HOW TO WASH YOUR DOG'S TEETH?

Have you gone to the vet and have you been given the warning? Is your little buddy prone to tartar build-up? You already know that you have to do something so that your little fur friend's life quality is not affected.

The best way to brush your little buddy's teeth is to get him used to it, let them get used to you touching their mouth, without fear, without forcing them, playing or giving them treats, so that they feel it is something normal, that it's something that happens everyday without their life being altered.

REWARD THEM!

You can reward your little buddy so that they consider that having their teeth touched is something fun, at first you cannot clean them, but you can touch their teeth and that should be rewarded with a treat. Little by little, the ideal is to move the prize to the end of the tooth brushing .

If your little partner is not a puppy anymore, it may be a bit more complicated to get their approval. Therefore, we recommend that you start little by little. If they don't like contact, are afraid or have trust issues, you can start by rewarding them when they let you touch their face. Another day, you can lift their lips to see their teeth, and reward them with a treat. Then you can go on and pet them. And, finally, days later, you can start testing if a brush or a thimble is more comfortable and what type.

All manipulations, in addition to being rewarded, must be accompanied by a friendly tone of voice so the pet can feel comfortable and so they notice that you feel happy that they are allowing you to touch their teeth.

Once they let us clean them, the ideal is to do it on a daily basis and, if not, at least three times a week. All teeth: incisors, fangs, premolars, and molars should be cleaned, on both sides and in-between.

Try to do it in a well-lit area as there are areas where food or tartar accumulates more and that's where you'll have to go the furthest.

For direct cleaning there are several products on the market, from brushes with long sticks, finger brushes, finger sponges or wipe-like thimbles.

You should NEVER use human oral hygiene products, as they will ingest it and it could be toxic. There are toothpastes and pastes for them, flavoured or neutral, and if they don't like them, just serve them with water.

OTHER OPTIONS

If your little buddy doesn't let you clean his teeth with a brush or thimble, you can consult your vet about other options on the market, snacks that favour mechanical cleaning, antiseptics that are added to water, formulas to add to food that delay the appearance of tartar, or a food that encourages chewing like VeggieAnimals and supports better dental health.

María González Sola.
Co-founder of the Refugio la Vida Color Raspberry and Head of VeggieAnimals Veterinary Consultations.