Gingivitis in Dogs

If your terrier, or any other dog too for that matter, gets gingivitis, he or she will be in much pain. The mouth will be painful and the gums will be swollen and cause difficulties to eat. In a worst case scenario, it might even lead to your dog dying. Luckily though, dog gingivitis is far from inevitable.

With some proper care, you can prevent this mouth disease from getting to your beloved friend! Even though this disease is painful and difficult to treat, it is also fairly easy to prevent.

What is Gingivitis?

Gingivitis is a mouth disease that is caused by bacteria that in hand causes pain and inflammation in a dog’s mouth. The bacteria gets in when particles from the dog’s food gets mixed with germs and saliva in the mouth. Plaque might get formed in the mouth, and later get hardened into a hard coating of tartar over your dog’s teeth. If you don’t have a routine to brush your dog’s teeth to get rid of the plaque, the tartar becomes a safe spot for bacteria to thrive in. This bacteria then leads to gum inflammation, and thus pain in your dog’s mouth.

Symptoms of Gingivitis

So, how to know if your dog has gingivitis? Some of the symptoms are:

• Your dog has a bad breath
• Your dog’s gums are inflamed, bleeding, red or swollen
• Your dog’s teeth are damaged or broken
• Your dog has a hard time eating hard foods or the dog is pawing at his mouth in discomfort
• Your dog has thick and sticky saliva
• Receding gums

If you suspect that your dog has gotten gingivitis – Always consult with a vet about it before starting any treatment of your own!

How to Prevent Gingivitis?

To prevent gingivitis from getting to dog’s, the best way is to brush their teeth regularly. Use a dog/pet toothpaste and a special dog toothbrush. If you do this regularly it will remove the plaque, which will in turn prevent the tartar to be building up and thus minimizing the risk of your dog getting gingivitis.

Be prepared though, because even though You know that brushing the teeth is good for your dog – Your Dog most likely don’t know anything about it! Your first task will be to get your dog used to having his teeth brushed. The best thing is if you start at an early age of your dog. To get your dog acclimated to the brushing, first begin with a finger brush and then move on to a pet toothbrush once he is used to the idea of having stuff in his mouth. Try to make it as fun and a good time as possible for your dog – One way of doing this is by having a good tasting toothpaste!

Another way of preventing dog gingivitis is to by giving supplements of vitamin C or/and use herbs like Echinacea or myrrh.

Gingivitis Conclusion

Gingivitis in dogs are painful, but it can be dealt with. The best thing, for both you and your dog, is if you try to preventing it altogether – Give your dog the care that he or she deserves, especially when it comes to the dental care!  By doing this you will have a dog that lives a healthier, happier and longer life!

To round things up, and we can’t stress this enough – Always consult with a vet if you are worried that your dog might have any kind of disease! It is one thing to read about any kind of treatment online. But it takes an examination from a professional to really give a diagnosis!