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Dental
Care Important
for Health
By
Dawn Curie Thomas, DVM
Q: One of my dogs has lots of dental problems,
including tartar, loose teeth and bad breath. My
other dog has perfect teeth. What could cause the
difference?
A:
Dogs with different genetic histories can have very
different medical and dental problems, even if they
live in the same environment and eat the same food.
Some dogs have teeth that need regular attention
-- brushing, chew toys, special diets and dentistries
once or even twice a year. Other dogs have strong,
healthy teeth all of their lives.
An
annual dental examination is very important for
all dogs. Excessive tartar on the teeth, especially
at the gum line, can result in irritation, infection
and receding gums. This can lead to serious infections
and diseases of the gums and teeth, as well as digestion
and nutritional problems, which cause bad breath.
When dental problems are ignored and left untreated,
bacteria can build up in your dog's mouth and lead
to other infections in the body -- including in
the heart.
Other
common symptoms of tooth and gum disease include
decreased appetite, sneezing, and a reluctance to
eat hard food. During an examination, your veterinarian
may find red, sore, or receded gums; loose, infected
teeth; yellow-brown tartar on the teeth; and even
infected sinuses.
Pets
with excessive tartar or infected teeth or gums
are due for dentistries. A general anesthesia is
required to thoroughly clean your pet's teeth. Any
loose, infected teeth are pulled and the infected
areas are treated. After being cleaned, the healthy
teeth are polished. Antibiotics often are necessary
to fight infection and may be started a few days
before the dentistry to help protect against infection
spreading in the bloodstream.
Many
pet owners elect to have a dentistry done when their
pet is already under anesthesia for a spay or neuter
surgery. A pre-anesthetic blood test always is recommended
to help prevent unexpected complications.
 In
addition to dentistries, brushing your pet's teeth
can be helpful in preventing dental disease. Veterinarian's
Best all-natural DentalCare
Gel combines the benefits of baking soda,
peroxide, neem oil, and enzymes for healthier teeth
and gums. DentalCare Gel helps prevent tooth decay
by removing plaque and reducing harmful bacteria.
And pets love the great fruity flavor!
Also,
the Veterinarian's Best DentalCare
Stain Eraser & Tooth Scaler cleans plaque,
tartar and food deposits from your pet's teeth quickly
and effectively right at home. The scientifically
designed cleaning tip gently lifts off tough surface
stains and debris, leaving teeth clean and bright.
If
you find that it is impractical to brush your pet's
teeth, you should provide a diet that includes dry
kibble to help reduce tartar buildup. Letting your
dog have rawhide chew toys can help keep teeth healthy,
but care should be taken not to permit your pet
to chew on anything that might splinter and get
stuck in the throat.
 Veterinarian's
Best's new Dental
Fresh Pet Swabs freshen breath and promote
healthy gums with chlorophyll, neem oil and parsley
seed oil.
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 Unique
Liquid Catnip Swabs Trigger Feline 'Pleasure Zone'
Catnip
Therapy Swabs, a new product from Veterinarian's
Best, Inc., turn on the "fun and pleasure" zone in
the feline brain with a unique liquid catnip formula.
Developed
by veterinarian Dawn Curie Thomas, DVM, Catnip Therapy
Swabs are literally "a snap to use." Cotton-tipped
plastic tubes are filled with liquid catnip. When
one end is snapped off, the liquid inside flows into
the opposite end, saturating the cotton tip for easy
application.
The
liquid aromatherapy can be dabbed on a cat's ears,
tail or neck -- or used to refresh catnip toys and
make scratching posts more attractive to cats.
Catnip,
an aromatic mint herb, causes most felines to act
as though they are in ecstasy, purring and rolling
around on the ground. Other species are not affected.
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Veterinarian's
Best Introduces New Foaming Products for Pets
Tired
of wrestling with your dog or cat in the bathtub
or trying to stuff a pill down the throat of your
unwilling pet? Instead, now you can use quick
and quiet foaming products from Veterinarian's
Best.
The
unique products, developed by veterinarian Dawn
Curie Thomas, DVM, include Dry Clean Waterless Bath
Foam, Flake & Itch Relief Foam, Liquid Brush Detangling
Foam and Rub-On Hip & Joint Glucosamine Foam for
dogs and cats. Two other products just for dogs
are Lavender Comfort Calm Foam and Deodorant Leave-On
Foam. And, your cats can enjoy Catnip Happy Bath
Foam.
...The
Veterinarian's Best foam products contain human
cosmetic-grade ingredients and are safe for pet
owners to massage into the haircoat by hand. The
products are available in 6-ounce pump bottles.
 Dry
Clean Waterless Bath Foam provides
a quick cleanup for dirty, smelly dogs and cats
without the inconvenience of a messy bath with splashing
and shaking and shivering. Just apply the foam and
massage it into the haircoat, let dry, and then
brush. Cat owners especially appreciate the waterless
feature of Dry Clean foam because cats usually hate
water. Dry Clean foam contains neem oil to relieve
itching and oatmeal to soothe irritated skin.
 Flake
& Itch Relief Foam quickly relieves
itching and scratching while removing excessive
flaking or dandruff -- often caused by flea allergy
dermatitis or pollen allergies. Flake & Itch Relief
Foam contains neem oil, aloe vera and MSM to help
stop itching and moisturize dry, flaky skin.
 Liquid
Brush Detangling Foam is a leave-on
conditioner that freshens your pet all over and
provides a shiny, silky smooth haircoat for easy
grooming. Liquid Brush Detangling Foam contains
aloe vera and essential oils to condition and moisturize
the haircoat.
 Rub-On
Hip & Joint Glucosamine Foam quickly
absorbs into the skin to provide topical relief
for sore muscles and stiff joints caused by arthritis
and hip dysplasia. Rub-On Hip & Joint Glucosamine
contains glucosamine HCl, MSM and aloe vera.
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Unique Pet Swabs Are a Snap to Use
Pet
Swabs, a unique new line of products from Veterinarian's
Best, are cotton-tipped plastic tubes -- like Q-Tips,
only hollow -- filled with various liquids for a
variety of treatments. When one end is snapped off,
liquid flows into the opposite end, saturating the
cotton tip for application.
The uses for Pet Swabs are:
-
Ear
Relief Wash helps prevent itching,
odor and mites in ears.
- Dental
Fresh freshens breath of pets.
- First
Aid relieves pain and cleanses
minor cuts, scrapes and burns.
- Tear
Stain helps prevent tear stains
under eyes of light-colored pets.
-
Around
the Eye removes unsightly discharge
around eyes.
-
Styptic Stick
stops minor skin and nail bleeding. Pet Swabs
are available in handy packets of 24 swabs
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Foaming
Products (continued)
 Lavender
Comfort Calm Foam contains chamomile,
valerian extract and essential oil of lavender to
help relax your pet.
 Leave-On
Deodorant Foam is a perfect way to
keep your dog smelling fresh and clean, just by
applying the foam and massaging. Leave-On Deodorant
foam contains odor neutralizing enzymes, chlorophyll
and parsley seed oil. Lavender Comfort Calm Foam
aromatherapy keeps dogs relaxed when they are traveling,
home alone, or anxious because of thunder, fireworks
or the commotion of visitors or the holidays.
 Catnip
Happy Bath Foam provides playful
aromatherapy for your cat at bathtime. Cats usually
dislike water but love catnip. Now you can perk
up your feline friend's mood during a waterless
foam bath. Catnip Happy Bath Foam contains aloe
vera, yucca and catnip extract.
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