One aspect of canine health care which new or inexperienced dog owners seem to know the least about is dental hygiene- and yet it is a crucial part of keeping your dog in tip top condition. No matter how smart your dog is, it’s never going to be able to brush its own teeth- so you are going to have to help it maintain a healthy set of teeth and gums. Here are some top tips to ensure that you do just that.

Start young

Not many dogs enjoy having their teeth cleaned- but the easiest way to ensure that they are not uncomfortable with it, is by getting them used to it when they are a puppy. Instilling positive behaviour is much easier when your pet is young, this is exactly why you get them used to wearing dog collars when they are a puppy. As the saying goes- you can’t teach an old dog new tricks!

Do not use human toothpaste

Dogs have completely different dental requirements to our own and as a result human toothpaste should be avoided completely. More importantly, the vast majority of human toothpaste contains fluoride- a substance which is extremely poisonous to dogs. There are loads of specialist doggy toothpastes on the market- you can shop for them at Dogscorner.co.uk or other online dog stores.

Dental toys and treats

There are absolutely loads of toys and treats which have been designed to help promote dental hygiene. This can range from textured chew sticks to knotted rope toys. Even a good old fashioned bone will help to keep your dog’s teeth and gums in good shape. However, it is of the upmost importance that you do not misunderstand the role of such products. They exist to help in a wider programme of good dental hygiene practices- and absolutely not as something which can keep teeth and gums healthy in isolation.

Consult with your vet

Your vet should not be someone that you only see when your dog is in distress but someone you have an open discourse with regarding best practice for your dog’s general health- and this includes dental hygiene. Your vet will be able to help you select the correct products and show you the correct methods of keeping those canines nice and clean. If you have one of those dogs that simply refuses to have its teeth cleaned- and we’ve had a few of them ourselves- then they can help figure out alternative means of promoting healthy oral hygiene.

Nelly and her older brother Tojo are two cool sunbathing cats. Nelly is the more active of the pair, a black and white cat, who is one month younger than brother Tojo, likes to play and tease her older brother. Her Brother a grey tabby likes to relax, sleep and enjoy anything warm. At 2 years old the pair exhibit the qualities of kittens with the wisdom of much older cats.

Tojo is content to let Nelly play a leading role. Allowing her to dominate and declining to compete for the attention of everyone who comes to visit, instead laying by the heater and occasionally lifting his head to catch a glimpse of the action. Should he fall asleep for too long in the presence of company, fun or a visiting furry friend, Nelly will playfully invade his space, causing him to relocate.

Both love to spend time together chasing mice, flies and anything else, which moves in the garden. Especially on warm sunny days, where periods of play are interrupted by time spent lounging in the grass. On rainy days the two occupy themselves chasing dust balls, eating treats, relaxing on the clothes drier, or sitting in the window to take in the action going on outside from the dry warm house.

Tojo prefers his own space, waiting while Nelly finishes eating before jumping in for a quick bite or a drink. Whereas Nelly has a habit of pushing him right out of the way, and dutifully asking their parents for more food when the pair are hungry. In the morning when their mother is sleeping, Nelly leads the charge into the bedroom to wake her from her slumber to in order to get their breakfast, before the day’s play can begin.

This pair of cool cats enjoys an excellent life, equal parts play, relaxing, and hard work keeping the house safe and protected from any small furry creatures who may decide to visit. Read more about those two friends and see loads of pictures and videos on their blog about cats.

With increased popularity of any product there will always be more competitors to join the market place and offer various extras with their insurance products. Typically people will offer a range of things that a pet owner would prefer to insure against, this includes regular check-ups at the vet to full scale emergency surgery if it is required.

So how do you know what depth of cover you require? And how do you go about deciding on the level of insurance you feel is right for your wallet and your pets wellbeing?

It all comes down to the decision you personally make. What do you think is important and what do you feel should be covered? I had a friend who knew a vet student so she felt it was not worth getting insurance for general check-ups. Especially if her vet student friend could easily have a look over her dog and let her know immediately if anything seriously was wrong.

Many people might frown at this and think that would never leave an unregistered vet the responsibility to perform a quick check up on their beloved animal. This is fair enough to say and a great part of me agrees with this. The illustration above was to give an example of the various ways to look at pet insurance, what it covers, what you think it should cover and how often you should seek advice about the changes that are on offer. Remember it is only you how can make the final decision about the options available with pet insurance.

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