Dental care for dogs with Dentastix

I’ve written before about my dogs, in particular Yoda and when he first arrived last year, how to introduce a puppy to kids. I think I always said I’d have 5 kids and I really do, it just so happens that 2 of them are furry! Yoda is my main man, my furry squeeze and my little wrinkle peiby, whereas Barbie (yup, the Chihuahua is called Barbie, though we call her Bibi most of the time) has seen me through a turbulent college life, 2 marriages, 1 divorce, 3 kids and a whole lot of LIFE. Bibs is my 13 year old girlie and has become a permenant part of the frame work, from having her own puppies and treating my kids like they are hers, to loving me unconditionally and always being there for a cuddle.

There is one way in which I have failed this beautiful dog without a doubt, and that is her teeth. Admittedly at 13, and being a Chihuahua, she was likely to get some kind of plaque on her teeth, but they are completely horrible and there really isn’t anything I can do at this point because she is so old. We could look at putting her under general anethestic but at her age it isn’t a great idea and it’s incredibly costly – it’s one of the reasons I’ve been really determined to maker sure that Yoda doesn’t suffer the same fate and end up with bad teeth as she ages.

In order to do that I’ve been brushing his teeth and brushing up (get it?) on my dog dental care  since he arrived with an enthusiasm that I usually only exhibit in the Chinese takeout. One of the things that I discovered was that common in Shar pei’s is dental issues, however to insure Yoda I was looking at a rather hefty fee of £90+ a month because of the historical issues that Shar pei’s face. Thing is though, doggy dental care is pretty much the same as human private dental care – expensive when it’s urgent or goes wrong, and it’s estimated 85 percent of dogs over age 4 are suffering from some form of periodontal disease, a painful oral condition that can lead to tooth loss and infection. 1 in 4!

But what else can you do to make sure that your pooch looks less Gollum and more Lassie?

• Regular brushing – daily, just like our knashers.
• Dogs clean their teeth naturally by chewing – so let em chew, but on the right things. Dentastix are fab (and Yoda has been trying them out in order to offer our finest of approval ratings)
• Other doggie chews include knuckle bones (anyone for a bork?) and rawhide…

• Pads or wipes – canine dental pads, or even a piece of cotton wool to clean the gums can help to keep the gingivitis at bay!
• Visit the doggie dentist. No I’m not having a laugh, doggie dentists are basically just vets, but this checking of the teeth should be included in your annual health check service which most, if not all, good vets offer.

What do you have to add? Yoda has certainly taken well to keeping up with dental hygiene and as you can see from the pictures he’s a pedigree fan for sure! You can find more on his Instagram.

H x

This post is a collaboration with Pedigree, but all thoughts are my own. For additional dental care information you can read the following Pedigree Reviews article for tips and advice.