The American Veterinary Dental Society recommends a professional dental cleaning every six months for
your pet, just the same as your dentist recommends for you. Still, imagine what that cleaning procedure would
be like for you if you didn’t brush your teeth at all between dental visits. Dental home care is the single most
important aspect of regular dental care. With proper home care, your pet may not need that six month
dentistry, thus saving you the expense and saving your pet the extra anesthetic procedure.
Brushing Teeth
Just as with your own teeth, nothing beats brushing. The fibers of the toothbrush are able to reach between
the teeth and under gums to pick out tiny deposits of food. A toothbrush acts as a tiny scrub brush for the
closest possible cleaning. Notice the shape of the canine and feline brushes and how they conform to a pet’s
mouth. You can use a human toothbrush but you will probably find it difficult to manipulate in the pet’s mouth.
Finger brushes are available as are smaller brushes for cats, kittens, puppies, and smaller breeds of dogs.
Never use human toothpaste on your pet. Toothpaste for people contains sudsing agents which are not
expected to be swallowed. These will upset your pet’s stomach as your pet is not able to rinse out his or her
mouth. Pet toothpastes come in a variety of flavors: mint (which people tend to prefer as a scent, but animals
do not prefer as a flavor), chicken, liver, beef, and malt (generally preferred as flavors by pets.)
At-Home Dental Care and Products
Brushing teeth is by far the most highly recommended method for dental care. This is easily accomplished if
you have a young puppy or kitten to start with, and not quite as easily accomplished with an older pet who’s
never had his/her teeth brushed. A member of our staff would be happy to demonstrate the proper methods of
brushing for you. There are a variety of toothbrushes, so finding one that best accommodates you and your
pet should be no problem. While there are many different brands of pet toothpaste, we recommend C.E.T.
Enzymatic Toothpaste which comes in a selection of different flavors, such as those listed above. Ideally, your
pet’s teeth would be brushed daily… Realistically, a minimum of three times weekly is necessary to maintain
efficiency and good oral health.
For pets that absolutely will not allow owners to touch their teeth, there are a few other methods for at home
dental care. There are a variety of dental sprays that can be sprayed directly into the mouth as an anti-plaque
wash. The spray may also be applied to the outer surfaces of the teeth with a tissue or swab. Some of these
products also come in a gel substance or a concentrate that can be added to your pet’s drinking water.
your pet, just the same as your dentist recommends for you. Still, imagine what that cleaning procedure would
be like for you if you didn’t brush your teeth at all between dental visits. Dental home care is the single most
important aspect of regular dental care. With proper home care, your pet may not need that six month
dentistry, thus saving you the expense and saving your pet the extra anesthetic procedure.
Brushing Teeth
Just as with your own teeth, nothing beats brushing. The fibers of the toothbrush are able to reach between
the teeth and under gums to pick out tiny deposits of food. A toothbrush acts as a tiny scrub brush for the
closest possible cleaning. Notice the shape of the canine and feline brushes and how they conform to a pet’s
mouth. You can use a human toothbrush but you will probably find it difficult to manipulate in the pet’s mouth.
Finger brushes are available as are smaller brushes for cats, kittens, puppies, and smaller breeds of dogs.
Never use human toothpaste on your pet. Toothpaste for people contains sudsing agents which are not
expected to be swallowed. These will upset your pet’s stomach as your pet is not able to rinse out his or her
mouth. Pet toothpastes come in a variety of flavors: mint (which people tend to prefer as a scent, but animals
do not prefer as a flavor), chicken, liver, beef, and malt (generally preferred as flavors by pets.)
At-Home Dental Care and Products
Brushing teeth is by far the most highly recommended method for dental care. This is easily accomplished if
you have a young puppy or kitten to start with, and not quite as easily accomplished with an older pet who’s
never had his/her teeth brushed. A member of our staff would be happy to demonstrate the proper methods of
brushing for you. There are a variety of toothbrushes, so finding one that best accommodates you and your
pet should be no problem. While there are many different brands of pet toothpaste, we recommend C.E.T.
Enzymatic Toothpaste which comes in a selection of different flavors, such as those listed above. Ideally, your
pet’s teeth would be brushed daily… Realistically, a minimum of three times weekly is necessary to maintain
efficiency and good oral health.
For pets that absolutely will not allow owners to touch their teeth, there are a few other methods for at home
dental care. There are a variety of dental sprays that can be sprayed directly into the mouth as an anti-plaque
wash. The spray may also be applied to the outer surfaces of the teeth with a tissue or swab. Some of these
products also come in a gel substance or a concentrate that can be added to your pet’s drinking water.
| Pets have teeth, too! |
| Canine and Feline Home Dental Care |
Treats/Chews - Dogs
There is a wide variety of different dental treats and chews for dogs. The Veterinary Oral Health Counsel
(VOHC) evaluates research to determine if products meet preset standards for controlling plaque and tartar
accumulation. Always look for the VOHC seal of Acceptance on products for dental health. The seal
indicates proven efficiency for plaque and tartar control.
Below are a few that we highly recommend:
New Greenies Dental Chews.
Recently, Greenies has come out with a new and improved texture for optimal chewing results and easier
digestibility. They come in a large selection of sizes to best accommodate your pet. Greenies have a unique,
rounded toothbrush shape, so there are no sharp edges that can cut or scrape the inside of your pets mouth.
Most dogs love the flavor!
American Made Rawhide
Research has shown that a daily rawhide chewing can be very beneficial to dental health. Choose a rawhide
that is size appropriate for your dog and always supervise your dog while they chew. Choose only American
made rawhide as rawhide manufacturers in other countries may use a chemical process in making their
rawhide that leaves residue that may include lead, arsenic, mercury, chromium salts, and formaldehyde. The
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits use of any preservatives or harmful additives in
American made rawhide.
Treats/Chews - Cats
There are a number of feline treats that support oral health care. We highly recommend Feline Greenies as a
daily treat. Cats (as particular as they can be) chose Feline Greenies three times more frequently in a taste
test against a leading cat treat.
Diet
Hill’s Prescription t/d Diet
Realizing the difficulties involved in home dental care, Hill’s Prescription Diet has created a diet designed to
help fight plaque. Because the oversize kibble, through a patented fiber matrix, provides mechanical
cleansing by maintaining contact with the tooth surface instead of crumbling, t/d does an outstanding job of
reducing the daily accumulation of plaque and the resulting buildup of tartar. It is equipped with a powerful
combination of antioxidants to reinforce natural defenses for overall health, so more than a treat, t/d is
recommended as a complete diet. Partnered with brushing, t/d could be an extremely effective way of
maintaining dental health.
While some cats may require canned food for a special diet or medical need, most cat’s dental health can
benefit greatly from eating dry cat food. Hill's Prescription t/d Diet is also available in a feline formula.
There is a wide variety of different dental treats and chews for dogs. The Veterinary Oral Health Counsel
(VOHC) evaluates research to determine if products meet preset standards for controlling plaque and tartar
accumulation. Always look for the VOHC seal of Acceptance on products for dental health. The seal
indicates proven efficiency for plaque and tartar control.
Below are a few that we highly recommend:
New Greenies Dental Chews.
Recently, Greenies has come out with a new and improved texture for optimal chewing results and easier
digestibility. They come in a large selection of sizes to best accommodate your pet. Greenies have a unique,
rounded toothbrush shape, so there are no sharp edges that can cut or scrape the inside of your pets mouth.
Most dogs love the flavor!
American Made Rawhide
Research has shown that a daily rawhide chewing can be very beneficial to dental health. Choose a rawhide
that is size appropriate for your dog and always supervise your dog while they chew. Choose only American
made rawhide as rawhide manufacturers in other countries may use a chemical process in making their
rawhide that leaves residue that may include lead, arsenic, mercury, chromium salts, and formaldehyde. The
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits use of any preservatives or harmful additives in
American made rawhide.
Treats/Chews - Cats
There are a number of feline treats that support oral health care. We highly recommend Feline Greenies as a
daily treat. Cats (as particular as they can be) chose Feline Greenies three times more frequently in a taste
test against a leading cat treat.
Diet
Hill’s Prescription t/d Diet
Realizing the difficulties involved in home dental care, Hill’s Prescription Diet has created a diet designed to
help fight plaque. Because the oversize kibble, through a patented fiber matrix, provides mechanical
cleansing by maintaining contact with the tooth surface instead of crumbling, t/d does an outstanding job of
reducing the daily accumulation of plaque and the resulting buildup of tartar. It is equipped with a powerful
combination of antioxidants to reinforce natural defenses for overall health, so more than a treat, t/d is
recommended as a complete diet. Partnered with brushing, t/d could be an extremely effective way of
maintaining dental health.
While some cats may require canned food for a special diet or medical need, most cat’s dental health can
benefit greatly from eating dry cat food. Hill's Prescription t/d Diet is also available in a feline formula.
| “85% of all adult dogs and cats have some degree of periodontal disease. Only 25% of dogs and cats get treatment.” -AHAA Compliance Study, 2003 |
Signs of Periodontal Disease:
|
Contributing Factors:
|
Southwest Washington, Northwest Oregon, veterinary, veterinarian, vet, veterinary clinic, Longview, Kelso, Vancouver, Washington, Oregon,
dogs, cats, puppies, kittens, spay, neuter, veterinary dentistry, animal dentist, pet dental care, pet health care, dog dentist, cat dentist, pet
dentist, pet oral health, pet doctor, pet orthodontics, pet oral surgery, pet care, pet vaccines, dog vaccines, cat vaccines, dog soft tissue
surgery, cat soft tissue surgery, dog blood work, cat blood work,
dogs, cats, puppies, kittens, spay, neuter, veterinary dentistry, animal dentist, pet dental care, pet health care, dog dentist, cat dentist, pet
dentist, pet oral health, pet doctor, pet orthodontics, pet oral surgery, pet care, pet vaccines, dog vaccines, cat vaccines, dog soft tissue
surgery, cat soft tissue surgery, dog blood work, cat blood work,
| Lower Columbia Veterinary Clinic |
| Lower Columbia Veterinary Clinic |
| Tammy L. White, DVM Diplomate, American Veterinary Dental College Providing: Advanced Veterinary Dental Services gum disease, root canals, oral surgery, restorations, and orthodontics Jani D. Remsburg, DVM Providing: general medicine, surgery and dentistry for cats and dogs |
| 940 14th Avenue Longview, WA 98632 (360) 636-1801 |
| Adobe Reader required |
