brush
his teeth.
There's a toothbrush with three heads that will allow you to brush
all three surface of the tooth at one time, which makes life a
lot easier for both of you! It also has nice, soft bristles so
you won't harm your pet's delicate gum tissue. There are also
products that can be rubbed on the gums and added to the drinking
water to help reduce bacteria in an animal's mouth and promote
the dogs health and healing. Bad breath is actually a by-product
of the bacteria that populate the mouth. They break down proteins
and carbohydrates from your dog or cat's diet, and produce something
called "volatile sulfur compounds", or VSC's. It's the
sulfur that makes the breath smell extra special!
Certain dental products have an agent that neutralizes the VSC's.
Many owners have commented that their cat or dog seems to like
the drinking water better when these products are added--even
though they have no flavor! And there's a gel available that,
although formulated for the gums, can be very soothing for skin
conditions, cuts, and surgical wounds thanks to the Aloe Vera
it contains. The best oral care products work without the use
of fragrances and flavors, which entice human consumers, but don't
benefit your cat or dogs health in any way! I was a practicing
dentist for over 20 years, and I saw a lot of human patients who
had terrible breath (and periodontal disease) and weren't even
aware of it. People don't like to tell each other about bad breath.
Even the dentist has to be delicate with this piece of bad news.
At least when dealing with a pet, you don't have to worry about
social embarrassment in order to address your dogs health problem!
Don't be shy, get in there and do something about it. Not only
can your dog get rid of her breath odor, but she could even live
2 to 5 years longer as a result. And you'll be able to get close
again, without holding your breath.
About The Author
Carolyn Schweitzer, a former family dentist, is owner and editor
of several websites, including http://www.Great-Dog-Gift.com.
Visit http://www.great-dog-gift.com/foodarticle to view the full
illustrated article with links to resource articles from the ASPCA
such as "How to Poison Proof your Home".
Sign up for the "Cold Noses News" at http://www.great-dog-gift.com/noses
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