February is both National Pet Health Month and National Pet Dental Month. What better way to celebrate than to take your furry little child to the vet for a check-up?
A lot of people tend to ignore pet dental disease; in fact, I remember the time when a former co-worker overheard me booking a dental cleaning for my cairn terrier, Dudley. “Oh, come on,” he said, “That really isn’t necesssary.”
Oh, but it is! The fact is, pets suffer from the same things we do–cavities, gingivitis and the like. And, just like us, an untreated tooth infection can lead to other problems–like the heart.
So get your pet used to brushing at a very early age; the AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) recommends once daily–but if that isn’t possible, at least do it several times a week. There are special toothpastes and mouthwashes made just for pets (NEVER use human toothpaste as it contains substances that can be toxic. And don’t use a toothpaste formulated for cats on your dog and vice versa, because one species might have a stronger reaction to something that another). There are also dental foods and treats that are formulated to help reduce tartar.
And don’t forget about professional cleaning and X-rays! Discuss a schedule with your vet.
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Irene Ross is a certified nutrition and wellness coach. Her core program is called “The 
Wellness-Centered Family”–and that includes everyone, even the 4-legged furry children. ”Everyone in the family absorbs the energy of each other, and pets are just as prone to things, such as obesity, stress, flu, arthritis and more.”
Author of the e-book, Sugar’s Sour Story, and of the forthcoming book, 25 Ways to Fire Up Your Day: Increase Energy, Get More Done in Less Time, Balance Your Life, her website is: http://www.irenefross.com
