A dog's teeth are one of the most important aspects relating to his or her overall health. Unfortunately, many dog owners often neglect this extremely important aspect of owning their pet. Every dog owner has the responsibility of maintaining their dog's overall good dental health. Actually, the health of your dog's teeth can literally affect the overall life expectancy of your dog. Here's how that works:
Plaque build-up on your dog's teeth is very dangerous. Not only do dog owners find the plaque unsightly, it can lead to gum disease. The gum disease can often lead to bleeding gums, which then allow the bacteria within the plaque direct access to other parts of the dog's body, including important organs.
Once this bacteria reaches the other organs in the body, they release harmful toxins, which can be very dangerous, and sometimes even lethal to the dog. Fortunately, the build up of this plaque is very easy to control. Some vets offer a service, called scaling, which is very expensive. Many times, this cost can be $400 or more. Although it is very effective, the scaling process comes with many risks, as the dog needs to be put under general anesthetic to do the procedure. The mortality rate for dogs that undergo scaling is quite high by human standards.
The general anesthetic is far more dangerous to dogs than with humans. Most vets recommend this process to occur yearly. Although it is necessary to keep the plaque off, there are other methods which can be used to maintain your dog's dental health. The cost for healthy dog teeth does not have to involve this dangerous procedure at the vets office. There are natural products, which can be purchased and used at home to control the plaque. These toothpastes, gels and sprays are natural and often have zero side effects to the dog. The cost for those in cleaning dogs' teeth is quite low. Often times, the products themselves cost well under $30. Only the time required by the dog owner is necessary. Older pets especially are at risk to anesthesia. Please always consult with your vet about other procedures, which could be done instead of allowing your dog to under go anesthesia.
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