Take care of your dog’s dental needs

While your pooch’s breath may never smell like a bunch of roses, if it carries a pong that makes you want to pass out, something’s amiss and your dog could actually have gum disease.

Sadly, your canine can’t tell you if something is wrong, so it’s up to you as a pet owner to get to the bottom of what’s causing it. Research shows that four out of five of dogs over the age of three years have gum disease, caused by plaque and tartar build-up around the gum line.

The good news is this stat can be reduced by an effective dental care routine.

“So many dog owners forget to check the condition of their pet’s teeth. Bad breath is often ‘brushed over’, when in fact, if left untreated, can lead to the deterioration of your dog’s health and standard of life.

“That is where Pedigree DentaStix comes to the rescue – it’s a daily chew to help you keep your dog’s teeth clean and reduces plaque build-up,” says Ashleigh Sanderson, Senior Brand Manager, Dog Portfolio.

But how can dog owners tell if their dog has gum disease, besides checking for bad breath? Some other underlying clues include red, inflamed or bleeding gums, a receding gum line and tooth root exposure, loose teeth, calculus (tartar) build up and in severe cases, a change in eating behaviour – such as preferring softer foods, or chewing more on one side of the mouth. The sticks can be introduced as a morning or evening cleaning routine. So, when you brush your teeth, they can chomp along with you on a stick.

The chew has a unique X-shape and a mildly abrasive texture, with active ingredients, that when fed to your dog daily, is scientifically proven to reduce the build-up of plaque at the gum line, where it matters most. They are low in fat, free of artificial colour and sugar and contain real meat flavour for added deliciousness.