What’s the biggest disease culprit seen in Chihuahuas, regardless of age, breed, sex and immune status?
Dental disease.
Are you surprised? It’s true! More than 3 out of 4 dogs over the age of 3 have gum disease or periodontal disease. It is even more dangerous for Chihuahuas. Don’t miss: What You Need To Know About Chihuahuas and Gum Disease.
Chihuahuas are prone to dental disease more than other breeds because they have the same number of teeth as other breeds in much smaller mouths. That makes it even easier for tartar to build up and cause gum disease.
Periodontal disease is the number one reason that you see so many Chihuahuas with their tounges out. There are no more teeth to help hold the tongue in their mouth.
If dental disease is not addressed immediately and thouroughly, dental disease can strip your Chi of not only their teeth, but their overall health!
How Dental Disease Affects Overall Health
The periodontal disease can weaken the surface of your dog’s gums. The breakdown of the gum tissue then allows mouth bacteria to enter into his bloodstream and travel throughout his body.
This oral bacteria is very potent and is hardy enough to resist attacks by your Chi’s immune system. If left untreated the bacteria can affect multiple organ systems, including your pet’s heart. Don’t miss: Is Your Chihuahua at Risk of Heart Disease?
Of course, proper oral care, including regular brushing and an annual (bi-annually is better for a Chihuahua) dental checkup is the first and foremost step to protect your Chi, but there is even more that you can do to help keep your dog’s teeth clean and plaque free. Provide your dog with healthy dental chews between brushing. But
Beware! Many Common Dental Chews Are Hazardous To Your Dog
Many Chihuahua parents don’t know or have never even given a thought to what’s in those dental chews and bones that they buy.
If you read the ingredients on some of the packages — even ones that claim to be “healthy” — you might be amazed…
Here are just a few of those ingredients:
- Gelatin: A potentially toxic animal by-product, created by boiling down various unused parts of animals such as skin, tendon, bone, cartilage and connective tissue.
- Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate (HSH): Low-carbohydrate artificial sweetener.
- Soy Protein Isolate: Known allergen, with reduced vitamin, mineral, and protein quality – and increased levels of potential carcinogens.
Some of these trendy dental chews are also so tough and difficult to chew your dog can swallow them almost whole. This causes a mass of undigested — dare I say, crap? — blocking their intestinal tract.
The chews simply can’t be digested, and they could end up lodging in your dog’s esophagus or intestines – remaining hard and solid for days.
When this happens it leads to bowel obstruction — something that is seen often at the vet hospital where I work part-time — and there have been documented reports of dogs that tragically do not make it through.
The Good News
The good news is that
grain-free formula for the best nutrition possible, while sparkling those pearly whites.
The effectiveness of these chews lies in its two layer, dual action design. Made of breath freshening spirulina polishing pumice. complete with COQ10 and yucca schidigera extract. Plaque penetrating punch, along with vital healthy gum support.
