DO THIS FOR YOUR PET'S DENTAL HEALTH

Every day in practice we see pets with horrible dental disease. A report titled "Pet Oral Care Products and Services in the U.S." analyzes the market for dental hygiene and oral health products and services for dogs and cats. "The report covers products specifically marketed along oral care lines, with a focus on both edible oral care products, such as dental treats and chews, and inedible products, such as toothbrushes, teeth-cleaning sprays and dental gels. Pet oral care products are not a new development, but the continuing humanization and premiumization of the pet market, in addition to the growing focus on ingredients and safety, have greatly increased the appeal of products designed to address issues of pet dental hygiene and oral health. There's clearly a market for such products, with companion animals living longer than ever and 70%-80% of dogs and cats showing signs of oral disease by age 3, according to the American Veterinary Dental Society." 

Clearly, the pet food and treat industry is looking to produce products pet owners will buy to promote good dental hygiene. But many products on the market are harmful to our pets and actually contribute to dental disease, as they are made from wheat, poor quality fillers, sugar, corn syrup, Animal Digest, and carcinogenic chemicals like BHA, BHT, and colorful dyes. For instance: 

Ingredients:

Rice, Powdered Cellulose, Chicken By-Product Meal, Propylene Glycol, Dried Skim Milk, Modified Food Starch, Dextrin, Water, Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Bone Phosphate, Calcium Sulfate, Gelatin, Animal Digest, Potassium Sorbate (Used As A Preservative), Phosphoric Acid, Titanium Dioxide (Color), Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Manganous Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Niacin Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement), Natural Smoke Flavor, Sodium Copper Chlorophyllin, BHA (Used As A Preservative), Spearmint.

Ingredients:
Rice, glycerin, water, wheat flour, rice flour, chicken by-product meal, corn germ meal, wheat gluten, brewer’s dried yeast, tricalcium phosphate, sugar, added color, gelatin, parsley flakes, pork, hydrogenated corn syrup, sodium caseinate, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols, sorbic acid (a preservative), salt, phosphoric acid, rice starch, natural and artificial flavors, calcium propionate (a preservative), maltodextrins, Yellow 5, Red 40, Yellow 6, BHA (a preservative), BHT (a preservative), Blue 1, calcium carbonate, citric acid.


Unfortunately, the poor quality diets fed to most pets lead to more dental disease. My patients that eat raw diets and are fed raw meaty bones rarely show signs of dental disease, whereas those that eat kibble diets often have severe periodontal disease. Periodontal disease has been linked to kidney, liver, and heart disease due to circulating bacteria in the blood stream. Kibble contains carbohydrates which break down to sugars that feed the oral bacteria. Kibble sticks to the teeth and causes decay. Raw meat diets do not stick to the teeth and contain natural enzymes that help prevent tartar build up. Of course, some breeds are more prone to dental disease, including toy breeds and brachycephalic (short nosed) breeds.

Allprovide bones

If your pet has never been fed raw meaty bones, introduce them carefully. Make sure they are RAW and appropriately sized for your pet. Do not feed raw bones if your dog has a history of pancreatitis (unless you can remove most of the marrow) or if your dog has broken, fractured, or painful teeth. Always supervise your pet when feeding bones.