How To Protect Your Dog From Periodontal Disease

Most dog owners are very responsible and therefore take a lot of trouble to make sure their pet is healthy and happy. They take care to choose good food for him, take care of pests and parasites like fleas, ticks and worms and make sure their pet looks and feels good by grooming and bathing him. It is a little surprising to learn, therefore, that a lot of dogs suffer from periodontal disease because their owners do not take care of dental hygiene for their pets alongside all the other care they give them.

As in people, dental plaque that forms on teeth only takes a couple of days to begin to harden. So for any dog, a daily teeth clean is going to help to dramatically reduce plaque and tartar build up. It only takes a moment to deal with this and it is so simple and inexpensive to do. Why not start today, after your dog has eaten his main meal of the day?

Introducing Your Dog To Having His Teeth Cleaned

It is really easy to get your dog used to the idea of having his teeth cleaned. Special dog toothpastes are available and these are non-foaming, they work on an enzyme basis so it doesn’t matter if your pet swallows it. Just dab a little on your finger and let your dog lick it off – dog toothpastes are specially made to appeal to his tastebuds and if he doesn’t like one variety, you are sure to soon discover a brand that he really loves. Once you are sure he is happy with this, the next day you can rub your finger over his gums with a little bit of toothpaste on your fingertip. After he is accepting this happily, it is easy to move onto using either a finger brush if you have a small dog or a longer handled brush for reaching the back molars of a large dog.

Of course, the easiest way to introduce any dog to having his teeth cleaned is to start when he is a puppy. But even if you didn’t do this with your own dog, it is never too late to start and if he has had his teeth cleaned by a Vet and all the tartar buildup has been removed, you owe it to your dog (and will save yourself future expense with a repeat procedure), if you start cleaning his teeth regularly.

In between brushings, there are a wide variety of aids to keeping your dog’s teeth and gums in tip-top condition. There are special dog foods which ‘crack’ off any tartar. There are dog chews and dental health toys too. So give it a go and let your pet enjoy some of these chews and toys too.

It is well worth persevering with cleaning your dog’s teeth. It might not be easy at first, especially with an adult dog who has never had his teeth cleaned before. But every owner wants to do their very best for their pet and preventing dental disease is something that anyone who has ever suffered toothache themselves, should be keen to do for their animals.

Spot Other Dental Health Problems Early

Brushing teeth also enables you to inspect your dog's mouth evey day and may help you to spot problems early. In addition, prevention of periodontal disease will not only save your dog from a lot of unnecessary discomfort, it could also save you a big bill from your Vet as well!

Find out more about protecting your dog from tooth and gum disease by visiting the hubpages article I have written on the topic which explains in greater depth what to do and what to look for to ensure your dog has healthy teeth and gums for life. Visit the article here http://hubpages.com/animals/How-To-Protect-Your-Dog-From-Tooth-and-Gum-Disease

In addition to protecting your dog against the pain of toothache and from horrible smelling breath, you could also be helping to prevent other, serious problems caused by the toxins from decayed teeth and diseased gums that can get into the blood and cause damage to other internal organs, especially the heart and circulatory system.

Don’t Let Your Dog Become A Heartworm Statistic In 2012

If you check online for information about heartworm in 2012, you will find that many USA vets are already reporting having seen as almost as many confirmed cases in the first quarter of this year as in the preceding twelve months. The American Heartworm Society have published conclusive evidence that no state in the USA can be considered safe any longer as cases have been found in every state, no exceptions!

The rise in incidence has been attributed to the changes in weather patterns where higher rainfall and milder temperatures have provided an ideal breeding ground for the mosquitoes which are the vector for spreading the tiny microfilariae or juvenile heartworm larvae that infect a new host each time they bite. The weather has been responsible for the spread in another, rather more unexpected way too. Homeowners forced to abandon homes devastated by severe weather events have taken pets with them, resulting in infected animals being diagnosed in the states they have moved to. This pattern is not confined to the USA either, flooding in other countries, such as Australia has also led to increased incidence of the disease.

For owners in the USA, a positive heartworm test for their beloved dog, has brought other anxieties too. Merial, manufacturers of Immiticide which is the drug used in the protocol for treating infected dogs, struggles to meet the shortfall in supplies in the United States. Supplies have been shipped in from Europe but there have still been delays in treating all but the most severely affected animals and Vets now have a protocol for keeping dogs not eligible or able to get immediate treatment with Immiticide, safe and well until treatment can commence.

How Can You Avoid Your Dog Becoming A Heartworm Statistic?

2012 has seen a big drive by the AHS, Vets, Merial and other bodies such as the Companion Animal Parasite Council to provide education and encouragement for all dog owners on the subject of heartworm prevention.
Firstly, if you do not have your dog on a heartworm preventative regime, you will not be able to start giving this medication unless your dog gets a negative result from a heartworm test. The reason for this is that giving preventatives in cases where adult worms are present can be very dangerous for the dog and it is vital to have the ‘all clear’ before commencement.

The new guidelines advocate giving heartworm preventatives every month of the year, even in states where previously these were only recommended during the spring and summer. The guidelines very definitely recommend using only those preventatives recommended by the AHS and approved by the FDA. This comes in the wake of many owners having concerns about the safety of these medications and turning instead to unproven ‘herbal’ and ‘natural’ treatments. However, all the advice from all the authorities and Vets should reassure pet owners that the approved treatments are both safe and effective when given in strict accordance with the instructions provided.

Which Prevention Treatment Should You Choose?

The two main types of monthly prevention treatments are oral (either a pill or a chewable tablet) and a liquid treatment that is put onto the animal’s skin at the back of the neck. There are pros and cons for each but some owners prefer the liquid, topical treatments if their dog is not very good about taking medication or if they also want to protect against fleas and ticks. The oral treatments can also protect against other internal parasites such as roundworm and can save money on buying additional products to deal with these.

Having a dog diagnosed with a heartworm infection is a very distressing and worrying time. Treatment is expensive and not without risks as well as having a treatment aftercare period which demands keeping the dog very quiet and restricting any excitement or exercise. This protocol can put a lot of strain on a family with a big, exuberant dog that just wants to play because it is feeling better. In some cases, the dog is never diagnosed because symptoms may not present until the situation is so grave that nothing can be done for the dog or the only option is surgery which is not only risky but also very expensive.

Prevention is Better Than Cure!

If your dog is not already protected, please get him checked out for heartworm with a simple test from your Vet and start your heartworm prevention protocol as soon as you can. Behind every number in the heartworm statistics is a heartbreaking story – don’t let your beloved pet become one of them in 2012

Author Alison Graham invites you to visit  http://heartwormtreatment-fordogs.com/ to find out more about this important dog health issue.