VitaHound » Dog Health

Feeding Dog Supplements for the Prevention of Arthritis

Staff — Thu, 17 May 2012 01:03:12 +0000

The first time many dog owners think about canine arthritis is when their pet’s joint pain causes them to get up slowly. The swelling, stiffness, and pain commonly represent the symptoms associated with the joint disease arthritis. In fact, arthritis is simply inflammation of the joint, it can be caused by a variety of things, including infection, degenerative changes, trauma, injury, or metabolic disturbances. While there are more than 100 different types of arthritis, wear and tear on the joints is the most common.
When cartilage in the joints wears down, eventually you’re left with little or no shock absorbers- just bone rubbing on bone that hurts. And over time, this rubbing will permanently damage the joint, any joint can be affected: though it’s very common for dog’s to experience the disease in their hips. Early detection of the disease is difficult, symptoms usually do not present themselves until enough damage has been done to cause pain, however early physical signs of the disease can be detected using x-rays.
Fortunately, there are natural dietary approaches to limiting canine arthritis and the debilitating symptoms associated with the disease. Dog supplements rich in anti-inflammatories can immediately reduce the conditions in dog’s body that causes joint destruction. Dog supplements utilizing highly anti-inflammatory nutrients provide dog owners a preventative measure they can deliver to their dog’s body via their daily feedings early on in their dog’s life. Waiting until a dog’s senior years or signs of arthritic symptoms to surface means the damage has already been done. Adding dog supplements with anti-inflammatory formulations is different than using dog supplements specifically formulated to treat canine arthritis Dog Supplements developed specifically for the treatment of arthritis are best used in senior dogs and dogs with early signs of arthritis. These supplements include glucosamine, chondroitin, and hydrochloric acid in their formulations and are effective at slowing the degeneration of the joint and reducing pain. As for prevention, dog joint supplements lack the nutrients that assist in the reduction of the over-all inflammation in a dog’s body.
Dog supplements utilizing omeg-3 provide some of the most anti-inflammatory molecules available. They’re the parent molecules for anti-inflammatory hormone-like compounds in a dog’s body. But omega-6 found in many components of dog foods provides the opposite effect. They’re the parent molecules for inflammatory compounds. A dog’s body actually needs both inflammatory messengers and anti-inflammatory messengers, but they have to bin balance for optimum long term health do to the reducing inflammation throughout the dog’s body. The problem is the unbalanced ratio of omega-6 (inflammatory) and omega-3(anti-inflammatory) oils in the typical dog food. Omega-6 is the major fatty acid in corn, corn is a filler in numerous dog food brands, and Omega-3 rich foods are rare in dog food, including cold water fish such as salmon. For this reason supplementing omega-3 oils via dog supplements is necessary for balancing the omega 3 and 6 oils in a dog’s body.
It is essential that a dog supplement restore the health of the dog’s body, the holistic approach to treating various health issues assures that further damage is minimized or avoided all together. The VitaHound Daily Supplement develops a vigorous digestive process in the dog’s gastro intestinal tract. A healthy digestive process is the cornerstone to a dog’s health and well-being. Since seventy five percent of the canine immune system functions in their digestive system, a healthy immune system facilitates the conditions that support healthy joints in a dog. Prevention provides unsurpassed benefits to numerous aspects of a dog’s health and well-being and the VitaHound Daily Supplement assists dog owners in this pursuit.

Canine Gut Connection to Your Dog’s Allergies

bigdog — Fri, 11 May 2012 04:47:40 +0000

Dog allergies results from the disproportionate response of the canine immune system to food hypersensitivity. The dog’s immune system is an interrelated system comprised of various white blood cells. White blood cells or leukocytes are cells of the immune system involved in defending the body against both infectious disease and foreign materials, they include (lymphocytes, granulocytes, macrophages, mast cells). The mucous membranes throughout a dog’s body provides a similar function as the white blood cells. Lymphatic tissue and immunoglobulin (IgA) perform a vital role in the dog’s immune system, the process function in the dog’s gut forming antigen antibody complexes. These complexes prevent the adhesion of antigens to the epithelial lining allowing the complex to be excreted in the dog’s stool. Another essential component of the dog’s immune system is the normally present bacterial colonies in the mucous membranes of the gut. The VitaHound Daily Supplement supports both the bacterial colonies and health of IgA fostering a vigorous and healthy digestive process in the canine GI tract. The VitaHound formulation prevents the various digestive components from the constant stress the modern dog diet places on their digestive process. Continued stress eventually results in the dog’s immunes system functioning in an unhealthy manner.
The itching and scratching suffered by dogs is the manifestation of several long term stresses on the canine digestive system. These stresses cause various functions of the dog’s immune system to behave in an unhealthy manner. The immune system’s unhealthy operation results in excessive inflammation in the dog’s skin and coat. The intestinal health of dog’s GI tract is gradually damaged as a result of the dog’s diet. The quality of dog food is continually improving, and premium dog food is available from several sources. Nevertheless the canine GI tract strains to completely digest all quality levels of dog food, certainly some more than others.

A Dog’s Itching, Ear Infections and Unhealthy Coat

bigdog — Tue, 08 May 2012 22:01:12 +0000

The modern dog owner realizes their dog’s constant itching, scratching, ear infections and poor coat quality is unhealthy. These symptoms have inspired countless dog owners to seek remedies for their dog’s suffering. The numerous new dog food brands marketed to relieve food allergies are the result of the rising concerns of today’s dog owner. Nevertheless it seems more and more dogs are suffering the miseries of food allergies. The key to treating your dog’s itching and scratching is understanding the canine digestive process in addition to the aspects of a dog’s diet that contribute to an unhealthy digestive process. A dog’s healthy digestive process eliminates the conditions that causes dog’s to itch, scratch, suffer ear infections and express poor coats. Dog food allergies result in their body experiencing excessive inflammation, the cause of dog’s itching, scratching, ear infections and poor coats.

Food allergies are the excessive response of the canine immune system to proteins. The source of these proteins in dog food emanate from meats, vegetables, and grains. The proteins contained in these different food types are potential allergens to a dog’s body. The healthy function of a dog’s digestive system regulates the ability of a dog’s immune process to react properly to the various proteins they consume. The canine digestive system includes the mouth, stomach and intestine, the combinations of these organs make up the gastrointestinal tract (GI). Approximately seventy percent of the dog’s immune system is concentrated in the dog’s GI tract. Dog’s contain no digestive enzymes in their salvia, therefor the food they consume enters their stomach whole, acids in the stomach begin the process of breaking down the food, as the food breaks down enzymes begin to function with the stomach acid forming a gastric juice the starts protein digestion. This process in humans requires 1 to 2 hours, the simplicity of dog’s gastric juice results in a prolonged period of 4 to 6 hours. As the process continues in the dog’s small intestine complex proteins are broken down further once digestive enzymes from the pancreas function to break down proteins into their smallest form known as amino acids. The amino acids diffuse into intestinal absorptive cells contained in the small intestine know as enterocytes. These cells absorb into the dogs blood, transporting the amino acids throughout the dog’s organs. Enterocytes differentiate between suitable amino acids and unsuitable amino acids. Proteins that are not adequately digested and pass into the small intestine are unsuitable for use by the dog’s body, this circumstances triggers the immune system known as a food allergy reaction.

The canine GI tract’s ability to avoid the absorption of whole proteins is reliant on the healthy function of the mucosal barrier (lining of the gut), comprised of mucus secreted by the stomach, it provides a slimy layer that acts as a shield against harmful substances in the stomach during the digestive process. The gut lining consists of structural elements and immune system elements. The structural aspects of the lining physically inhibit the absorption of whole proteins. The immune system element utilizes a cellular process involving Immunoglobulin (IgA). IgA is an antibody cell that plays a critical role in mucosal immunity against whole proteins. IgA cells are secreted by the small intestine and both intermingle in the gastro juices of the stomach and attach to the GI wall preventing whole proteins from being absorbed by enterocytes. The canine digestive process is constantly stressed by poor food sources in their diet and this stress results in the incomplete digestion of proteins causing chronic malnutrition. Long term malnutrition damages the enterocyte structure and function in the canine GI tract.

The unhealthy function of enterocyte cells results in whole proteins entering the dog’s blood stream. The dog’s immune system develops a hypersensitivity to the undigested protein, the reaction increase each time the protein is consumed. The dog forms a hypersensitivity to the food or allergic reaction. Mucosal mast cells are responsible for releasing histamines that trigger the inflammatory response in a dog’s body. If this histamine release is sizeable, the dog will experience diarrhea, itchy skin, chronic skin infections etc.

VitaHound Daily Supplement Relieves Canine Skin Allergies

bigdog — Sun, 06 May 2012 04:00:51 +0000

In a healthy dog, the skin functions as a barrier against invasion by harmful microorganisms. I t works as a watertight seal, retaining body fluids and preventing dehydration. The skin insulates the internal organs against the outside world’s extremes of heat and cold. And it serves as a sensory surface, picking up information from the environment and relaying that information to the brain. Unfortunately, the canine skin is also subject to a wide array of disorders, most of which are readily treatable but, if ignored by a dog’s owner, can become life-threating. Among all such disorders, the most frequently observed is allergic dermatitis, an extremely itchy skin condition for dogs that is brought on by an allergic response to a foreign substance – air borne pollen, for example, or an ingredient in an dog’s food.
These and other inciting agents – called allergens – cause the mast cells in a dog’s skin to degranulate, a process that brings on the itching. While the itching does not, in itself, pose a serious health threat, the incessant scratching and itching that it prompts in dogs may cause secondary skin wounds that can make an affected dog vulnerable to severe and potentially deadly bacterial infection. The modern dog’s diet directly or indirectly develops the conditions in dog’s state of health that makes them vulnerable to agents that ought not to cause excessive itching and scratching. The VitaHound Daily Supplement was formulated to eliminate the chronic infection in a dog’s gastro intestinal tract produced by digesting various substances in commercial dog food.
Since most dogs are inflicted with some level of GI tract inflammation, it requires only minimal exposure to additional allergens to produce the disorder identified as Exaggerated Response. This overreaction manifest itself in a dog’s skin and cause the scratching and itching many dog’s suffer from. For example all dogs can be affected to some extent by flea bites, but a dog with GI tract inflammation will react with disproportionate severity. Where it would take dozens of flea bites to significantly harm a normal dog’s skin, sensitivity of a dog’s immune system to flea’s bites may be the result of GI tract inflammation continual stress on a dog’s immune system.
This hypersensitivity is a physiological aberration whereby a dog’s immune system mistakenly perceives a nontoxic substance that has entered its body as being harmful. In an effort to combat the allergen, the dog’s immune system releases a substance called histamine, a process that is accompanied by inflammation an results in the development of skin eruptions. The process of the dog’s body rejecting the allergen damages the dog’s skin at the cellular level.
Allergens that result in skin trauma can enter a dog’s body in several different ways. Flea bites and other parasites inject saliva into the dog’s system; ingestion of substances in dog’s diet enter via the dog’s digestive system; inhalation of airborne mold spores or pollen enters the dog’s respiratory system, and physical substances from plants and soil can enter through a dog’s skin. Therefor it is important to assist a dog’s immune system in being at optimal health giving this biological process the ability to properly interact with the various agents that can cause scratching and itching in dogs.
Until a decade or so ago parasitic inoculation by fleas, mosquitoes, spiders, wasps, and yellow jackets was by far the most common cause of canine skin allergies, with fleas being the primary cause. The development of effective products designed to counter fleas infestation has dramatically decreased parasite-caused skin allergies. The pet industry believed the modern dog’s struggle with constant itching and scratching was being resolved, yet todays dog still suffers. Advances in research on the canine physiology by companies such as VitaHound has developed a high level of knowledge as to health and well-being of dogs.
VitaHound’s research has discovered the most frequent causes of canine skin allergies are environmental particles – pollen, mold spores, dust and dust mites – with food ingredients ranking second. Even though environmental triggers are largely responsible for a dog’s itching and scratching the best approach mediating these allergens is to eliminate the negative consequences of food ingredients on a dog’s digestive system. VitaHound’s has found that adding potent probiotic supplements to a dog’s daily feeding eliminates the pathogens in dog’s digestive tract that stress a dog’s immune system and compromise the dog’s ability to resist the effects of environmental allergens.

My Dog Is Itchy

bigdog — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 05:13:32 +0000

Many dog owners tolerate their dog’s constant licking, chewing, and scratching, for the reason that past attempts to remedy the dog’s itching have failed miserably. Veterinarian’s utilize expensive tests and prescribe canine pharmaceuticals designed to mask the dog’s condition. Dog foods marketed as dietary treatments for the dog’s allergies are inherently inadequate based their manufacturing processes. Dog supplements formulated to aid the canine digestive system provide the most promise, although a majority of the available products provide inadequate ingredients.
The modern dog owner understands their pet’s constant licking and chewing is unhealthy, thus interest in canine supplements that provide their dog’s real relief from their allergies is growing irrespective of their higher costs. The most common sign of allergy in the dog is itching. When humans have an allergy attack, the most common symptoms are itchy, teary eyes; runny nose; sneezing; nasal congestion.

In contract, allergic dogs itch all over. And so scratch, chew, and lick them, trying to relieve that unrelenting itching sensation in their skin or paws or ears. The itch might keep them up at night, resulting in a dog’s temperament being unpleasant.

In the throes of an acute allergy attack, dogs can lick, chew, or scratch a hole in them within just a few minutes of intense activity, allowing bacteria to gain access to several layers of skin and tissue and triggering infection. A dog’s itching in their paws may cause them to lick until sores develop between their toes or their paw pads developing ulcers. And the itching sensation in a dog’s ears can lead them to claw at their ears enough to damage and inflame the tissue, leading to infection and if they shake their heads violently the ears blood vessels can burst in their ear flaps, leading to an excruciatingly painful, swollen ear. Untreated, ear hematomas can lead to tissue disfigurement of the ear.
Over a lifetime, chronic allergies can leave dogs depleted and irritable, with low-level infections constantly breaking out on their skin, feet, and in their ears; worn front teeth from chewing; smelly, sparse coats that neither protect them well from the elements nor invite much petting and affection from their loving owners. Dog’s itchy skin can also deplete an owner’s time and financial resources, especially if the owner fails to take the most effective path to helping their dog.
Unfortunately, most dog owners rely solely on their veterinarians to take care of the allergic condition with a shot or a prescription or a special food; they are unaware that they are in the best position to help their dog in significant way. While veterinary diagnostic and treatments skills will be important in the battle to alleviate the dogs itching and scratching, it’s the owner’s understanding of their dog’s digestive process that provides the necessary expertise to remedy the dog’s chronic allergic condition in their skin and coat.

Today’s dog owner needs to be their pets primary healthcare advocate, the overwhelming number of products targeted at health conscious dog owners can quickly frustrate and bankrupt a person. The educated dog person can target the approaches and diets that optimize their dog’s health and vitality while adding in the avoidance of expensive care for chronic disease and debilitating health conditions. Therefor the basics of allergies influences on the canine physiology. A dog’s itching and scratching indicate the canine’s immune system is not functioning properly. A dog’s immune system patrols the body, with various agents checking the identification of every molecule in the body. It allows the dog’s own molecules to go about their various functions; additionally harmless substances also avoid reacting with the immune system. Harmful agents including viruses and pathogenic bacteria trigger the immune system to act. When a dog develops an allergy, the immune system becomes hypersensitive and malfunctions. It may mistake benign such as pollen or certain foods for harmful ones calling in all the body’s defenses in attempt to eradicate the substance for their body’s tissue, the process disrupts the proper function of countless biological tasks in the dog’s various organ systems. A dog’s itching and scratching results from three common allergy triggers.

1. Flea bite hypersensitivity
2. Hypersensitivity reaction to an allergen (known as Atopy)
3. Food hypersensitivity ( A type of Atopy)

Flea bite hypersensitivity- have you ever been bitten by a flea? In the past the dog that itched was considered to have fleas. The fleas bite is extremely irritating since the flea injects its saliva into its bite during feeding to prevent clotting of its host’s blood; the flea’s saliva is what dogs are allergic to.

The site of a flea bite often develops a raised, red, itchy papule in allergic and no allergic dogs, the number papules and the amount of a dog’s itching will be roughly congruent with the number of bites the dog receives. A non-allergic dog will experience itching and irritation limited to bite area, contrast this with an allergic dog. An allergic dog’s immune system will exhibit a severe reaction to just one or two flea bites; additionally they experience generalized dermatitis and oozing papules that spread to affect the entire skin and coat of the dog. Allergies are a heritable trait; therefor dogs from families with lots of allergies have a predisposition to develop allergies. Approximately 40 percent of all dogs are hypersensitive to flea bites. In areas with cold winter temperatures and resulting flea-free season, dogs that are allergic to flea’s bites will enjoy an itch-free period; in warmer climates, where fleas are a year-round problem, the flea-allergic dog’s suffering will be year-round, resulting in dogs scratching and itching.

Flea-bite hypersensitivity usually gets worse throughout the dog’s life. Each year the signs of the allergy will start earlier and last longer in the fleas season, and the itching will be more severe.
Atopy disease (AD) in dogs is roughly analogous to hay fever in humans except that instead of a runny nose and sneezing, ad with this allergy will itch. Dogs with AD may be allergic to pollen, mold spores, dust, dust mite droppings, and other common environmental antigens. Dogs may be exposed to these allergies through breathing them in (Inhalant transmission) or through transcutaneous exposure (through the skin). Estimates vary, but it’s generally accepted that 10 to 15 percent of all dogs have AD. Dogs of any breed can suffer from atopy, but because the predisposition to the condition in heritable, the allergy is observed very commonly in dogs of certain breeds.

All dogs will experience an occasional itch. But dogs with AD will stop in the middle of eating or playing in order to scratch and itch or chew themselves; it will be difficult to interrupt them or prevent them from scratching or chewing intently. The most common sites that atopic dogs focus on are the feet (which are licked or chewed); face(which they will rub against the carpet or furniture); and ventral areas (tummy and groin are licked; armpits are scratched). Atop dogs additionally suffer from flea bite hypersensitivity 80 percent of the time. This combination results in levels of itching that are both physically and mentally harmful to a dog’s health.

Food Hypersensitivity – A true allergy to food is less common than many dog owners believe. The percentage falls between 5 to 10 percent. However 43 percent of dogs who suffer from food allergy also exhibit other hypersensitivities, complicating the diagnostic picture. Clinical signs of food allergy are extremely variable. The skin, gastrointestinal tract, respiratory tract, central nervous system, and any combination of these may be affected; the skin, however, is most frequently involved. Non seasonal, generalized itchiness (pruritus) is the most common sign, with a distribution of itchiness on the dog’s body that is indistinguishable from that of atopy. About 10 to 15 percent of food-allergic dogs with dermatologic symptoms also suffer from gastrointestinal symptoms, including diarrhea, vomiting, gassiness, and cramping.
Food hypersensitivity can begin at any age, even late in a dog’s life. Allergies that start before a puppy is six months old are most likely caused by food.

Remember, food allergy and food hypersensitivity are the same thing; by definition, this condition is characterized by an abnormal immunological response to food. Don’t confuse those terms with food intolerance, which is an abnormal but non-immunological response to some foods. Dogs with food intolerance are far more likely to suffer digestive problems, such as vomiting, diarrhea, and gas.

Owners experiencing the constant itching of their best friends need to identify the type of allergy their dog’s is suffering from. After the source is identified owners then can effectively adjust their dog’s environment, diet, or treatments to specifically remedy the allergy. Valuable information exist on canine health forums including the site VitaHound.com, the combination of a correct diagnoses with good information on remedies allows dog owner to be their dog’s best advocate for treating their dog’s allergies and alleviating their dog’s itching and scratching.

Canine Oral Health Determined by the Periodontium Tissue

bigdog — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 04:18:16 +0000

Four Stages of Canine Gingival/Periodontal Disease
There are numerous grading systems used to classify canine gingivitis and periodontal disease. However, gingivitis is generally used to describe soft-tissue inflammatory changes in a dog’s gums without tooth support loss. Periodontitis is typically diagnosed when attachment loss has occurred. It is important for dog owners to be able to identify the four stages of gums disease. This knowledge permits the dog care taker to properly advocate the necessary veterinary dental care.
The following stages are defined by the American Veterinary Dental College (AVDC) and apply a simple methodology in their arrangement.
Stage 1 (Gingivitis)
Stage 1 appears as inflammation at the free gingival margin. As gingivitis progresses, advanced gingivitis appears as gingival inflammation, edema, and bleeding on probing. Advanced gingivitis is limited to the epithelium and gingival connective tissue. There is no tooth mobility or attachment loss. With proper initial therapy and aftercare at home, gingivitis is reversible. Gingivitis can be present without periodontitis, but periodontal disease cannot occur without gingivitis. However, periodontal disease can exist without gingivitis in an area of periodontitis that has been treated and controlled to relieve inflammation but not attachment loss.
The veterinarian’s ultimate dental mission is to prevent periodontal disease, resulting in pain-free, functional dentition. Removing plaque and tartar through professional dental cleaning (supragingival and subgingival) and polishing of the teeth with power/hand instrumentation under general anesthesia temporarily removes the biofilm, allowing gingivitis to resolve.
Stage 2 (Early Periodontitis)
Periodontal tissues support the tooth in the alveolar socket. Stage 2 denotes the early establishment of periodontal disease resulting in a pathologically affected sulcus called a pocket or gingival recession. This stage occurs when the junctional epithelium migrates apically, creating up to 25% attachment loss.
Treatment involves removal of plaque and tarter described above, plus local application of antimicrobial in areas of severe pocketing. In nonpocketing defects (gingival revession), removal of irritants and debris from the tooth surfaces usually helps slow progression of support loss.

Stage 3 (Moderate Periodontitis)
Stage 3 periodontal disease is diagnosed when 25% to 50% support loss has occurred. Single-rooted teeth often have slight mobility. Early furcation exposure and/or gingival recession may or may not exist.
Unless the dog and their owner is committed to stringent daily plaque prevention, the best choice is often tooth extraction. Our patients generally do better without teeth compared to living with painful dentition.

Stage 4 (Advanced Periodontitis)
Stage 4 periodontal disease presents when greater than 50% attachment loss occurs. Clinical findings of stage 4 periodontal disease include furcation exposure in multirooted teeth. tooth mobility, deep pockets, and/or gingival recession. Extraction is the treatment of choice in most cases.

Understanding the stanges of disease that specifically effect a dog’s oral health involves the periodontium. The periodontium consists of four tissues; the gingiva (photos), periodontal ligament, alveolar bone and the root cementum. These tissues are collectively called the periodontium. The periodontium protects the teeth. The progression of periodontal disease results in the destruction of the periodontium and the eventual loss of teeth. The four stages listed above reflect the damage to periodontium tissue.

Advanced Dog Oral Care Sprays and Gels

bigdog — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 21:34:26 +0000

Your visit to VitaHound.com indicates you are joining a growing number of pet owners concerned about their dog’s oral health. Pet owner awareness regarding the benefits of cleaning their dog’s teeth and gums regularly is rapidly growing. Never the less the share of dog owners that recognize the value of canine oral care for dogs 3 years and older is 20 percent. Since veterinarians observe periodontal inflammation in 80% of their canine patients, the portion of dog owners currently unaware of the need to clean their dog’s teeth is rather sizeable.
The magnitude of dog owners that are entering the market for canine oral care has resulted in veterinarian dental care being prohibit-ably expensive. Furthermore the typical vets approach to canine oral health focuses on their in office treatments and lacks effective preventative at home care regimens. The VitaHound staff interacts weekly with thousands of dog owners frustrated by the veterinarian profession’s approach to their dog’s oral care. To better take care of their pet’s teeth, clients need to understand how dental plaque forms and causes oral disease and why oral health is important to their dog’s or cat’s overall well-being. Within minutes of your pet’s professional teeth cleaning, plaque forms and attaches to the teeth. The early pioneer colonizing bacteria begin the process and are soon joined by hundreds of other bacteria species and yeasts. Clinically, we can’t actually see early gingival plaque, but we know it’s there. As the mass increases, we can disclose it with dyes.
Bacterial biofilm generally forms on the gingival margin protected from direct tongue and cheek contact. It prefers to attach to surfaces in a moist environment well enough to resist removal by salivary flow or gingival crevicular fluid flow. More plaque biofilm will also accumulate next to inflamed gingival tissue. In time, biofilm creeps subgingivally. As it moves into the sulcus, the environment changes, making some bacteria (anaerobes) more welcome than others. This response to anaerobic bacteria causes gingivitis and periodontal disease. Within days after professional teeth cleaning, calcium mixes with plaque, forming rough tartar (calculus). The tartar provides a coarse surface for more plaque and tarter to accumulate. The vicious cycle of plaque-tarter-more plaque-more tarter eventually adds to the periodontal inflammation.
Past lack of demand for canine oral care products has left dog owners with few options to clean their dog’s teeth. The impractical method of brushing a dog’s teeth using simple enzymatic dog tooth pastes at best maintains the current level of a dog’s oral health however the need for veterinarian dental care is still required every 6 to 12 months. Fortunately the growing awareness of the importance of cleaning a dog’s teeth regularly among pet owners has resulted in the development of powerful sprays and gels formulated to treat and sustain a dog’s oral health. The VitaHound staff has identified the all natural ingredients that produce superior formulations for the prevention of canine periodontal disease. A primary component in these sprays and gels is grape seed extract (GSE) an antioxidant which is extremely effective at breaking down the bio film that protects plaque and tarter on a dog’s teeth. Natural antiseptics are then able to remove the exposed plaque and tarter. The continued use is safe and not only prevents periodontal disease but provides our beloved hounds with fresh and hygienic breath.

Bad breath (halitosis) starts with plaque. Periodontal disease starts with plaque. When left undisturbed, the plaque laden gingival sulcus deepens, forming a pocket, which can erode the attachment of the periodontal ligament to the tooth. This is periodontal disease. The key to controlling plaque and tarter is the regular use of canine oral care sprays and gels containing natural antiseptics that are compatible enough with the dog’s saliva to remain active for long periods of time after application. Natural substances that have antiseptic qualities can integrate into the dog’s saliva and gum tissue working as anti-bacterial agents. Nature substances including thyme, rosemary, and peppermint provide excellent antiseptics in dog oral care sprays and gels.

Oral Care Reduces a Dog’s Risk of Cardiac and Renal Disease

bigdog — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 20:35:18 +0000

An extraordinarily wide range of bacteria exists in the oral fluid and on the oral surfaces of a dog’s mouth. This typically includes organisms associated with infection in other parts of the dog’s body. Common infections found include Staphylococcus or Streptococcus species, coliform bacteria, and Pasteurella species in cats, the existence of these organisms in the oral flora of the dog typically leads to various health conditions. Because the presence of mouth specific anaerobic organisms and spirochetes are considered normal in dogs, canine oral hygiene treatments should have the ability to target mainly the harmful bacteria and support the beneficial components of a dog’s oral flora.
Medical research has determined identifying and treating individual infectious organisms in a dog’s oral flora provides no benefit to their overall oral health. Oral tissue are bathed in salivary fluid, which is rich in antibacterial substances, and have a more abundant blood supply than does skin another surface commonly coated with a rich flora. Natural antiseptics reduce the overall bacteria load in dog’s oral flora, allowing the beneficial bacteria to dominate the saliva’s ecosystem.
It is commonplace for dog’s to develop gingivitis and or moderate periodontitis resulting in periodontal pocketing and gingival recession of the gums, these conditions produce reservoirs of saliva where harmful bacteria thrive. Oral hygiene regimens can eliminate the bacteria below the dog’s gum lines improving the dog’s oral health. The modern dog’s increasing life span is the basis for the concerns today’s dog owner has about their pet’s oral health. Oral diseases now have time to progress to serious advanced stages requiring expensive veterinarian dentistry.

Cleaning Dog Teeth and Periodontal Health

bigdog — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 01:55:40 +0000

A dog’s health is influenced by the condition of their teeth and gums. Cleaning a dog’s teeth properly requires an understanding of the factors that cause a dog’s oral health to suffer. The accumulation of plaque and tarter on a dog’s teeth and gums encourages the onset of periodontal disease. The symptoms of this disease are visible in the dog’s gum tissue, swollen and inflamed gums indicate the gums are receding and pockets of harmful bacteria have reached very unhealthy levels. Bacteria flourishes in the presence of plaque, eventually plaque attracts calcium salts producing a mineralized substance known as tarter. Untreated plaque and tarter builds up between gum tissue and the bone structure of the dog’s teeth causing separation. The separation causes pockets to form producing a reservoir of saliva. These pockets increase the unhealthy bacteria load in dog’s oral bacterial flora causing the rate of plaque formation to reach levels detrimental to a dog’s overall health. Controlling the levels of harmful bacteria in a dog’s mouth interrupts the unhealthy progression of plaque and tarter on a dog’s teeth and gums.

Canine dentistry cleanings remove surface plaque and tarter reducing the damaging effects on a dog’s general health, however recent advancements in the understanding of dog’s oral biochemistry has resulted in alternative treatments. All natural sprays and gels have been developed for continual use in canine oral care.

These products utilize powerful antioxidants combined with natural antiseptics; the combination of these substances creates an effective treatment for a dog’s oral hygiene care, VitaHound Currently recommends the use of Petzlife products for cleaning a dog’s teeth. The formulations compatibility with the chemistry in a dog’s saliva enables the natural antiseptics to integrate into the saliva and act as an antibacterial agent.

The consistent use of these sprays and gels establishes the products antibacterial agents as a primary component in the dog’s oral bacterial flora. The antibacterial agents are distributed below the gumline into the pockets of bacteria loaded saliva, the agents destroy the harmful bacteria preventing the formation of plaque at the source.

The products continued use unburdens the dog’s gum tissue from the damaging effects of destructive bacteria, allowing the tissue to assist in providing for a dog’s overall oral health. Receding gums from disease is a common factor in tooth loss. When plaque and tartar accumulates on your dog’s teeth, swollen and inflamed gums may cause the teeth to bleed. If this problem is not treated, it can lead to receding gum lines and the ligaments which hold the teeth in may become damaged, eventually causing the teeth to fall out.

Bad Breath in Dogs Caused by Unhealthy PH Levels

bigdog — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 20:20:51 +0000

The proper PH levels in dog’s mouth are responsible for preventing the unhealthy conditions that affect a dog’s teeth and gums. These conditions include plaque and tarter, gingivitis, and bad breath in dogs. Healthy PH levels in a dog’s mouth assist in the healing and regeneration of the oral tissue that supports the structure of a dog’s teeth. Cleaning a dog’s teeth involves the mechanical removal of dental plaque and tarter from a dog’s teeth by the physical process of brushing, while this traditional method of oral hygiene reduces a dog’s bad breath and chance of developing gingivitis it does not improve the health of the tissue in a dogs mouth.
Bad breath in dogs is a symptom of high levels of harmful bacteria present in the pockets of saliva located below the gums line where brushing does not reach, both brushing and saliva fail to neutralize acids (pH Levels) inside microscopic fissures on chewing surfaces causing the demineralizing of the dog’s tooth. pH level below 5.5 in the dog’s mouth supports much higher levels of bacterial colonies. A dog’s saliva acts as a buffer, altering the pH level the dog’s mouth preventing plaque from attaching to the dog’s teeth and assisting in the mineralizing of the tooth’s surface. The components of a dog’s saliva is designed to control external bacteria via licking wounds, but lacks the ability to overcome the effects a dog’s diet has on their mouths pH level.
Utilizing dog oral care sprays and gels that help control the pH level of dog’s oral flora can significantly lower the level of harmful bacteria in their mouth. This eliminates the bad breath in dogs that results from the presence of this harmful bacteria.