HEALTHY MOUTH
Keeping your dog’s mouth healthy is easy and important for their health. Because bad teeth can cause more than just bad breath; oral issues can cause rotten teeth, gum disease, heart disease, kidney & liver damage, and a shortened life span. Luckily keeping your dog’s teeth in great shape is easy and convenient! Treats, chews, pastes, powders, and water additives are all options that can easily become part of your healthy routine.
A Style for Every Dog & Cat
Treats & Chews: Chews are nature’s toothbrush and are a great way to scrub the teeth! Especially raw bones: the saliva becomes anti-bacterial while chewing and the enzymes naturally present, plus the acidic pH of raw bones, help clean the mouth and keep teeth fabulously white… your dog will feel mentally/emotionally satisfied too! Try our catnip silver-vine chews or turkey tendons for cats!
Pastes: Toothpaste is fabulous at cleaning the mouth and teeth, freshening breath, and your dog will love the wonderful flavors. You can use a finger brush (just a few swipes)… or use a traditional toothbrush. Starting a routine that you can both enjoy is easy: take it slow and give lots of praise and rewards. Using just a finger at first can help your pet get used to the feel and establish a routine.
Gels & Sprays: A perfect option for cats, gels are easy: they will lick it up right off your finger or a dish (especially the salmon flavor). The gel or spray works with the saliva to spread over the teeth, removing plaque & breaking up tartar. The grapefruit seed extract cleans below the gumline.
Powders: We carry several powder options containing enzymes and minerals which help break down food particles left in the mouth after eating, preventing bacteria sticking and causing plaque and tartar. They can even re-mineralize tooth enamel. Simply top your dog’s meal with the powder and you’re done! No messy brush & paste needed!
Water Additives: A water additive can be an alternative to chews and powders, just a cap-full of our Organic Oral Care Treatment solution in the water dish is clinically proven to reduce tartar build up… it just doesn’t get any easier than this!
*NOTE: Combining two or more options will give the best results.
Give a Dog a Bone
For many thousands of years dogs have chewed on bones, catching prey or scavenging… evolving alongside humans and being thrown our scraps and bits of carcasses… even old folk songs reference the practice of giving a dog a bone. Chewing is an instinct for dogs and is an important part of their health. Dogs need bones and chews for a variety of reasons including:
Psychological Wellbeing Chewing can be as relieving and mentally stimulating as going out for a walk! It relieves stress and boredom, and fulfills an instinctual need, plus its exercises the jaw, neck, and body muscles involved in chewing. Some dogs will have a stronger chew drive than others, and there are chew types for all levels. Puppies have special chewing needs: relieving the discomfort of teething, practicing for later skills, and exploring their world much like human babies will do.
Teeth Cleaning Chewing is nature’s toothbrush. Different types of chews provide different teeth cleaning benefits like: scrub, floss, and scrape tartar. Combine chewing with other dental care choices for optimal mouth health.
Whole-body Exercise When a dog chews you will notice that the whole body gets involved, the paws need to curl and hold the chew or bone, the core will flex and engage as the dog grinds away, and the hind quarters and tail are used like a counterbalance to the chewing action happening at the head end. Not to mention all those jaw and neck muscles that get a great workout! While chewing should not be used as a replacement for exercise, it can wear your dog out physically and mentally in a similar way.
Essential Nutrients Bones and chews offer a variety of nutritional benefits. Raw bones are packed with nutrient-dense marrow, have a mouth cleaning pH, and won’t crack or splinter; tendons, bully sticks, & smoked bones are high in protein, low in fat & durable; tripe, rawhide, & other body parts can offer a range of density, nutrients and collagen; trachea and esophagus are excellent sources for joint building cartilage; alternatives like aged yak cheese, fish skins, and dried sweet potatoes allow even the most sensitive dogs a chance to get their chewing ya-ya’s out!
We are happy to recommend the right chew for your dog!
*Always supervise for inappropriate chewing, gulping, or choking size pieces*
*The staff at The Natural Pet Market are well educated & our products are well researched, but we are not licensed veterinarians and cannot provide medical diagnosis or prescription, nor can we be a substitute for visiting a veterinarian. We believe in holistic care and treatment and we strive to support you with the best advice in holistic care of your pets.
