Good oral hygiene for
dogs is best achieved by implementing a multi-directional approach. This type of approach ensures that you are protecting your dog’s teeth, gums,
ligaments and jaw - directly and indirectly.
- When we protect directly we ensure that the dog’s teeth are kept as clean as possible;
- When we protect indirectly we are ensuring that the dog’s natural system of protection -his/her immune system is optimally supported.
There are many
preventative and ongoing maintenance measures that you can choose from to
establish and maintain your dog’s oral health. Some of the measures are obvious
- some may surprise you.
There are other
issues to consider as well. For instance…If you do brush your dog’s teeth do
you know how to choose truly good dog toothpaste or do you just think you know? Are you feeding your dog
food or treats that contain ingredients that are bad for your dog’s teeth? Do
you know which ingredients are bad?
First, let’s take a
quick look at the list the ways that you can ensure your dog’s good oral
hygiene. Then we can go over each one in detail…
At a glance…
- No food or treats that contain sweeteners;
- Boost your dog’s immune system;
- Brush your dog’s teeth or use an oral rinse, but make sure the product you are using is truly safe and beneficial;
- Give your dog safe, teeth-cleaning items to chew.
- Step one - know what items are available and understanding the products benefits;
- Step two - inform yourself about how to choose a good product;
- Step three - make an informed decision and purchase the product that is most suitable.
Now, let’s look at each oral health measure in a little detail…
Do Not Feed Your Dog any Food or Treats that Contains
Sweeteners
If a product is
really wholesome why does it require sweeteners to be appealing to your dog? Sweeteners are not required in your dog’s diet! In fact
they are not good for your dog. They are added to many pet foods (kibble,
treats) to make the food more attractive - think about it, some of these
products have a lot of fillers - no taste…so the sweeteners give the food some
taste. If the product you are going to buy has any of the following ingredients
in it, you know what to do - re-shelve it!
- Cane molasses;
- Corn syrup;
- Fructose;
- Sorbitol;
- Sugar;
- Di-alpha tocopherol acetate.
Remember daily intake
of sweeteners is just as bad for dogs as it is for humans. Not only does sugar
cause tooth decay, sugar also suppresses the immune system - making it easier
for cancer to take hold. Sweeteners also cause allergies, arthritis, cataracts,
hypoglycaemia, heart ailments, nervous energy, obesity and so on. The more your
dog’s health is compromised the harder it is for your dog’s body to fight against
gum disease and other diseases.
Boost Your Dog’s Immune System
Making sure that your dog’s diet supports his/her immune system really does assist your dog’s body to fend-off periodontal disease. A healthy immune system also fights off parasites, illnesses and other diseases.
Step One
Don’t assume…just
because a product is labelled ‘immune boosting’ that it actually
is! Legislation controlling the labeling of pet food is not stringent -
manufacturers can say ‘all natural’, ‘immune boosting’ etc. when in-fact the
product is anything but all natural or healthy! So step one in boosting your
dog’s immune system - add real fresh foods to your dog's diet. Highly processed dry food contributes to and creates oral health issues. Quality raw food supports oral health.
Expand your dog’s
daily diet to include a canine specific supplement or by adding whole fresh
foods that are high in bone and teeth healthy minerals and vitamins…calcium,
iron and phosphorus, vitamin C and B complex. Supplementing your dog’s daily
diet with fresh, whole foods (including some dairy, fruit and vegetables) that
are good for your not only supports good oral health but also boosts your dog’s
immune system. If you are thinking that
feeding your dog fruits and veggies will cause diarrhea you should read this article.
If you would like to
know about specific fresh whole foods you can feed your dog to support their
oral health you can read this article.
As an added bonus,
fresh crunchy food such as whole carrots, parsnips and sliced pieces of apple
(no seeds as the seeds are poisonous to dogs) help scrub your
dog’s teeth clean.
Brush Your Dog’s Teeth or use an Oral Rinse
Commercially Made
Products
You can brush your
dog’s teeth on a daily basis, or at least several times a week; and or use an
oral rinse on your dog’s mouth. If you have one or several dogs this is a
practical measure to take…if you have ten dogs like I do brushing teeth may not
be a practical option for you.
You can use a
toothbrush or a finger brush or even gauze. The best way to introduce your dog
to having their gums and teeth touched is to gently rub the length of your
index finger along your dog’s teeth and gums. This is nice for teething puppies
as it helps to ease the itchiness of incoming teeth. Once your dog is
accustomed to the sensation of having their gums and teeth touched you can
start to use a finger brush and then if you like a toothbrush.
If you tend to have a tough time grooming your dog the techniques described in this article are also applicable to brushing your dog’s teeth.
If you tend to have a tough time grooming your dog the techniques described in this article are also applicable to brushing your dog’s teeth.
Once again it is very
important to inform yourself so before you choose specific products to purchase
make sure you know what ingredients to avoid. Remember, if the preventative you
are using is full of additives and toxins - you are inadvertently creating
another health hazard. The drastic increase in cancer found in dogs is a direct
result of all of the carcinogenic additives and toxins in a dog’s daily
environment - including food ingested and topical treatments used on the dog.
Many oral care products manufactured and sold in pet stores or on-line are not safe for your dog despite what the label may say. Remember that pet care products are not subject to stringent guidelines for health and safety.To protect your dog's health you really need to know what ingredients to avoid.
You can also scale
your dog’s teeth using a scaler - but you must be very careful not to damage
the tooth enamel or gums (cause scratches, chips, abrasions, cuts, etc.). I
have been scaling my dogs’ teeth for many years, but if you do not scale
properly you can cause more damage! This is something that may be best left to
professionals.
If you are interested
in learning about natural, herbal and homeopathic approach including how to
make your own products (toothpastes, oral rinses, treating bleeding of the
gums, killing bacteria, etc.) for your dog’s oral health you can read this article.
You will learn about
the use of …
Baking Soda;
Cinnamon;
Calendula;
Cinnamon;
Calendula;
Echinacea;
Fragaria Vesca (strawberry);
Goldenseal;
Goldenseal;
Kefir;
Manuka Honey;
Myrrh;
Oregon Grape;
Vitamin C
Vitamin C
Foods and herbs that fight oral bacteria and reduce
plaque.
Give Your Dog Safe Teeth-Cleaning Items to Chew
- Provides enjoyment;
- Exercises teeth gums and jaw;
- Helps remove plaque;
- Satisfies a dog’s natural need to chew;
- Provides an outlet to expend energy;
- Helps prevent boredom;
- And for puppies, helps sooth itchy gums during teething.
There are many
different types of chews that you can select. You can purchase the
following items at most pet stores and on-line.
- Raw Meaty Bones i.e:
- Poultry - feet, necks, wings.
So before you decide
what type of chew you want to provide for your dog make 100% sure you really
know the pros and cons of each product are and what makes an individual
manufacturer’s product good, bad or dangerous for your dog. As with all
products manufactured and sold for consumption by dogs there are many dental chew products that contain allergens, toxins and carcinogens.
Holistic Support
Holistic Wellness Services and Holistic Behaviorist Services
Holistic Wellness and Behaviorist Services
Do you need holistic advice to support your companion animal's health and well being? Become a client. Book your consultation. My professional holistic nutrition, wellness and behavioral services are available to you:
🌿 Holistic Wellness Services for Dogs and Cats 🐕 🐈
🌿 Holistic Behaviorist Services for Dogs 🐕
My Holistic Client Services are Available Worldwide:
🇺🇸 USA
🇨🇦 Canada
🇬🇧 UK and other European countires
🇦🇺 Australia and other Oceania countires
🇭🇰 Hong Kong and other Asian countries
🇨🇷 Costa Rica and other Central American countries
🇪🇺 European countries
🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago and other South America countries
🇿🇦 South Africa and other African countries
🇸🇪 Sweden and other european countries
🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates
Available Holistic Consultations and Sessions:
📱 FaceTime
📱 Facebook video or voice calling
💻 Skype
📞 Phone
📧 Email
🚶🏻♀️ In-Person
Menu of Holistic Wellness Services for Dogs and Cats 🐕🐈
For more information go here.
✅ Maintain Health, and;
✅ Address Health Issues and Conditions:
✓ Treatment and Remedy
✓ Pre-Surgery holistic support protocols
✓ Post-Surgery holistic healing protocols
✓ Pre-Vaccine holistic support protocols
✓ Post-Vaccine holistic support protocols
✓ Natural Insect and Parasite Prevention
✓ Natural Treatment for Insect, Parasite Infestation, Co-Infection, Disease
✅ Custom Designed Whole Food Diets - raw or gently cooked, and;
✅ Advice and Recommendation:
✓ Premade Diets - raw, dehydrated, freeze dried
✓ Supplemental Fresh Foods - raw, gently cooked
✓ Super foods
✓ Treats - raw, dehydrated, freeze dried, gently cooked
✓ Herbs
✓ Alternative Medicines
Menu of Holistic Behaviorist Services for Dogs 🐕
For more information go here.
In-person Sessions - available locally
Voice and Video Sessions - available worldwide
✓ Obedience Training
✓ Behavior Modification
✓ Psychological Rehabilitation
Affiliations to Companies
✓ None.
✓ I don't sell food or supplements.
✓ I'm not aligned with any companies.
✓ I choose to maintain my objectivity in selecting best-solutions for my individual client's needs.
Article and graphics by Karen Rosenfeld
Related Articles
No comments:
Post a Comment
Important Note
1.0 Use of Foods, Herbs, Alternative Medicines:
Safe use of items and protocols in the article above, is your sole responsibility.
Foods, herbs and alternative medicines have health issue, condition and conventional drug interactions. Safe use of all substances and protocol are your responsibility.
Before you use any substance or protocol do your research. Check for cautions, contradictions, interactions and side effects. Do not use substances or protocols not suitable to your animal's individual circumstances.
If your animal has an underlying condition substances and protocols may conflict.
2.0 Definition of Holistic…
Food, herbs, alternative medicines are NOT ‘holistic’ they are a substance and MAY, or may NOT be ‘NATURAL’.
If you use a ‘natural’ substance (ie. an herb) you are using a natural substance, not a holistic substance.
Holistic is not defined by use of one or several substances. Holistic is an approach.
Definition of “holistic” from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press
Adjective
"relating to the whole of something or to the total system instead of just to its parts"
"Holistic medicine attempts to treat the whole person, including mind and body, not just the injury or disease."
Holistic is a way of approaching life, and within that health, and well-being.
3.0 Expectation a natural substance remedies a health or behavioral situation.
A natural substance used to treat symptoms. But, if factors causing the underlying issue remain you do not have a remedy.
Remedy requires a comprehensive approach. It is necessary to identify root cause. Remove items that trigger, cause or otherwise contribute to issues. Holistic approach includes design, implementation to treat, remedy and maintain long-term health.
4.0 Leave a Comment
I review all comments and publish those deemed appropriate for this site.
I answer questions deemed appropriate when I have time to do so.
Wishing your dog and cat the best of health!
Karen Rosenfeld
Ottawa Valley Dog Whisperer
Holistic Behaviorist - Dogs
Holistic Diet Nutrition Wellness Adviser – Dogs and Cats
karen@ottawavalleydogwhisperer.ca
1-613-622-1139
1-613-293-3707
00-1-613-622-1139
00-1-613-293-3707