Canine Dental Issues

Happy New Year! To kick off this year I'd like to post about Canine Dental Issues.

In the book ''Raw Meaty Bones: Promote Health" veterinarian Tom Lonsdale writes:

"...The stench of mouth rot affecting so many of our pets is usually dismissed as 'dog's breath'. Children learn forbearance of the problem. In a picture book entitled Dog Breath, The Horrible Trouble with Hally Tosis, Hally the 'cute little fuzzy puppy' hero of the story was plagued by horrible breath. The Tosis children tried various cures for the problem. They took Hally to the top of a mountain with a breathtaking view, they hoped an exciting movie might leave Hally breathless and a roller coaster ride might take her breath away. But all to no avail, until one morning they awoke to find unconscious burglars, laid out by Hally's breath. Hally became an instant 'hero hound' with headliners proclaiming 'Rancid respirations restrain robbers'. The proud Tosis family erected a sign: 'this home protected by DOG BREATH.' In the group picture on the final page of the book the Tosis family are wearing clothes pegs on their noses and Hally is fast asleep.'

The point Lonsdale says is that we need to pay attention to the doggy breath, that if your dog has foul breath then it is possible your dog has periodontal disease which like in humans, if untreated can cause other issues in your dog. He states: 'the need for dental treatment almost always implies a failure of prevention'.

So my prevention is raw meat and bones for my dogs. As some of you may or may not know I have been feeding my past and present dogs a raw meat and bones diet for around 12 yrs. One of the many benefits of this type of diet is that the enzymes from the meat, as well as the chewing on raw meaty bones keep their teeth and gums healthy. Healthy teeth and gums mean no costly visits to the vets for periodic cleaning which also means not subjecting my dogs to the pre-anesthetic drugs and anesthesia which some dogs can be extremely sensitive to *.

*(See this link for details on the mutant MDR1 gene which can affect many collie herding breeds and cross breeds:
http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/depts-VCPL/breeds.aspx
I've performed the the test from the above vet university on both my dogs since the one is an Australian Shepherd and the other is a mixed breed, possibly border collie - he tests came back negative - Yeah! )

The following are some interesting links and excerpts from books that I have on the topic of canine dental issues. I will in future also post information on raw diets for dogs. If you can't wait, then Google any of the following terms, dogs natural raw diet, species specific canine diet, dogs biologically appropriate raw food or BARF (I know terrible name). Happy reading!

http://www.drpitcairn.com/health/health_topics.html

From "The Nature of Animal Healing" by Dr. Martin Goldstein, DVM writes:

"Animals in the wild usually have pearly white teeth. Why are our pets so often plagued with rotting teeth, abscesses of the mouth, and gum disease? The difference is: us. To begin with, for generations we've bred many kinds of dogs to hunt or show better, or merely to look cuter. In so doing, we've distorted the natural shape of their jaws."

He continues later:

"Man's other contribution is commercial food. Animals are meant to eat food in the raw: chelated, rich in vitamins, minerals, and enzymes, a bounty of nutrition as it's found in nature. Cooking of any sort breaks down some of those values, rendering the food less vital, and more congestive, to the body. Commercial pet food, as outlined in Chapter 3, takes ingredients that have almost no nutrition to start with and heat that little bit into oblivion. Even the texture detracts. Canine teeth especially are meant to gnaw raw bones and other hard structures; the incisors are actually meant to rip flesh. The process helps keep them healthy, as exercise does for the rest of the body, and helps prevent the buildup of tartar. The soft, almost predigested texture of 'wet' commercial foods, and even of dry kibbles (which are really just compressed powders), provides no workout at all for a pet's teeth. They form a kind of glue that adheres to the teeth, contributing to dental decay. Poor food also leads to foul
breath as it festers in the intestines and the stink of it backs up."

and later in the chapter:

"... a change in diet is crucial if the mouth is to heal itself. For dogs, include raw large soup bones from the butcher (ones that are not splinterable), at least one every few days. ... Keep in mind, too, that a lot of tartar comes not just from food in the mouth but from the backup of a congested digestive system, up through the salivary glands. We brush our teeth before going to sleep, only to wake up in the morning with foul breath and a film on our teeth. We don't get that way from eating in
our sleep! And neither do our pets."

Dr. Don Hamilton, DVM states:
"The best program for maintaining these healthy teeth and gums is obviously the
one the predator developed over eons of evolution. Fresh foods and chewing on
bones are the major components of the carnivore dental-health preventative-care
program. Chewing dog biscuits is no substitute; in fact, dry foods and biscuits
have virtually no impact on avoiding tartar accumulation. The key is a healthy
immune system, and this comes from a healthy diet, as well as avoiding stressors
that compromise the immune system, such as vaccination, drugs, and other
toxins."

further in that chapter, Hamilton states:
"When immunity weakens, however, microorganisms begin to invade the body,
starting at the gum line. ...
Additionally, antibiotics weaken the immune system, thereby contributing to the
gingivitis in the long run. Clinical experience supports this observation, as
the benefit derived from antibiotic treatment of many conditions is short-lived,
necessitating frequent changes of dose or medicine. Ultimately, antibiotics stop
working altogether when the body has weakened to the point that it cannot
provide any fight on its own. ...
Tartar accumulation begins with deposition of plaque on tooth surfaces. This
film of food residues adheres to teeth after eating, and the rougher the
surface, the more easily the plaque sticks. ... Chewing bones cleans the plaque
off the teeth before hardening can occur. Dry foods and dog biscuits simply do
not provide enough friction or time to accomplish this task, and there are
usually sugars in the foods that contribute to plaque formation. Salivation aids
tartar control by rinsing teeth and digesting the plaque, as well as by limiting
bacterial growth

... Dry foods, however, are generally very unhealthy, particularly for cats,
and *do not mimic bone chewing* as a method of keeping teeth clean and gums
healthy. ...

Poor foods contribute to gum and tooth disease by several means. First, and most
obvious, high levels of sugars and simple carbohydrates provide rapidly
available nutrition for oral bacteria. Secondly, poor nutrient quality simply
does not support the immune system. Third, and probably most important, though
commonly overlooked, rancid foods contribute greatly to degeneration of all body
tissues."

he also states :
"Additionally, the extra stress of vaccination further weakens the immune
system. Homeopathy can help, but this condition in cats can be quite difficult
to cure. Prevention is always easier, so start puppies and kittens out with
fresh foods, and spare the vaccinations -- help them keep those healthy, strong
teeth."