Receiving a nice lick from your dog always makes you happy, except when he comes close to you and his bad breath almost makes you faint! This is, to some extent, also our fault, because it means we are not paying enough attention to his oral hygiene. Our groomer, Luca, owner of the Centro Laval Dog in Vicenza, gives us some tips on how to clean our dog’s teeth and thus get rid of his halitosis.
What is the cause of bad breath?
The main cause of our furry friend’s bad breath is tartar, or the hardening of the bacterial layer that forms on the teeth. Tartar can form as a result of a bad diet (rich in soft food and not much dry food), but it may also be due to a genetic predisposition. We need to keep in mind that the more bacteria live in your dog’s mouth, the easier it is for inflammation to occur, with the risk of permanent tooth loss.
Remedies for halitosis: cleaning your dog’s teeth
In order to eliminate or prevent bad breath, we need to learn to clean our dog’s teeth. Special toothbrushes are available on the market, like those sold by Ferplast, with soft bristles and a long handle, making it possible to reach the areas of the mouth that would otherwise be hard to get to. You will also need toothpaste for dogs to make the brushing moment a tasty one. The ideal thing to do is to clean your pet’s teeth every day, but if you do not have enough time, then clean them a couple of times a week.
How to clean your dog’s teeth
Put some toothpaste on your finger and approach your dog cautiously. Rub a little on his teeth in order to get him used to the movement. Then show him the toothbrush and let him smell it. Lastly, if all goes smoothly, you can put a small amount of toothpaste on the toothbrush and start to brush, first on the outer area of his teeth and then, when your pet is totally at ease, on the inside.
The ideal thing is to place one hand above his snout, lifting his upper lips to open his mouth and brush a small area at a time: place the brush at a 45-degree angle with respect to the gums and make gentle circular movements. You don’t need to spend too many minutes doing this, otherwise your pet will be alarmed. When you have finished, it isn’t necessary to rinse Fido’s mouth, but just give him a treat and stroke him as a reward!
Other remedies for halitosis: chew toys and specific foods
There are specific foods that can reduce the formation of tartar, which have low carbohydrate content and have a consistency that forces your pet to chew. Furthermore, Ferplast’s GOODBITE NATURAL chewing toys are very useful. They are 100% natural and act by removing bacterial plaque, preventing tooth decay and, last but not least, they allow your pet to have fun. Thanks to the addition of aromas, the product satisfies your dog’s sense of taste and smell, thereby not only making it fun but also attractive. These toys have no calories and, therefore, even if they are ingested, they do not provide any extra nourishment.
Inadequate dental hygiene can cause our furry friend serious problems, but it doesn’t take much to protect him and improve his quality of life!