Dog treats causing harm to pet's teeth: Avoid buying
Illustrative photo (Photo: Freepik)
Homeowners often fail to notice that their actions may harm their pets. Specifically, certain dog treats can damage their teeth, according to the Huffpost website.
Things to know
American shared a story of buying an "adorable rodent-shaped dental chew" toy shaped like a rodent for his dog, Ollie. It's a treat meant for dogs' dental hygiene. However, after some time, the dog's appetite decreased, refusing to eat his food. He turned his nose up at treats, and his energetic demeanor suddenly became subdued.
The vet discovered that Ollie had severely damaged a tooth while chewing—the trauma made it too painful for him to eat.
"In fact, doggy dental fractures are one of the more common reasons that dogs wind up at the vet ― and they can be pretty painful, depending on how severe the injury is," explained the doctor.
Why hard bones are dangerous for dogs
Veterinarian Maria Soltero-Rivera shares that research shows dogs have incredible chewing capabilities. If a bone or chew toy doesn't yield to such force, it can break their teeth.
"When a bone is harder than a tooth is strong, a tooth is bound to break or get damaged in process of gnawing and chewing," she said.
Oral injuries often go unnoticed by owners until they take their dogs for a routine vet visit. If the trauma leads to an infection, it can cause foul breath, swelling in the mouth, or signs of general illness.
Products to avoid giving dogs
Chocolate, cocoa, coffee, tea
Cocoa and all its derivatives contain theobromine, and coffee and tea contain caffeine. These alkaloids are highly toxic to dogs, posing severe effects on the nervous and cardiovascular systems.
Spices and salt
They can provoke gastritis and even ulcers, reduce the sharpness of smell, stimulate appetite, leading to overeating and obesity.
Mushrooms
They're hard to digest due to chitin content and often toxic (absorb harmful substances from soil, air). Adding mushrooms to a dog's diet puts excessive strain on the liver and pancreas.
Bones
These are often considered a staple in a dog's diet but are considered harmful.
- Strictly prohibited are: Poultry's tubular bones - their sharp edges can injure the esophagus, gastrointestinal tract
- Thin sharp bones from fish - can get stuck in the throat, cause digestive organ injuries
- Boiled bones - contain no nutritional value, are waste, poorly digestible, and can cause stomach obstructions.
