It's All About Teeth!

I know everyone wants their pet to have healthy teeth.

Small breed dogs are particularly prone to dental troubles.

  According to the American Veterinary Medical Association approximately 75% of pets over the age of three will experience signs of periodontal disease.

Open Wide!

Greenies has a dental awareness campaign known as "Flip the Lip".

They have detailed instructions  on evaluating your dog's or cat's dental health.  I will list the steps here, there is a lot more detail on the Greenies FaceBook page in the Flip the Lip section.

1. Choose the right time.
2. Conduct a facial exam.
3. Inspect the mouth.
4. Reward your dog.   (My favorite part!)
5. Follow up on your concerns.
6. Remember daily dental care.  (It helps if you can find a toothpaste flavor your dog likes)

This topic is very pertinent to my family this month.  Earlier this month, Baron and I saw my vet for a checkup.  Baron is 5 years old, I will be 5 years old in March.  My teeth are great!  I must be in the other 25%.  Thank you Greenies!

My best buddy Baron, on the other hand, needed a cleaning.  He must be part of the 75%.  He had about 2 mm of tartar on his molars.  On a large dog 2 mm doesn't seem like much, but on a small dog, that is almost half the tooth.

I learned that Maltese are probably the number one breed known for having dental trouble.  They have sensitive gums.  I suppose that is why Baron only eats cookies after you break them into pieces for him.  I will happily munch away on a Great Dane sized cookie if I am allowed to.  BOL!

I am munching on a Nutro Tartar Control biscuit.

Well, Baron had his teeth cleaned yesterday.  More bad news, 2 molars were loose.  The vet removed the loose molars during his dental cleaning.   Now my mom is telling his mom she really needs to brush his teeth.  What a hypocrite!  She doesn't brush my teeth!  Okay, I don't let her brush my teeth. BOL!    This year I did get my teeth brushed by a groomer a couple of times.  What my mom does do is give me a Greenie dental chew treat at night, and she fills the grooves with doggy toothpaste.    Baron's mom also gives him dental chews (not always Greenies), without toothpaste on them.  I suspect, because of his breed, that Baron needs extra help maintaining his teeth.  Another point in my favor is I chew bully sticks a lot more than Baron does, and no one breaks my cookies into pieces for me.   Sometimes I get a Nutro Tartar Control biscuit instead of a regular cookie.

Pomeranians are prone to dental disease like most small breeds (under 20 pounds).  One reason small breeds are more prone to dental disease is frequently the teeth are crowded or misaligned.  Considering that I have an under bite, either I am very lucky, or the combination of Greenies with toothpaste, bully sticks, crunchy cookies, and Nutro food are responsible for my healthy smile.  

How do you maintain your healthy smile?   How old were you when you had your first dental cleaning?

Disclaimer: "This post was written by a Nutro Knowledge Network member and sponsored by the Nutro Company."