Dental Care Tips For Your New Puppy

Berkeley Heights Animal Hospital

269 Springfield Avenue, Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922

(908) 464-0023

You've just welcomed your brand new pup into your home and you've gotten started on the training process - now what? Although as humans we put a lot of emphasis on keeping our teeth healthy, a lot of the time new pet owners forget how important it is to do the same for their furry friends. So, once your pup has gotten settled into their new home and has become acquainted with your family members, it's time to get into a smart dental routine.

To keep your puppy from experiencing major oral problems as he or she grows and matures, here are three very important things you should do in your first year together:

1. Get your puppy used to people touching his or her mouth. The easiest way to get your new puppy used to the feeling of someone touching his or her mouth (whether it be you or your veterinarian) is to do exactly that - touch his or her mouth. However, don't go at this aggressively - a good time to start is when you two are sitting and cuddling together. And since animals respond positively to praise, make sure you reward your pet for letting you touch their mouth, such as by giving them a treat afterwords. Tip: if your pet is extremely uneasy the first few times you handle their mouth, dip your finger in something that they'll enjoy the taste of.
2. Watch what your puppy is munching on. Despite the fact that puppy teeth do fall out eventually, you still want to keep them in good shape - a broken puppy tooth or two will land you in the vet just as if it was one of their adult teeth. So, monitor what they munch on and try to keep them only chewing on toys that are safe for their little teeth - there are plenty of toys specifically made for teething purposes! A rule of thumb to find out if a toy is safe or not is to see if you can dent it with your own fingernail - if you can't, it's too hard for your puppy!
3. Start brushing regularly. Like human teeth, unless puppy teeth are brushed regularly, it's likely that they'll develop tartar, which later leads to health concerns like gingivitis and periodontal disease. That said, once your puppy feels comfortable with you touching his or her mouth, start to introduce the idea of brushing. While you do want to brush all teeth, the first few times you may only be able to do a few, and that's okay! Even if it's a slow start and takes a while for your puppy to warm up to the idea of having their teeth brushed, what matters is that you're developing the right habits early.

Still have questions about how to care for your new puppy's teeth? Write to us on Facebook or Twitter or contact us at (908) 464-0023! We recommend that you bring your dog in for an annual dental exam and teeth cleaning to ensure their teeth and gums stay healthy, and we are currently offering a $299 dental special that includes a cleaning, scaling and polishing!

For more information, please visit www.berkeleyheightsah.com or give us a call today.