| Dental care for your dog can get lost in the shuffle of | | | | chews, on something meant for chewing (not on |
| daily life. Even if you really love your dog and give your | | | | something like your furniture), the better dog dental |
| dog great dog care, it's easy to slip up on dental care | | | | health your dog will have. |
| for your dog. | | | | There's been some debate about the safety of the |
| When was the last time you checked your dog's | | | | well-known chews, Greenies. I've never given my dog |
| teeth? | | | | Greenies, but some dog parents say they're great. Be |
| I know?the inside of the mouth isn't the cutest part of | | | | aware, though, that according to a CNN investigation, |
| your dog. But it can tell you a lot about your dog's | | | | since 2003, 40 dogs have had to have pieces of |
| health. | | | | Greenies surgically removed, and 13 of those dogs |
| Contrary to what non-dog people may think, not all | | | | died. Of course, that's a small number given that over |
| dogs have bad breath. Bad doggy breath, in fact, can | | | | 750 million Greenies have been sold since 1998. |
| be a sign of disease. | | | | Better than chews are rinses or pastes that you put |
| To look for signs of disease, check the color of your | | | | on your dog's teeth and gums. Even better than that is |
| dog's teeth. White is really good. Brown is really bad. | | | | brushing your dog's teeth. You can find tooth brushes |
| You're aiming for at least somewhere in between. | | | | especially for dog dental care at any pet supply store. |
| Check for broken teeth, pus or bleeding gums, and | | | | If you take just a little time to get the right supplies and |
| look for any unusual growths. If you see anything that | | | | just a bit of time to use them, you'll be doing your dog |
| looks unhealthy, please take your dog to the vet. | | | | AND you a big favor. Your dog will be healthier (and |
| If you're in a metropolitan area, you may be able to find | | | | have fewer expensive problems) when you get dental |
| a vet who specializes in dental care. Check the | | | | care for your dog. |
| American Veterinary Dental College's site to see a list | | | | Want to be a great dog care giver? Andrea Rains |
| of their graduates. | | | | Waggener, author of Dog Parenting?How To Have |
| You can find dog dental care products at nearly any | | | | An Outrageously Happy Canine, has created the |
| pet store. The easiest way to keep your dog's teeth | | | | ultimate dog parenting support center. |
| healthy is with dental chews. The more your dog | | | | |