Agria Pet Insurance
Keeping your dog's teeth clean and healthy
Did you know that most dogs over three have gum disease that needs treatment? Many owners don’t, and so too many dogs suffer with the severe pain and additional problems connected with gum and dental disease.
That’s why, at this year’s Crufts, Agria Pet Insurance is focusing on keeping your dog’s smile healthy!
According to The Royal Veterinary College, periodontal disease affects over 90 per cent of adult dogs. So, just one in ten of our canine companions is lucky enough to have healthy teeth and gums. That’s quite a statistic.
Fortunately, with some knowledge under our belts, it’s not so hard to take care of our dog’s teeth, as Agria Pet Insurance’s Senior Veterinary Advisor, and former President of the British Veterinary Association, Robin Hargreaves, explains:
“These days our dogs should be with us into their teens, but the animals they evolved from didn’t live anything like to this age – and so their teeth are not designed for longevity. Left uncared for, the likelihood is that they will deteriorate, giving your dog gum disease and mouth and gum pain. But it doesn’t have to be this way.”
These are Robin’s top tips for taking care of your dog’s teeth:
- Encourage your dog to chew! Make sure that the things they chew on are appropriate so that it doesn’t break their teeth or splinter off and get stuck in their mouth or digestive tract
- If your dog’s on a soft diet, it’s especially beneficial to provide opportunities for them to properly use their teeth, helping to keep them clean
- Get into the habit of cleaning your dog’s teeth. This is particularly important to keep the surfaces of the teeth clean and minimise tartar. Tartar on the teeth traps food and can cause gum erosion, leading to infection. Only use toothpaste designed for dogs, human toothpaste is toxic to dogs and can be fatal
- Have your dog’s teeth regularly checked by the vet to make sure there are no problems. Issues that are caught early are far easier to address than if they’re left to worsen
- Look out for cover for dental treatment in your dog’s insurance policy – just in case
If you’ll be at Crufts this year, make sure you visit the Agria stand in Hall 3 to collect a free toothbrush for your dog and make a start on getting their teeth sparkling this spring*!
The team will be on-hand to explain all about Agria’s extra special dental cover and to give you a quote for Lifetime insurance for your dog. And what’s more, every new policy comes with £50 free towards healthcare from your vet.
If you can’t make Crufts this year – don’t worry, you can find out more and get your quote at agriapet.co.uk/CR1 or call 03330 30 82 89. Quote promo code: CR22.
*While stocks last
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