Pets

Clean Teeth Are A Key To A Healthier Pet

Posted: 4/29/2011

Many pet owners are finding that removing plaque and tartar from their pet’s teeth can help control bacteria, eliminate bad breath and make for a healthier pet. One dog that has benefited from better dental care is the heavily scarred Lucas, who was one of Michael Vick’s champion fighting dogs. He was rescued and learned to trust again, becoming so affectionate that he comforted Bud Groth (shown here) by licking his face when he cried at the sight of the dog’s extensive injuries. Groth is the CEO of a firm that specializes in promoting better oral health for dogs and cats.

(NAPSI) - There’s good news for pet owners. Improving your pet’s health may be easier than you realize. The key is better oral health.

It turns out that, much like in humans, better oral health is often an important building block for more fitness and vitality for your pet.

Here are some tips that can help keep your pet healthier—and its breath fresher:

• Be aware if your pet exhibits bad breath, pain around the mouth, swelling or irritation of the gums, bleeding, swelling around the jaw or nose, fever, lethargy, pain when eating or refusing to eat.

• Left untreated, oral disease in a pet can lead to receding gums, tooth loss and infections that could potentially infect the heart, liver and kidneys.

• A buildup of plaque on your pet’s teeth can often lead to more serious problems. However, even the most common treatment can carry risks.

Until recently, the only way to remove plaque and tartar has been a visit to the vet for a dental cleaning—a procedure that typically involves the use of a general anesthetic. Unfortunately, that can present a problem, since anesthetic reactions can cause injury and even death. It’s estimated that over 50,000 dogs and cats die every year, and 1.3 million are injured—some permanently—just from anesthesia.

• As an alternative, many pet owners are looking for ways to remove plaque that are safer and just as effective, but that don’t require putting a pet under anesthesia.

For example, PetzLife Oral Care spray or gel is designed to help remove plaque and tartar, control bacteria and eliminate bad breath—and does not require the pet owner to brush a pet’s teeth.

“I have often seen older pets undergo anesthesia for dental cleanings or growth removals, and they were never the same afterward. Some even developed seizures,” said Susan Maier, DVM. “PetzLife Oral Care has worked on my patients that have had severe tartar and gingivitis. Before discovering this product, we had to perform dental cleanings under anesthesia or resort to keeping the animal on antibiotics. Now we can cure the problem while avoiding the anesthesia and the drugs.”

The active ingredients are a blend of herbs and oils, including grapefruit seed extract, which is a natural compound often used to kill bacteria. The ingredients are described as 100 percent natural and “human grade,” so they’re considered safe for dogs and cats.

“I much prefer dealing with tartar problems without anesthesia when at all possible and these oral care products are simply the most effective that I have found, short of ultrasonic scaling,” said Joanne V. Baldwin, DVM, Cardinal Animal Hospital.

To learn more about the pet dental products, visit www.petzlife.com or call (888) 453-4682.

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