Spot’s Battle of the Toothbrush … And How I Won

Today, Spot's gums are looking healthier and we haven't had to extract any teeth. He has no problems sampling a variety of treats.

When we adopted Spot last year, he came with some dental issues. His gums were swollen and would often bleed. I could tell it would make him uncomfortable by the way he would open his mouth. After checking with the vet, he actually suggested Spot would need to have some teeth extracted. Before resorting to that though, I decided I’d try to brush his teeth to see if that would help.

Sounds easy … unless you’ve ever tried to brush a cat’s teeth.

I did try. I took out the cat toothbrush and paste and tried to start Spot off on the right paw with maintaining his teeth. But he’d squirm, get stressed out and run and hide behind the bags of dog food, or climb to safety in his cat tree. And every time, he’d give me the stink eye. I was hesitant to keep stressing him out, since as many of you have seen, Spot is a laid back, social guy. I didn’t want to risk losing that by making him fearful.

Outsmarting Spot
It became clear the only way I was going to be able to “brush” Spot’s teeth was if I could find a way to trick him. It was a great opportunity to test a product called PlaqueOff Animal from ProDen. PlaqueOff is a powder that is sprinkled on your pet’s food.

Dogs will enjoy keeping their chops healthy by gnawing on products, such as these bones and antlers.

The claim: Daily doses of PlaqueOff will reduce tartar and plaque buildup. An added perk? Your pets’ breath will improve.

The directions: Sprinkle one-half to to 1 scoop (scoop included) into your pet’s food daily. The seaweed in the product reduces plaque and tartar build up within three to eight weeks.

So I started mixing it into Spot’s and Cisco’s breakfast. I was honestly amazed at how well it worked. Spot’s bleeding has stopped and his gums are not inflamed; even Cisco’s gums look healthier. Aside from the visual results I see, I can also smell that their breath has improved.

I also know it’s working because there was one week where I hadn’t given it to them every day and Spot’s gums became inflamed and began to bleed again.

The product can also be used for dogs, too. But your dog might prefer to chew on some of the special bones and antlers we have in the shop that help keep your dog’s teeth healthy. This is what I’ve always done for Stella — she enjoys her bones and is never the wiser to the added health benefits.

Just don’t buy into the idea that kibble is a viable option for keeping your pet’s teeth free of plaque. In fact, kibble is often the cause of dental issues in pets, since when it’s chewed, it creates a paste that can lodge up above your pet’s gum line, leading to plaque buildup.

The Bottom Line
When it comes to gum disease, dogs and cats are no different than us. It’s an infection that forms around teeth and gums that results from too much plaque. And it can also cause more than mouth problems. Research shows that dogs with periodontal disease have more damage to their heart muscle, liver and kidneys.

So caring for your pets’ teeth is an important part of keeping them healthy. Chronic bad breath is one of the first signs of a problem. If you are noticing the signs of gum disease in your pet, stop in we can find a product to help. And while you’re here, you can also check out Spot’s healthy chops.

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