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Pets are like toddlers. It's amazing what ends up in their mouths. But you might be surprised just what happens when they chew on this common backyard stuff.
Here’s what should be off limits…
The furry family love and sometimes, live to chew. But the lifespan of those all important teeth can be seriously and surprisingly compromised if some common objects find their way into their mouth.
How do I know? Well, every time I see surprisingly worn down teeth, I ask the question. So here’s the list…
1. Tennis balls. A big surprise right?! So many obsessive ball chasers and chewers have tell-tale early and significant wear on their front teeth where they hold the ball. The reason? The yellow fibres on tennis balls are made to be rough and resilient to withstand being hit and bouncing on hard courts. The result is a tennis ball acting like sandpaper and wearing the teeth down like the obsessive ball chewer below...
2. Rocks. You’d be surprised how many dogs pick up rocks in their mouth and play with them. They’re almost a ball substitute when there’s nothing else to play with. And the hard surfaces slowly chip away at the front teeth, including the big fangs known as the canines.
3. Sticks. Some dogs are such obsessive stick chasers and returners that they wear a groove on either side of their mouth where the stick sits. And while the hard, abrasive bark and wood will file down teeth well before their time, a massive danger for your dog also comes from sharp points of the stick penetrating deep into the mouth and throat.
An honourable mention obviously goes to bones (as covered in this blog) which cause more cracks, chips and lost teeth than anything else on the planet. Even when they’re raw.
I get it, it's a lot to process. But you can work with their love of chewing in so many easy, non-abrasive ways.
If you’re looking for a way to keep those teeth clean, use my gentle yet remarkably effective Teeth + Breath treats. After all, dental health doesn’t have to be a rough, brutal process. Those teeth have to last a lifetime so showing them some love will be a gift in the years to come...
