It’s bedtime, and everyone in the family is getting ready to brush their teeth … everyone, including your pet? According to a study conducted by Ipsos and published on dvm360, only 8 percent of dog owners and 4 percent of cat owners brush their pet’s teeth daily.
For many, this is not a big deal, as long as your furry family member is happy and doesn’t growl or hiss at the toothbrush when you try to clean their teeth.
But what happens when this is more serious than just bad breath? The American Animal Hospital Association states that ‘doggy breath is not normal.’ In fact, it could be one of the first signs that your furry pal is developing dental disease.
According to a paper published by TVP - Today’s Veterinary Practice, 80% of dogs and 70% of cats have some form of periodontal disease by the age of 2. Small and toy-breed dogs are more susceptible.
Although periodontal disease is painful, and dogs, in particular, are good at hiding pain, that’s not the worst part.
A study conducted by Dr. Larry Glickman at Purdue University, where he examined 120,000 dogs, half of them with some stage of periodontal disease, revealed a correlation between gum and heart maladies. "Our data show a clear statistical link between gum disease and heart disease in dogs," says Glickman.
When a pet suffers from dental disease, bacteria increase in the mouth and oral tissues. These bacteria can infiltrate the bloodstream, leading to systemic illnesses in various parts of the body, especially the heart, liver, and kidneys.
“The good news is that consistent oral care can reduce systemic diseases, kidney issues, diabetes, heart problems, oral pain, and many other pet illnesses.”, says Dr. Dar Radfar, a California Board Certified Dentist, and a Member of the ADA, CDA.
However, every pet owner knows how difficult it can be to brush your pet’s teeth because what they really want is to eat the toothpaste, bite the brush, or simply avoid it completely.
Fortunately, there are other ways to keep your furry family member’s teeth clean, including using wipes and water additives. But which one is the best for your pet?
After talking with many of his patients, who were concerned about their pet’s dental care, Dr. Dar Radfar created a solution for every pet’s preference: Rad Pet Dental Kit. “The toughest thing as pet owners is that we love our pets dearly and we want to keep their teeth clean.
However, some of our pets don’t respond easily to brushing their teeth.
In the Rad Pet Dental Kit not only do we have the toothbrush and toothpaste, but also finger brushes for dogs and cats, dental wipes with toothpaste that easily wipe in the mouth against the teeth to help remove the plaque and bacteria, and a water additive.
Adding one-third of the water additive cap to a dog’s or cat’s water bowl while they are drinking, helps reduce plaque and bacteria in the mouth,” says Dr. Radfar.
“It was my patients’ own complaints about the cost of dental cleaning and not knowing what to do that led me to create the Rad Pet Dental Kit. Out of 450 survey reviews, 432 pet parents loved it,” he adds.
You might think that taking your pet to an annual professional dental cleaning at the vet is enough.
However, according to TVP, a study showed that after teeth are completely cleaned, plaque forms on the tooth surfaces within 24 hours, and gum pockets become reinfected within 2 weeks if homecare is not performed.
Not only that, but the study also revealed that a lack of home care for only 3 weeks can result in gingivitis in all patients.
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, regularly cleaning your pet’s teeth is the single most effective thing you can do to keep their teeth healthy between annual dental prophylaxis and it may reduce the frequency or even eliminate the need for expensive periodic dental cleaning by your veterinarian.
“I have partnered with several pet clinics in the US and Canada to be able to dispense Rad Pet Dental Kit to pet owners and push the increasing awareness of dental health in pets,” says Dr. Radfar.
So, the next time you’re going to brush your teeth before bedtime, think about the furry family member who also needs dental care. He will be wagging his tail -or purring- with love for longer years to come.
For more information about Rad Pet Dental Kit, please visit Rad-Pet.com
Media contact:
Alexandra Rossi
703-462-4030
