Oral Hygiene from Teeth to Gums to Beards

Marty and Laura discuss oral hygiene including teeth, gums and beards. Keeping your pet's teeth clean means brushing them. There are no magic cures.

Oral health impacts the pet's overall physical health directly, Marty said. She recommends visiting the Veterinary Oral Health Council's website to learn about approved and accepted products that can help reduce the severity of periodontal disease in our pets.

"It's not just about how they smell," Marty said, "because (tartar buildup) does have a bad odor to it. It's about their overall health. Every time they swallow, they set up a bacterial shower and they lodge in the heart valves, which can cause heart murmurs or accelerate heart murmurs, that can cause kidney problems, can cause all the same health problems that people have associated with dental health."

Laura covers beard maintenance on wire coated and long haired dogs to help prevent the unsightly orange stains around the mouth.

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.