Home Dental Care for Dogs

Home care for your dog can make a tremendous difference in their comfort and health. There are a wide variety of home care options from which to choose, but keep in mind that anything you can do to help prevent plaque and tartar accumulation will pay back big dividends. The more you can do at home, the less that will have to be done by a veterinarian. Below we have listed the common forms of home care that have been proven to be of benefit for dogs. Frequently the best approach is to combine several methods of control to achieve best results. All methods of home care share the goal of minimizing plaque (bacterial film) accumulation, and preventing the mineralization of the plaque to form tartar. This list is not exhaustive, but contains those things that we have found to be of value in dental practice.

BRUSHING:

Brushing your dog’s teeth is the single most effective means to curtail dental disease. This makes sense because the bacterial film known as “plaque” is the root of many dental problems. This film is easily displaced by simple mechanical disruption as the teeth are brushed. Daily brushing is required to improve dental health, while brushing every other day will help maintain the dental health in its current state. Almost all dogs will eventually accept brushing. How the Brush Your Pet's Teeth. We recommend CET toothpaste for pets, which is pet safe and come in several flavors such as poultry, malt and mint. Avoid human toothpastes as they usually contain abrasives and detergents that can be irritating if swallowed. Specific veterinary toothbrushes are very soft and angled to assist in brushing the back teeth.

OraVet™ (Merial): For Dogs 

This is a unique oral hygiene product that provides an invisible barrier to prevent plaque and tarter accumulation. It electrostatically adheres to the tooth’s surface and will not disappear after tooth brushing or eating hard food. It is odorless, tasteless, and only needs to be applied ONCE PER WEEK. It has been shown to reduce plaque by 22% to 46% over an 8 week period compared to patients not receiving the product.

C.E.T.® HEXtra™ Premium Rawhide Chews (Virbac): Dogs Only

These rawhide chews are covered with 10% chlorhexidine, combining the mechanical plaque-removal action from chewing with the bacterial, fungal, and viral fighting ability of chlorhexidine. After at least one minute of contact time the chlorhexidine will bind to the teeth and gums and continue to be effective for up to 24 hours. Chorhexidine is the most effective plaque-inhibiting substance in people.

C.E.T.® VEGGIEDENT^® Tartar Control Chews for Dogs only

Same as the HEXtra Chews above, but are in a vegetarian formula for allergy dogs, or dogs that get sick on rawhide chews.

C.E.T® AquaDent™ and Oral Hygiene Rinse™ (Virbac): For Dogs 

AquaDent is a drinking water additive that helps freshen your pet’s breath and prevent plaque accumulation. C.E.T. Oral Hygiene Rinse combines 0.12% Chlorhexidine and Zinc Gluconate in a plaque-fighting formulation that may be used with or without brushing. It also contains Cetylpyridinium chloride for fresh breath fast. A unique bent-stem applicator is also included for easy administration.

Prescription Diet t/d® (Hill’s Pet Nutrition): For Dogs 

This is a very effective dental diet with a fiber matrix technology that scrubs the entire exposed tooth surface to reduce plaque, tartar, and stain. Also the diet is low in disolvable minerals, carbohydrates and protein.  When a dog eats a food, the disolvable parts go in to the saliva and form a bio-film on the teeth.  This starts the plaque to tartar complex.  With the reduced disolvable food particles, there is less plaque and tartar formation.

Kongs are firm rubber toys that come in a variety of sizes and shapes. Some of the Kongs allow you to place cheese or peanut butter inside to improve acceptance.



We do not recommend cow hooves, pig ears, natural bones, or hard Nylabones. These are all harder than teeth, and are frequently associated with broken teeth. All chew toys require that you monitor your pet while they are using the product. Never leave a pet unattended while they are enjoying any chew toys.