One of the most popular questions I receive from pet parents is what can I give my dog to clean teeth and freshen stinky breath. While there are many dental aids for dogs, the number one recommended method is regular brushing using canine toothpaste. Unfortunately, this is not always practical due to your dog being an unwilling participant or just not being able to consistently brush your dog’s teeth. Thankfully, pet parents now have a brand new and unique preventive dental product to help clean their dog’s teeth while freshening his/her breath — OraVet Dental Hygiene Chews from Merial.
OraVet Chews look similar to Greenies but that is where the similarity ends. OraVet Chews are the first and only canine dental product that contain Delmopinol — the active ingredient that works to form a preventive barrier that blocks bacteria, and the future formation of plaque and calculus (tartar) that builds up over time. Delmopinol is safe and effective and can be found in many human dental products such as GUM PerioShield Oral Health Rinse.
OraVet Chews are highly palatable and completely dissolvable. They are designed to be given once daily in lieu of regular brushing. The chewing action helps to remove some of the plaque buildup and as your dog breaks up the chew, Delmopinol is released, leaving your dog with a fresh vanilla scent on their breath.
In a Merial study where dogs were given OraVet Chews daily for 56 days, it was shown that the dogs had 42% less plaque, 54% less tartar, and a 52.5% reduction in bad breath compared to those dogs given only dry dog food. As a veterinarian, I have seen the difference in my own dogs that are now enjoying OraVet Chews along with regular brushing. I highly recommend this product and urge you to stop in for a FREE sample today.
Grooming Tip of the Week
Does your dog scoot his butt across your carpet or seem to lick at his butt all the time? If the answer is yes, your dog most likely needs to have his/her anal glands expressed. The anal glands are actually internal sacs on either side of the butt and release an oily substance when your dog poops. For some dogs, especially smaller breeds, the anal glands fill up and do not express normally when going to the bathroom. Without proper expression, the anal glands become swollen and irritated, causing your dog to find relief through scooting and obsessive licking. If the glands are not expressed, painful abscesses can develop. Regular expression of the anal glands by a groomer or trained veterinary professional will help to prevent the anal glands from filling up. Please note that groomers express from the outside compared to trained veterinary professionals, who will express internally. Outside expression may not be suitable for some dogs to fully express the anal glands.
