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Good dental hygiene is essential for dogs and cats, and just like us humans, looking after your pet’s gums and teeth is important for their overall health. Unfortunately, we see many dogs and cats suffering from dental disease. This is often due to a lack of brushing, but other contributory factors such as dog breed and diet can also increase the risk of dental disease.
Some dog breeds are more prone to dental disease, for example, cocker spaniels, sighthounds, and small breed dogs such as chihuahuas, maltese, and dachshunds.
The best way to keep your pet’s mouth healthy and keep the tartar at bay is to brush your pet’s teeth daily. However, we all know that some dogs and cats will just not tolerate having their teeth brushed. As dental hygiene is so important, many pet food and drug companies have invested in dietary research to identify alternative diets that can help to support good oral health in dogs and cats, in addition to providing a range of nutritional benefits.
There are also many products on the market that claim to help dog’s and cat’s teeth, but not all products actually will. There are some clinically proven dental treats, however, that have gone through proper trials and have been proven to help with dental health. These are included in the pet diet charts below, so don't waste your money on products that don't work.
The following two charts include a list of food and treats for dogs and cats that have been scientifically proven through many studies to help with your pet’s teeth.
Diets for Dogs
Diets for Cats
We have a range of pet food brands available in practice, including Hill’s Pet Food, which consists of large dry kibble that can help to support good dental health. They are specifically designed so that the kibble doesn't shatter when the tooth bites into the kibble. This creates a scraping like action on the tooth and can help to remove and prevent tartar build up.
The other great thing about Hill’s Pet Food is that they offer a 100% money-back guarantee. Diets should be changed gradually over seven days, and your pet must be fed only that diet.
Image: Coquet Vets
Diet changes can be a process and some days your pet won’t eat it, but that does not mean that you should then go out and buy a whole new diet. We recommend giving your pet time to adapt to the food. Keep trying the diet for at least 4 weeks, and if they are still not eating it buy then, bring the food back and other diets can be discussed.
If this article has raised any concerns about your pet’s oral health, or you would like to get more advice on dental care and diets for your pet, please call us at Coquet Vets on 01665 252250.
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Over the month of September, you can get up to 15% off the full cost of a dental procedure at Coquet Vets, (Terms and conditions apply.)
