Pet Dental Hygiene Instructions

Special Note:  This program is not a treatment for periodontal disease and does not replace routine dental exams and care provided by your veterinarian.  If your pet currently needs to have a dental cleaning, see your veterinarian.  Our doctors will be happy to provide your pet with a FREE dental examination and an itemized program for daily use to manage the oral hygiene of your pet.

LIft up the lip of your pet and if you see a bright red line at the gum line, your pet has the early signs of periodontal disease.  Does your pet have bad breath?  This is another common sign!  Are you currently doing anything at home to manage your pet's oral hygiene?  What condition would your mouth be in if you didn't brush or manage your own oral hygiene?

Periodontal disease does not stop at the mouth, but rather touches all parts of the body and specifically some of the major organs, causing premature aging or failure.  Damage to the heart valves, stressed immune system, impaired kidney function, or liver damage is directly related to bacteria from periodontal disease that enters the bloodstream and circulates to its final destructive destination.  The fortunate part of this ugly scenario is that we can prevent most of this secondary damage and provide our pet fresher breath by doing routine dental exams and professional cleaning along with home care.  Hear are a few of our home care products we offer at our hospital:

Enzadent Toothpaste

•  Brushing your cat or dog's teeth is the best way to prevent periodontal disease.
• Use a finger brush or a soft-bristled brush made specifically for pets.  Apply a small amount of paste to the brush and gently rub over your dog or cat's teeth once daily or as directed by our veterinarians.
• Endzadent toothpaste is specifically formulated for animal use and is great tasting and an effective way to help keep your pet's breath fresh and teeth clean.
• Brushing your pet's teeth helps fight plaque - forming bacteria.

Hill's T/D Diet

• T/D is a pet food diet that helps reduce the rate of plaque stain and tartar accumulation on your pet's teeth.
• This product works better after a dental has been performed.
• T/D can be used as treats, as long as T/D makes up 20% of the pet's diet, your dog or cat reaps the tartar control benefits.

Maxiguard Oral Cleansing Gel

• This product can be used with or without brushing your pet's teeth.
• To mix this product, remove the cap and pour attached vial contents into gel.  Snap the applicator tip into place and replace cap.  After ascorbic acid has dropped to the bottom of the gel, shake well until dissolved.  Once product has been mixed, it needs to be stored in your refrigerator.
• To apply, place applicator tip inside corner of the mouth and gently squeeze a small amount of gel onto the outside of the back upper molar teeth and gums.
• For best results, this product should be used daily.
• The benefits of using this product helps cleanse and freshens breath with or without brushing.

Oxyfresh Pet Deodorizer

• This product can be used along with daily brushing and applications of the maxiguard gel.
• If your pet will not let you get near hi/her mouth, this product will help minimize tartar build up.
• Add one teaspoon (one capful) of Oxyfresh per quart of your pet's drinking water.  Keep the bowl filled with freshly made solution daily.
• The pet deodorizer breaks down sulfur compound produced by the bacteria found in the mouth.  This, in turn, reduces the amount of plaque and tartar that forms on the teeth.

Enzadent Chews

• Enzadent chews can be fed as a treat on those days when you do not brush your pet's teeth.
• Feeding these chews provides your pet with plaque fighting enzymes and natural abrasive cleansing action to help keep breath fresh and teeth clean.

Using these products at home can be very beneficial for all pets; however, additional aids or products may be recommended for specific conditions, so please ask our veterinarians for a detailed plan tailored to your pet.