Dental health for canines is needed to prevent plaque and tarter buildup that can affect a dog’s health as well as mouth. A dog on a good diet with good mouth care doesn’t have the “bad breath.” Regular care is a concern so the answer I will give here may surprise some.
For many dog owners asked if anesthetics are necessary for a dog’s dental procedure the answer is a resounding NO! This is coupled with the believe that modern commercial foods are the very cause of dental issues. Dogs were not made to eat kibble and although it keeps them alive many people handle the issue of dogs dental care with diet. Raw diet, also called BARF or Bones And Raw Food.
The dog’s digestion system was designed to eat meat. Although our modern pets are not hunting down deer in packs to feed, their needs have not changed. Many feel it’s a more natural way to feed. Kibble and canned foods simply don’t offer the same things in a dog’s diet. They leave small bits of food behind, and those bits of food become plaque and tartar.
Additionally, it addresses dental care at the root of the problem – diet. We know with humans certain foods are known to damage teeth. Feral or wild canines do not have dental disease that needs anasthetic to deal with. They have what raw folks call recreational bones.
Recreational bones solve the dog’s urge to chew. They consumption of bones has been warned against. While cooked bones can splinter raw bones, with plenty of meat around them and fed according to recommendations, are often consumed without incident. Recreational bones, however are bones too large to eat.
The action of chewing on these bones cleans the dog’s mouth. It naturally helps scrape tartar from the teeth. By doing this on a regular basis there is no need for doggie toothbrushes, toothpaste, vet visits and other things to address what the dog can do himself.
Several German Shepherd owners recommended chicken and turkey necks while others point to large beef bones. Knuckle bones, oxtails and other bones can be purchased at the meat counter at most grocery stores or contacting a butcher. Bully sticks and chews made from tendon also increase chewing which cleans teeth.
Aside from the chewing action keeping the dog busy, cleaning teeth and increasing dental health chewing on these bones extracts the marrow, with nutrients rather than just a plastic bone often forgotten. Dogs know the real thing!
There are herbal blends and mouthwash mixes that are offered at sites like www.healthypetjourna.com that are said to prevent plaque and buildup. A site for Rottweilers, happytailsrescue.com/food makes mention of the differences in general dogs go through when changed to a raw diet, with overall health improving and – yes! – increasing dental health.
A major point is using appropriate sized bones. For large dogs chicken wings should be avoided due to the tendency of some large dogs to gulp food rather than chew, which can result in the food getting caught and choking the dog. The larger the dog the bigger the recreational bone! If you know people who hunt, ask about making use of unwanted deer bones.
Dogs *do* require a good dental program, but it is not necessary for it to be with anesthetics. As thousands of dog owners as well as many veterinarians testify – natural care can eliminate mouth issues with no veterinary checkup needed.
