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Dental Care For Your Dog

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Our furry little friends are likely to develop dental disease if their dental needs are ignored. Periodontal disease is not uncommon among dogs, particularly small dog breeds. And just like with humans, these problems can result in bad breath, yellowed teeth, and in the worst of cases, even progress to loss of teeth.

The development of such problems usually begins with such signs as swollen, red, and painful gums. Your pet may have less of an appetite as well. These signs indicate a need for immediate professional care.

Tooth decay and/or the loss of teeth usually indicate the presence of bacteria in the mouth. If left untreated the damage can progress from only involving the mouth to further damage that can include serious complications related to the kidneys, lungs, and heart, all of which can lead to a shortened lifespan. Periodontal problems usually start with the formation of plaque.

Plaque builds on the teeth and in thirty-six hours or less, plaque can harden and tartar can form. This problem usually develops first and the worst in the upper back teeth. Unfortunately, once tartar has formed, it cannot be brushed away.

The good news is that these problems can be avoided. Although healthy routines can be started with any dog at any age, it is always best to start healthy routines with a young puppy. If the dog is older you should insure that he has a professional dental cleaning and then begin the healthy dental routine at home.

If you have a regular routine of brushing your dog’s teeth on a daily basis you can avoid most of these problems. The routine should be established while the dog is young if at all possible. He will then accept the brushing as part of his regular care.

At first the dog will wonder what you are doing so it is best to allow him to taste the doggie toothpaste. These special pastes are formulated to be appealing to dogs. You can use your finger or a special dog toothbrush. Don’t forget to clean both the teeth and the gums. Begin in the back and work in small circular motions. The entire brushing process will take less than a minute.

Providing such things as chew treats, hard dog biscuits and bones, and even soft toys for your pet can help to prevent dental problems. Besides keeping the teeth strong and healthy many of the items are specially formulated to freshen the breath. Feeding crunchy food items on a regular basis is another way to keep your pet’s teeth healthier. Another tip is that while warming your dog’s food will often make it more appealing it is important to insure that the food is only slightly warm and never hot. On the flip side, dogs should not be served cold food.

Dental Care For Your Dog courtesy Dog Articles.

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Caring For Your Geriatric Dog

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Growing older is something that happens to all of us, and that includes our dogs.  It may seem like it was just yesterday that you brought home a bouncing ball of fur who was trying to chew your shoes but today that puppy is a senior dog.  It’s important to provide some extra love and care for your older dog to make him comfortable and happy.

Older dogs can start to show signs of age as early as six or seven years old.  When you visit the vet you should ask about having a senior health check-up for your dog.  Your vet can do a blood panel and run some other tests to check your dog’s kidney function and make sure he’s in good health for his age.  You should have an annual senior check-up for your older dog past the age of seven.  Be sure that your vet also checks out any lumps or bumps on your older dog.  As dogs get older they can be more prone to tumors.  These tumors may be benign, but your vet may want to do a small biopsy just to make sure.  It’s always best to catch potential problems early.

As your dog gets older some of his senses will probably start to dull a bit.  His hearing may not be as sharp as it once way.  His eyesight may dim a little.  Even senses of taste and smell won’t be as good as they used to be.  These changes mean that your dog may need a little extra help.

Many older dogs begin having problems negotiating steps and stairs.  This can be due to arthritis but it’s also possible that it’s because your dog doesn’t see as well as he once did.  If your dog is having problems with stairs try walking down with him.  He may be able to do fine if you are there to guide him.  He may also have problems seeing at night which can make him reluctant to go outside to use the bathroom at night.  Try walking outside with him in the evenings and see if this improves things.

If your dog can’t smell and taste things as well as he once did he may not be as interested in his food anymore.  Go ahead and doctor up his food a little to make it smell and taste more appealing to him.  If you feed kibble then you may need to add canned food to make it smell and taste better to your dog.  Add some home cooked food to his meals to get him more interested in eating.

If your dog refuses to eat don’t assume that he has lost his appetite.  Many older dogs have dental problems that keep them from eating no matter how hungry they are.  Check your dog’s breath.  If it’s very bad then he may have some serious tooth decay or a tooth that needs to be removed.  Look at his teeth.  Does he have any brown or green-looking teeth?  Take your dog to the vet and have him or her do a dental check to see if dental problems are keeping your dog from eating.  Your dog may need to have a bad tooth pulled or some other problem fixed.

Many older dogs have some problems with arthritis.  If your dog has severe problems you should check with your vet to see if your dog needs some pain medication.  You can also look for supplements that have helped many dogs, such as glucosamine-chondroitin and MSM.  There are also products that contain shark cartilage and other ingredients said to help arthritis that may benefit your dog.

Older dogs can also benefit from sleeping on good bed.  Orthopedic dog beds can make your dog feel better.  Look for beds that have an egg-crate type mattress or which distribute the dog’s weight evenly across the whole mattress.  This makes it much easier for your dog to get up without any pain.  A heated bed will also help your dog.

There are many things you can do to help your geriatric dog feel better and live a more comfortable life.  If he seems to be having difficulties you should always check with your vet.  Otherwise, do what it takes to make him comfortable and happy.

Caring For Your Geriatric Dog courtesy Dog Articles.

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My Dog Won’t Stop Mouthing Me!

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Some dogs are very “mouthy.”  That doesn’t mean they talk or bark a lot.  It means that they use their mouths on everything, trying to taste things, or put their mouths on things.  Usually these dogs have not been completely taught bite inhibition.  Bite inhibition is when a puppy is taught that nipping and biting others hurts and that they shouldn’t go around using their mouths on things.  They generally learn it from their mothers and littermates, and later from their owners.  Singleton pups (one-puppy litters) may have a harder time learning bite inhibition since they don’t have littermates.

Dogs can also be mouthy as a way of showing affection.  Wolves tend to show affection to each other by mouthing muzzles, necks and paws.

Whatever the cause, mouthing people’s hands and feet, or any other part of their bodies, can be annoying.  Your dog may not use his teeth, but it does tend to cover you in dog slobber.  Having a dog grab you with his mouth is also simply not very good manners.

There are a few simple methods for teaching your dog not to mouth you.

Some people like to use Bitter Apple, a spray or cream product.  You can put this on your hands if that’s where your dog grabs you.  Most dogs hate the taste and your dog should stop grabbing at your hands.

Another method of dealing with mouthiness is to turn to stone whenever your dog grabs you with his mouth.  If your dog gets no feedback he will likely lose interest.

You can also use clicker training to teach your dog not to be mouthy.  When your dog grabs your hand or wrist being mouthy wait for him to let go.  Wait for a couple of seconds and then Click and tell him he’s a good dog.  Give him a treat.  Keep clicking and treating when he stops the mouthing behavior.  He will get the message.

If your dog is mouthing other things in your home, such as walls or furniture, you can try the Bitter Apple on them.  The bad-tasting product usually discourages dogs from mouthing and chewing things.

Remember that puppy nipping and mouthing are normal behaviors up to a point.  If you have a puppy who is nipping and mouthing you can work on bite inhibition.  When your puppy nips or mouths you all you have to do is make it perfectly clear that it HURTS when he does it.  Let out an OUCH to curl your puppy’s hair.  Leave him in no doubt that what he did really hurt you.  This is the same thing that his littermates would do if he played too rough with them.  If he does it the next time you play with him, get up and leave.  Puppies don’t play with a puppy that is too rough and you shouldn’t either.

For mouthy adolescent or grown dogs, the tips offered here should work.  Give them a try and it should stop the mouthiness.

My Dog Won’t Stop Mouthing Me courtesy Dog Articles.

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Helping Your Elderly Dog

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There comes a time with our dogs when we have to start considering some of the effects of age on their diet.  They may need different food.  They may not have the same appetite they had when they were younger.  They may have some dental issues.  Even their eyesight can affect their eating habits.  However, with some care and consideration on your part, you can help your elderly dog through some of these problems and see that she continues to get the very best nutrition possible.

For many years dog food experts maintained that older dogs should have their protein intake limited in the belief that their kidneys could not process protein very well.  We now know this not to be true.  It’s perfectly all right to feed your older dog good quality protein in his diet as long as he doesn’t have any pre-existing kidney problems.  The key is to make sure that you are feeding a good quality food with good quality protein.  Recent research indicates that older dogs may need more protein than younger dogs instead of less.

You should also look for a food that is lower in carbohydrates with moderate amounts of fat.  It’s not necessary to completely eliminate fat from your senior dog’s diet.  Even if your dog is a little overweight, if you completely eliminate fat from his diet you will leave your dog feeling hungry all the time which can lead to other problems.  If your dog is thin (and some older dogs can have trouble keeping their weight), a little additional fat in the diet won’t hurt.

When looking for a senior dog food it’s fine to buy a commercial food but make sure you read the label carefully.  Some senior foods are formulated to keep weight off senior dogs.  If your dog is already thin you don’t want a dog food that will cut his calories.  You may need to look for a dog food that is higher in calories.  If your dog is plump you may want to get one of the senior foods that will keep his weight down since too much weight can worsen conditions like arthritis.

Many senior dogs can have some dental problems which leads them to walk away from their food.  They may nibble and be unable to eat much.  If your dog has trouble eating you should examine her mouth.  Ask your vet to look at your dog’s teeth.  It may be necessary to have a tooth pulled or to scale your dog’s teeth.  Pulling a tooth or even having a root canal done can often solve the problem and your dog will be back to eating like a younger dog again.

Most older dogs also begin to experience some dulling of the senses.  They no longer smell and taste things as acutely as they once did.  Food is no longer as appealing to them.  You can make their food more tempting by adding some tasty canned food to their dry food to make it smell and taste better.  You can also do some home cooking for your dog.  Most dogs like to eat whatever you’ve cooked for yourself.  Things like chicken and sweet potatoes, or beef cooked to tenderness are often favorites.  As long as you don’t make this home cooking more than 30 percent of his diet you won’t be upsetting the vitamin balance that he gets from his regular dog food.  It’s also a good idea to wet his regular kibble with something like chicken or beef broth to make it more appealing.

Older dogs can also begin to have some eyesight problems.  They may look at their feed bowls oddly at times and refuse to eat.  Don’t be surprised if you have to resort to hand feeding once in a while.

You should also take your senior dog to the vet for a senior health check periodically.  Your vet will be able to identify possible problems and tell you about any special things you should be doing to take care of your dog.

Just because your dog is getting older doesn’t mean she’s ready to leave you.  Your older dog is merely going through some physical changes.  You can help her with these changes by being watchful and trying to figure out the kind of help she needs.  Let your dog’s actions and appearance guide you.  You can do a lot to help her live many more happy years.

Helping Your Elderly Dog courtesy of Dog Articles.

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