Did you know cats and dogs need to have their teeth brushed to keep them healthy?
By 3 years of age 80% have periodontal disease. "Dog Breath" in cats and dogs is completely preventable by brushing. Chewies like safe types of rawhides can only help the back teeth. Here is a link to a video on "How To Brush Your Cat's Teeth" I helped make while working at the Cornell University Hospital for Animals: http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/pet/cats. The principles described work equally well in both cats and dogs. Tooth brushing is to be used on healthy teeth and gingival tissue AFTER treatment. Brushing is preventive and is not therapeutic. I draw the parallel between falling off your bike and getting skin abrasions on your knees. If I said to you, "Well now, let me get a brush to remove all of the dirt embedded in your skin.", you'd probably yell at me to "GET LOST!" Similarly, inflamed tissues in the mouth will likely get even more inflamed if a brush is applied before the tissues are healthy.
My strategy involves establishing a link between tooth brushing and the highlight of the pet's day, which usually is eating. Immediately prior to setting the food dish on the floor, or giving the dog the "release" command that it is OK to eat, (we use "you're free"), put a teeny weeny dot of pet tooth paste on the front of the dog or cat's lip...and then allow them to eat. The animal is SO focused on eating, that they will overlook your human foolishness, and pay little attention to what you did. The procedure (dot of paste on the lips or muzzle) is repeated at every meal so that the application of a little extra flavor on the lips becomes established as a new ritual (As you know, animals always like things to be the same, and they are afraid of, or reject new things until they become familiar with them). After that ritual has been mastered,
Step 2 (of four steps), is to lift a lip and gently apply a teeny weeny little dot of paste to the crown of one of the animal's canine teeth, immediately followed thereafter by praise and allowing the animal to devour dinner. No brushing is done...you are just applying a little flavor onto the tooth. That maneuver is likewise repeated with every meal, so that after several days, the pet looks forward to it, because immediately after the "appetizer" he/she is allowed to eat. After the pet has become accustomed to Step 2 , you can move on to Step 3.
Step 3 is exactly like Step 1, EXCEPT instead of applying a dot of paste on the lips with your FINGER, apply the dot of paste to the BRUSH, and then apply the brush to the pet's lips. No doubt by now, the pet will lick the paste from off the brush with gusto, and within seconds, the food is presented, ready to be eaten. After that step has been mastered,
Step 4 is exactly like Step 2, except rather than lifting the lip and applying the dot of paste with a FINGER onto the canine tooth, the dot of paste is applied to the brush, and the BRUSH is gently applied to the canine tooth. Those four steps get the animal accustomed to having a brush in it's mouth immediately before dinner. So far, there has been no "brushing" yet, but you can see the concept is one of gradual introduction of something new, immediately rewarded with food. What DOES NOT work, is putting the animal in a head-lock and jamming a brush down it's throat. That may work one time, but the next time the pet senses what you're up to, FUGEDDABOUT IT! Hope that helps.
Eric M Davis, DVM Diplomate, American Veterinary Dental College Animal Dental Specialists of Upstate New York 315-445-5640 www.adsuny.com how to brush your cat's teeth video http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/pet-owners/cat-teeth/entire-video
Did you know cats and dogs need to have their teeth brushed to keep them healthy?
By 3 years of age 80% have periodontal disease. "Dog Breath" in cats and dogs is completely preventable by brushing. Chewies like safe types of rawhides can only help the back teeth. Here is a link to a video on "How To Brush Your Cat's Teeth" I helped make while working at the Cornell University Hospital for Animals: http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/pet/cats. The principles described work equally well in both cats and dogs. Tooth brushing is to be used on healthy teeth and gingival tissue AFTER treatment. Brushing is preventive and is not therapeutic. I draw the parallel between falling off your bike and getting skin abrasions on your knees. If I said to you, "Well now, let me get a brush to remove all of the dirt embedded in your skin.", you'd probably yell at me to "GET LOST!" Similarly, inflamed tissues in the mouth will likely get even more inflamed if a brush is applied before the tissues are healthy.
My strategy involves establishing a link between tooth brushing and the highlight of the pet's day, which usually is eating. Immediately prior to setting the food dish on the floor, or giving the dog the "release" command that it is OK to eat, (we use "you're free"), put a teeny weeny dot of pet tooth paste on the front of the dog or cat's lip...and then allow them to eat. The animal is SO focused on eating, that they will overlook your human foolishness, and pay little attention to what you did. The procedure (dot of paste on the lips or muzzle) is repeated at every meal so that the application of a little extra flavor on the lips becomes established as a new ritual (As you know, animals always like things to be the same, and they are afraid of, or reject new things until they become familiar with them). After that ritual has been mastered,
Step 2 (of four steps), is to lift a lip and gently apply a teeny weeny little dot of paste to the crown of one of the animal's canine teeth, immediately followed thereafter by praise and allowing the animal to devour dinner. No brushing is done...you are just applying a little flavor onto the tooth. That maneuver is likewise repeated with every meal, so that after several days, the pet looks forward to it, because immediately after the "appetizer" he/she is allowed to eat. After the pet has become accustomed to Step 2 , you can move on to Step 3.
Step 3 is exactly like Step 1, EXCEPT instead of applying a dot of paste on the lips with your FINGER, apply the dot of paste to the BRUSH, and then apply the brush to the pet's lips. No doubt by now, the pet will lick the paste from off the brush with gusto, and within seconds, the food is presented, ready to be eaten. After that step has been mastered,
Step 4 is exactly like Step 2, except rather than lifting the lip and applying the dot of paste with a FINGER onto the canine tooth, the dot of paste is applied to the brush, and the BRUSH is gently applied to the canine tooth. Those four steps get the animal accustomed to having a brush in it's mouth immediately before dinner. So far, there has been no "brushing" yet, but you can see the concept is one of gradual introduction of something new, immediately rewarded with food. What DOES NOT work, is putting the animal in a head-lock and jamming a brush down it's throat. That may work one time, but the next time the pet senses what you're up to, FUGEDDABOUT IT! Hope that helps.
Eric M Davis, DVM Diplomate, American Veterinary Dental College Animal Dental Specialists of Upstate New York 315-445-5640 www.adsuny.com how to brush your cat's teeth video http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/pet-owners/cat-teeth/entire-video
Did you know cats and dogs need to have their teeth brushed to keep them healthy?
By 3 years of age 80% have periodontal disease. "Dog Breath" in cats and dogs is completely preventable by brushing. Chewies like safe types of rawhides can only help the back teeth. Here is a link to a video on "How To Brush Your Cat's Teeth" I helped make while working at the Cornell University Hospital for Animals: http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/pet/cats. The principles described work equally well in both cats and dogs. Tooth brushing is to be used on healthy teeth and gingival tissue AFTER treatment. Brushing is preventive and is not therapeutic. I draw the parallel between falling off your bike and getting skin abrasions on your knees. If I said to you, "Well now, let me get a brush to remove all of the dirt embedded in your skin.", you'd probably yell at me to "GET LOST!" Similarly, inflamed tissues in the mouth will likely get even more inflamed if a brush is applied before the tissues are healthy.
My strategy involves establishing a link between tooth brushing and the highlight of the pet's day, which usually is eating. Immediately prior to setting the food dish on the floor, or giving the dog the "release" command that it is OK to eat, (we use "you're free"), put a teeny weeny dot of pet tooth paste on the front of the dog or cat's lip...and then allow them to eat. The animal is SO focused on eating, that they will overlook your human foolishness, and pay little attention to what you did. The procedure (dot of paste on the lips or muzzle) is repeated at every meal so that the application of a little extra flavor on the lips becomes established as a new ritual (As you know, animals always like things to be the same, and they are afraid of, or reject new things until they become familiar with them). After that ritual has been mastered,
Step 2 (of four steps), is to lift a lip and gently apply a teeny weeny little dot of paste to the crown of one of the animal's canine teeth, immediately followed thereafter by praise and allowing the animal to devour dinner. No brushing is done...you are just applying a little flavor onto the tooth. That maneuver is likewise repeated with every meal, so that after several days, the pet looks forward to it, because immediately after the "appetizer" he/she is allowed to eat. After the pet has become accustomed to Step 2 , you can move on to Step 3.
Step 3 is exactly like Step 1, EXCEPT instead of applying a dot of paste on the lips with your FINGER, apply the dot of paste to the BRUSH, and then apply the brush to the pet's lips. No doubt by now, the pet will lick the paste from off the brush with gusto, and within seconds, the food is presented, ready to be eaten. After that step has been mastered,
Step 4 is exactly like Step 2, except rather than lifting the lip and applying the dot of paste with a FINGER onto the canine tooth, the dot of paste is applied to the brush, and the BRUSH is gently applied to the canine tooth. Those four steps get the animal accustomed to having a brush in it's mouth immediately before dinner. So far, there has been no "brushing" yet, but you can see the concept is one of gradual introduction of something new, immediately rewarded with food. What DOES NOT work, is putting the animal in a head-lock and jamming a brush down it's throat. That may work one time, but the next time the pet senses what you're up to, FUGEDDABOUT IT! Hope that helps.
Eric M Davis, DVM Diplomate, American Veterinary Dental College Animal Dental Specialists of Upstate New York 315-445-5640 www.adsuny.com how to brush your cat's teeth video http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/pet-owners/cat-teeth/entire-video
Did you know cats and dogs need to have their teeth brushed to keep them healthy?
By 3 years of age 80% have periodontal disease. "Dog Breath" in cats and dogs is completely preventable by brushing. Chewies like safe types of rawhides can only help the back teeth. Here is a link to a video on "How To Brush Your Cat's Teeth" I helped make while working at the Cornell University Hospital for Animals: http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/pet/cats. The principles described work equally well in both cats and dogs. Tooth brushing is to be used on healthy teeth and gingival tissue AFTER treatment. Brushing is preventive and is not therapeutic. I draw the parallel between falling off your bike and getting skin abrasions on your knees. If I said to you, "Well now, let me get a brush to remove all of the dirt embedded in your skin.", you'd probably yell at me to "GET LOST!" Similarly, inflamed tissues in the mouth will likely get even more inflamed if a brush is applied before the tissues are healthy.
My strategy involves establishing a link between tooth brushing and the highlight of the pet's day, which usually is eating. Immediately prior to setting the food dish on the floor, or giving the dog the "release" command that it is OK to eat, (we use "you're free"), put a teeny weeny dot of pet tooth paste on the front of the dog or cat's lip...and then allow them to eat. The animal is SO focused on eating, that they will overlook your human foolishness, and pay little attention to what you did. The procedure (dot of paste on the lips or muzzle) is repeated at every meal so that the application of a little extra flavor on the lips becomes established as a new ritual (As you know, animals always like things to be the same, and they are afraid of, or reject new things until they become familiar with them). After that ritual has been mastered,
Step 2 (of four steps), is to lift a lip and gently apply a teeny weeny little dot of paste to the crown of one of the animal's canine teeth, immediately followed thereafter by praise and allowing the animal to devour dinner. No brushing is done...you are just applying a little flavor onto the tooth. That maneuver is likewise repeated with every meal, so that after several days, the pet looks forward to it, because immediately after the "appetizer" he/she is allowed to eat. After the pet has become accustomed to Step 2 , you can move on to Step 3.
Step 3 is exactly like Step 1, EXCEPT instead of applying a dot of paste on the lips with your FINGER, apply the dot of paste to the BRUSH, and then apply the brush to the pet's lips. No doubt by now, the pet will lick the paste from off the brush with gusto, and within seconds, the food is presented, ready to be eaten. After that step has been mastered,
Step 4 is exactly like Step 2, except rather than lifting the lip and applying the dot of paste with a FINGER onto the canine tooth, the dot of paste is applied to the brush, and the BRUSH is gently applied to the canine tooth. Those four steps get the animal accustomed to having a brush in it's mouth immediately before dinner. So far, there has been no "brushing" yet, but you can see the concept is one of gradual introduction of something new, immediately rewarded with food. What DOES NOT work, is putting the animal in a head-lock and jamming a brush down it's throat. That may work one time, but the next time the pet senses what you're up to, FUGEDDABOUT IT! Hope that helps.
Eric M Davis, DVM Diplomate, American Veterinary Dental College Animal Dental Specialists of Upstate New York 315-445-5640 www.adsuny.com how to brush your cat's teeth video http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/pet-owners/cat-teeth/entire-video
Did you know cats and dogs need to have their teeth brushed to keep them healthy?
By 3 years of age 80% have periodontal disease. "Dog Breath" in cats and dogs is completely preventable by brushing. Chewies like safe types of rawhides can only help the back teeth. Here is a link to a video on "How To Brush Your Cat's Teeth" I helped make while working at the Cornell University Hospital for Animals: http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/pet/cats. The principles described work equally well in both cats and dogs. Tooth brushing is to be used on healthy teeth and gingival tissue AFTER treatment. Brushing is preventive and is not therapeutic. I draw the parallel between falling off your bike and getting skin abrasions on your knees. If I said to you, "Well now, let me get a brush to remove all of the dirt embedded in your skin.", you'd probably yell at me to "GET LOST!" Similarly, inflamed tissues in the mouth will likely get even more inflamed if a brush is applied before the tissues are healthy.
My strategy involves establishing a link between tooth brushing and the highlight of the pet's day, which usually is eating. Immediately prior to setting the food dish on the floor, or giving the dog the "release" command that it is OK to eat, (we use "you're free"), put a teeny weeny dot of pet tooth paste on the front of the dog or cat's lip...and then allow them to eat. The animal is SO focused on eating, that they will overlook your human foolishness, and pay little attention to what you did. The procedure (dot of paste on the lips or muzzle) is repeated at every meal so that the application of a little extra flavor on the lips becomes established as a new ritual (As you know, animals always like things to be the same, and they are afraid of, or reject new things until they become familiar with them). After that ritual has been mastered,
Step 2 (of four steps), is to lift a lip and gently apply a teeny weeny little dot of paste to the crown of one of the animal's canine teeth, immediately followed thereafter by praise and allowing the animal to devour dinner. No brushing is done...you are just applying a little flavor onto the tooth. That maneuver is likewise repeated with every meal, so that after several days, the pet looks forward to it, because immediately after the "appetizer" he/she is allowed to eat. After the pet has become accustomed to Step 2 , you can move on to Step 3.
Step 3 is exactly like Step 1, EXCEPT instead of applying a dot of paste on the lips with your FINGER, apply the dot of paste to the BRUSH, and then apply the brush to the pet's lips. No doubt by now, the pet will lick the paste from off the brush with gusto, and within seconds, the food is presented, ready to be eaten. After that step has been mastered,
Step 4 is exactly like Step 2, except rather than lifting the lip and applying the dot of paste with a FINGER onto the canine tooth, the dot of paste is applied to the brush, and the BRUSH is gently applied to the canine tooth. Those four steps get the animal accustomed to having a brush in it's mouth immediately before dinner. So far, there has been no "brushing" yet, but you can see the concept is one of gradual introduction of something new, immediately rewarded with food. What DOES NOT work, is putting the animal in a head-lock and jamming a brush down it's throat. That may work one time, but the next time the pet senses what you're up to, FUGEDDABOUT IT! Hope that helps.
Eric M Davis, DVM Diplomate, American Veterinary Dental College Animal Dental Specialists of Upstate New York 315-445-5640 www.adsuny.com how to brush your cat's teeth video http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/pet-owners/cat-teeth/entire-video
Did you know cats and dogs need to have their teeth brushed to keep them healthy?
By 3 years of age 80% have periodontal disease. "Dog Breath" in cats and dogs is completely preventable by brushing. Chewies like safe types of rawhides can only help the back teeth. Here is a link to a video on "How To Brush Your Cat's Teeth" I helped make while working at the Cornell University Hospital for Animals: http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/pet/cats. The principles described work equally well in both cats and dogs. Tooth brushing is to be used on healthy teeth and gingival tissue AFTER treatment. Brushing is preventive and is not therapeutic. I draw the parallel between falling off your bike and getting skin abrasions on your knees. If I said to you, "Well now, let me get a brush to remove all of the dirt embedded in your skin.", you'd probably yell at me to "GET LOST!" Similarly, inflamed tissues in the mouth will likely get even more inflamed if a brush is applied before the tissues are healthy.
My strategy involves establishing a link between tooth brushing and the highlight of the pet's day, which usually is eating. Immediately prior to setting the food dish on the floor, or giving the dog the "release" command that it is OK to eat, (we use "you're free"), put a teeny weeny dot of pet tooth paste on the front of the dog or cat's lip...and then allow them to eat. The animal is SO focused on eating, that they will overlook your human foolishness, and pay little attention to what you did. The procedure (dot of paste on the lips or muzzle) is repeated at every meal so that the application of a little extra flavor on the lips becomes established as a new ritual (As you know, animals always like things to be the same, and they are afraid of, or reject new things until they become familiar with them). After that ritual has been mastered,
Step 2 (of four steps), is to lift a lip and gently apply a teeny weeny little dot of paste to the crown of one of the animal's canine teeth, immediately followed thereafter by praise and allowing the animal to devour dinner. No brushing is done...you are just applying a little flavor onto the tooth. That maneuver is likewise repeated with every meal, so that after several days, the pet looks forward to it, because immediately after the "appetizer" he/she is allowed to eat. After the pet has become accustomed to Step 2 , you can move on to Step 3.
Step 3 is exactly like Step 1, EXCEPT instead of applying a dot of paste on the lips with your FINGER, apply the dot of paste to the BRUSH, and then apply the brush to the pet's lips. No doubt by now, the pet will lick the paste from off the brush with gusto, and within seconds, the food is presented, ready to be eaten. After that step has been mastered,
Step 4 is exactly like Step 2, except rather than lifting the lip and applying the dot of paste with a FINGER onto the canine tooth, the dot of paste is applied to the brush, and the BRUSH is gently applied to the canine tooth. Those four steps get the animal accustomed to having a brush in it's mouth immediately before dinner. So far, there has been no "brushing" yet, but you can see the concept is one of gradual introduction of something new, immediately rewarded with food. What DOES NOT work, is putting the animal in a head-lock and jamming a brush down it's throat. That may work one time, but the next time the pet senses what you're up to, FUGEDDABOUT IT! Hope that helps.
Eric M Davis, DVM Diplomate, American Veterinary Dental College Animal Dental Specialists of Upstate New York 315-445-5640 www.adsuny.com how to brush your cat's teeth video http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/pet-owners/cat-teeth/entire-video
how to brush your cat's teeth video
http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/pet-owners/cat-teeth/entire-video
click on the below images not the download file to download
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