Fetching Frieda's & Starved Rock Pet Resort Blog

After having managed a million-dollar dental practice for thirty years, I feel that I know something about good dental health. After owning, breeding, and loving bullmastiff dogs for over thirty years, I know the importance of integrating good dental health into the lives of our pets. As the owner of both the Starved Rock Pet Resort and the Fetching Frieda’s Dog and Cat Emporium, I feel it is my duty to share my knowledge and experience with people who want to provide a better quality of care for their pets.

Some veterinarians think dental problems are the single most common condition that presents in their practices today. I know we certainly see a lot of bad doggie breath, missing teeth, and dirty mouths in our grooming clients.

Why is this happening?

Well, most dental problems share a lot in common. The presence of bacteria and plaque in the mouth, poor nutrition, and little if any dental cleaning. The problem with bacteria is that infected gums allow bacteria to cross into the bloodstream. This can infect the heart, liver, and kidneys. The production of dental plaque requires carbohydrates, bacteria, food residue, and saliva. Plaque leads to periodontal disease and eventual tooth loss. As you can see, dental health affects the well-being of the whole pet.

In my opinion, the best way you can improve your pets’ health, significantly reduce the presence of plaque build-up, and minimize the likelihood of dental surgery is to follow my three recommendations.

Feed the lowest carbohydrate diet you can find that is AAFCO approved. Most raw diets are very low in carbohydrates and are available in frozen or freeze-dried form. I especially like Safari Raw and feed it to my puppies.

Use one or more of the dental products, that are now readily available, on a daily basis. I like PlaqueOff because it is very effective and easy to use. Just sprinkle it on your pets’ food. The Zymox enzymatic products are also excellent and come as a water additive, direct application, or toothbrush form. And of course, see your veterinarian for yearly exams.

Remember, February is pet dental health month. Do something healthy for your pet.

I welcome your feedback. Let me know if you would like me to address a specific subject.

I am not a doctor or registered dietitian. I am a lifelong student of the natural world. The purpose of my blog is to share my experiences with animals, food, herbs, and natural health. I hope to empower people to make their own best decisions regarding the way that they care for their four-legged family members. As always, I encourage you to use common sense, ask questions, and do your own research when it comes to the health and fitness of your pets. My comments are not meant to be construed as medical advice or to take the place of your veterinarian.