New Zealand : Thursday, 23 December 2010 (Local Time)
Brush your dog's teeth every day and get a dentist to check them every six months if you want your pet to avoid foul breath, a veterinarian says.
Dr Michael Hardcastle said 98 percent of pet owners were failing to meet basic health care needs of their pets by not brushing their teeth daily.
Tartar quickly built up on dogs' teeth and was a major cause of pain and discomfort, he said.
"Every pet owner should do what they can to prevent this problem. The ideal way to maintain canine oral health is a daily cleaning routine."
He made his comments after a survey by Dentastix which markets dog dental health products. The survey showed more than a third of dog owners were critical of their pet's oral hygiene, yet 61 percent did not brush their dog's teeth at all, 55 percent did not realise they needed to, and 15 percent said their dog didn't like it.
Seven percent said they didn't know how to brush their dog's teeth, while four percent said it was too dangerous.
"Adult dogs should have a dental check every six months - the same as recommended for people," said Dr Hardcastle.
The most regular dental care for dogs was biscuits, followed by dog chews and animal bones.
Story and Foto from : www.stuff.co.nz
