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Treats and Products for Good Oral Health
June 26, 2010
Chewing promotes naturally healthy teeth. Most animals enjoy raw bones but make sure they are an appropriate size. Big beef knuckles, while a treat for most animals, can crack or break the teeth. Never ever feed boiled or cooked bones. Cooking makes them brittle and the sharp pieces can cause your pet serious health problems.
If you prefer not to feed raw bones, there are good alternatives. CET chews are tough rawhide chews that have been treated with enzymes to help stop plaque formation, making them more effective than regular chews.
Raw carrots make a great healthy and low calorie chew. Broccoli is also good but easier to digest if partially cooked.
Tartar Shield Cat Treats contains malic acid, a naturally occurring ingredient found in citrus fruits. Malic acid also acts as a flavor enhancer that cats enjoy.
Hextra chews control mouth bacteria and bad breath with chlorhexidine, an antibacterial. This is a more effective way to block tartar formation. Hextra chews provide the most benefit per calorie and are probably the best choice for chubby dogs.
The new Greenies are digestible and safer than the original Greenies and reduce plaque and tartar accumulation.
Crunchy biscuits like the Canidae Snap biscuits also help reduce the build up of plaque and tartar.
Avoid treats or poor-quality foods rich in starch and sugar. The problem with any tasty treat is that when added to a diet that is already adequate, pets gain weight. You shouldn’t use any of the above treats without reducing the amount of other food.
In theory, chew toys like Nylabones and Nylafloss are excellent choices. For dogs that accept them, they provide hours of entertainment. They are durable, low cost and relatively safe but because they are so hard there have been some reports of cracked and broken teeth so use them with caution.
There are several dental gels and rinses now available that seem to be effective in reducing plaque and tartar buildup. PetzLife Oral Care Spray and Gel are gaining popularity and use all natural ingredients.
There is also a drinking water additive that recently received a seal of approval from the Veterinary Oral Health Council. Called "Healthymouth" it is made from natural ingredients. There are both dog and cat formulas. One of the foremost authorities in animal health, Dr. Jean Dodds, and her organization Hemopet participated in clinical trials and per Dr. Dodds, Healthymouth proved to be remarkably effective at reducing plaque and tartar.
It has been reported that the antioxidant Coenzyme Q10 can help red, swollen and bleeding gums heal better and quicker. We carry Vetri-Science Coenzyme Q10 in the clinic.
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