Since February is National Pet Dental Health Month, we’ve compiled a few handy tips for dental care in both small and large dogs, as the process is a bit different depending on the dog’s size.
Of course, brushing your dog’s teeth is the biggest thing you can do to prevent poor dental health, regardless of their size, but size does matter in terms of dental dilemmas your dog may face.
Smaller dogs are more prone to tartar formation, gum recession, and teeth loss –far more so than larger dogs are. An old, small breed dog, is pretty likely to have lost half of its teeth by the time it hits 12 or 13 years old, unfortunately.
Larger dogs don’t lose their teeth as commonly, but often suffer from fractured and cracked teeth due to their excessive, strong chewing habits. If a fracture in their tooth gets to the point where it exposes the interior of the tooth, the dog may suffer from infection, eventually causing tooth loss, but far not as many as a small breed dog will lose.
While a small dog’s teeth should be brushed every day to prevent excess tartar as best as possible, a larger dog’s teeth may not need to be brushed every day, as their tough chewing helps scrape it away –but, it’s important to check their mouths frequently to make sure none has formed. If it has, you’ll want to brush their teeth more frequently to avoid eventual tooth loss and or infection.
Aside from brushing, using Greenies treats and other dental chews may help to scrape away and prevent tartar build up –your pet gets a treat and you don’t have to worry about giving them something that isn’t helping promote positive dental health –everybody wins!
As always, don’t hesitate to reach out to your local pet store if you have questions on this or any pet related topic.