NATURAL DENTAL CARE FOR DOGS

In recent years many owners have realised that by giving their dogs bones to chew they can reduce the amount of plaque and tartar that build up without resorting to tooth brushing.

Chewing on bones also satisfies the dogs natural urge to chew meaning less damage to furniture and shoes and less begging behaviour compared to dogs that quickly gulp down a bowl of kibble.

For dogs that get upset stomachs on bones we have suggested plastic chew toys such as Nylabones or Stag bars made from deer antler and loved by many dogs.

DENTAL CHEW DANGER

HowEver all is not well… some high profile Veterinary Dentists have written in the Veterinary Press about the large number of dogs they are seeing with broken teeth from chewing on bones, stag bars and hard plastic toys and they are calling on owners to only use dental chews or to brush teeth.

SAFE NATURAL DENTAL CARE FOR DOGS

At Four Seasons we see more benefits to using bones for your dog than risks BUT you must take care to choose the right type and size of bone or antler chew for your dog.

We only recommend raw bones, never cooked bones which are harder leading to a higher risk of splintering or tooth fractures. We do not recommend the weight bearing bones (legs bones) as these are of a similar density to teeth, again increasing the risk of fractures. We do recommend necks, spines, ribs, shoulders and pelvic bones as well as chicken and rabbit carcass. These bones have a thin outer cortex which can easily be chomped through by your dog.

If using stag bars or dental toys choose ones of an appropriate size for your dog. Don’t choose over large ones hoping they will last longer.

Always supervise your dog when chewing on bones, toys or stag bars.

Tooth fracture will always remain a risk, but we see more broken teeth from car accidents and chewing or catching stones than from bones and more dental disease caused by thick layers of plaque and tartar then broken teeth!

Chew safe!