Brushing your dog's teeth: prevent the formation of tartar

So that the dog does not have teeth lost and gums are not injured, the oral cavity is properly and regularly looked after.

Without proper care, tartar quickly forms, which can only be removed in the veterinarian by ultrasonic cleaning. This procedure is not cheap, and it is done under sedation - a light general anesthesia.

Not all animals can easily endure sleep immersion, and sedation is completely contraindicated for some allergy sufferers, so pay due attention to brushing your teeth at home.

How and how to properly brush a dog's teeth at home?

After changing milk teeth (in 4-6 months), first of all, get a special paste and brush. In no case do not use human paste: the dog runs the risk of ironing it. And this will lead to an upset gastrointestinal tract or even serious poisoning. Toothpastes for cats and dogs are edible, often have an attractive aroma, so they will not harm if they get into the stomach.

In veterinary pharmacies there are brushes of different types:

some are similar to human, but with a bent head

the second put on a finger like a thimble

triple bristles

Choose the option that is more convenient for you. It is temporarily permitted to use a human brush, but always with a soft bristle, so as not to injure sensitive gums.

Try to turn brushing your teeth into a fun activity or game. Attract attention with your favorite toys and be sure to praise the dog when it allows you to crawl into his mouth. During all manipulations, do not create loud sounds and do not make sudden movements so as not to frighten the tailed pet. Pet shops have a wide selection of toothbrushes of various kinds.

Dampen the bristles with warm water, squeeze a little paste on it, let the dog sniff it, and then carefully brush all 42 teeth. Ideally, this procedure should be repeated 2-3 times a week. This is especially important for decorative breeds. But if your four-legged friend really does not like such manipulations, carry it out at least once every 2 weeks.

Pet shops now have a wide range of toys and goodies that help cleanse teeth from plaque and prevent stone formation. Do not spare money for them.

If an unpleasant odor comes from the mouth and / or gums are bleeding, a simple plaque has probably turned into tartar. It interferes with chewing food, the teeth gradually loosen and fall out. To prevent this from happening, one cannot do without ultrasound.

Ultrasound dog brushing

For pets of decorative breeds (poodles, dwarf terriers, chihuahua, etc.), the oral cavity is a weak point. Even with regular home care about once a year in a veterinary clinic they carry out ultrasonic cleaning.

This does not hurt, but the procedure is most often carried out under mild anesthesia, as doctors say that without going into sleep it is impossible to get into hard-to-reach places where the layer of stone is the thickest. After all, the animal will spin in any case, and if it is also unpleasant for him, then there is a risk of driving the dog into stress.

If there are contraindications (any disease), then brushing your teeth with ultrasound is carried out without anesthesia. However, the effect is usually worse.

In order to manage sedation well, it is better for a pet of advanced age to do an ultrasound of the heart and a blood test (general and biochemical) the day before. For 8-10 hours, do not give food (water is possible).

Ultrasonic cleaning is carried out by a special device called a scaler (it has different degrees of power and several nozzles). It lasts from 30 to 120 minutes. After which, the doctor usually does the sanitation of the oral cavity to destroy the microbes. The pet is taken out of anesthesia in the clinic, and at home he finally leaves him for about half a day.

Take care of your four-legged friend, do not start his health, correctly and gradually accustom yourself to cleaning the house, and in case of aggression, contact a dog handler or a zoopsychologist to correct behavior. If you work correctly, the dog will quickly get used to it and will begin to consider the procedure an ordinary ritual.