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Dogs need regular dental care just like you do; gum disease and broken teeth are the major concerns. Fortunately, pets seldom suffer from tooth decay. Their cone-shaped teeth, non-acidic saliva, and low-sugar diets all help protect them from this nasty ailment. (Note: If you give your pets sweets for snacks, they can get cavities.)
Regular brushing and professional cleaning can keep your dog’s teeth healthy and gleaming. Giving your pet appropriate toys to chew prevents fractures.
Periodontal disease affects the gums, bones, and connective tissue around the teeth, and it can cause tooth loss. First, plaque—a soft, clear, or cream-colored deposit—forms on the teeth. If it isn't removed, minerals in the dog's saliva turn plaque into tartar. Tartar builds up below the gums, and bacteria grows, causing inflammation.
The same bacteria that causes the inflammation can enter your pet's bloodstream and cause or aggravate lung, kidney, liver, and heart problems. That's a lot of trouble, worry, and cost from something that could be stopped in its early stages.
When your puppy first begins to get permanent teeth, check carefully to be sure the baby teeth come out as the new teeth come in. Retained teeth can cause the permanent teeth to be crooked. Toy dog breeds, with their tiny jaws, are at special risk for this problem.
While hard foods and chew toys can help keep teeth clean, you need to get your pet used to regular tooth-brushing. As soon as you bring your new pet home, get him accustomed to having his mouth handled. This is good practice for dogs that will be shown; judges check to make sure dogs have their full set of teeth. It is also good training—it teaches the dog to tolerate having things in his mouth without biting or snapping.
What your dog eats affects his 'smile.' Dry foods and treats help clean plaque from his teeth. Rawhide chews are also good cleaning tools, as are some of the knobby plastic toys on the market. None of these are hard enough to cause tooth damage, but be sure to watch your pet to make sure small pieces of the toys aren't torn off and swallowed. Real bones can also be dangerous for your pet and should not be used for tooth-cleaning purposes.
All dry adult IAMS™ Dog Foods, such as IAMS ProActive Health™ Adult MiniChunks, include Daily Dental Care, a special kibble coating that helps reduce tartar buildup for better oral health.
It just takes a little time and patience. Begin by running your finger gently over his gums. At first, just rub the outside, but as he adjusts to the routine, begin to open his mouth and rub the gums inside the teeth as well.
As your dog gets accustomed to this, wrap your finger with gauze and rub his gums. Eventually, add a pet toothpaste; do not use human toothpaste. After a few weeks, your dog should be willing to accept a toothbrush for pets, which should have soft, multi-tufted synthetic bristles.
Hold the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle and apply it to the area where teeth and gums meet. Rotate it in small circles, overlapping several teeth. Finish with vertical strokes to pull plaque from between the teeth. Repeat until all the teeth on the cheek side are clean. The inside teeth will be more difficult, as your dog may resist opening his mouth, but eventually you'll be able to brush the inside and outside surfaces of all the teeth. For effective cleaning, brush your dog's teeth a couple of times a week.
If your dog won't cooperate with home brushing or if you already see brown tartar stains on his teeth or red and bleeding gums, it's time to turn to your veterinarian for help. He or she will give your dog general anesthesia and clean the teeth above and below the gum line to remove plaque and tartar. After the teeth are cleaned, they will be polished to remove microscopic plaque and to make the teeth smooth to discourage plaque from clinging.
Remember, dental care is as important to your pet's health as it is to your own—you owe it to your dog to provide regular tooth care and cleaning.
Have you ever noticed that your dog isn’t always the best at letting you know how they’re feeling, health-wise? Sure, that wagging tail tells you they’re happy, but what does it mean when they start sleeping longer, or not at all? What if they seem less interested in their food, or more interested in water?
These are the kinds of questions your vet can answer at your dog’s annual vet visits. Plus, routine vet care is the best method for preventing health problems in your dog before they arise. To help you and your dog get the most out of your next annual visit, we’re answering some common questions about checkups.
Our friends at Opens a new windowBanfield Pet Hospital recommend partnering with your veterinarian to determine how often you should bring your pet in for comprehensive exams. If you haven’t had a chance to speak with your vet, making time for an annual checkup is a great place to start. Yearly visits help mark milestones in your dog’s growth while monitoring ongoing concerns or spotting new developments. If you haven’t seen your vet in over a year, why not schedule an appointment?
Yearly visits are a great opportunity to make a plan for your pet’s health — while spotting any problems before they get more serious. Plus, you may realize you had questions about your pet’s health, but didn’t know how or who to ask.
It’s also important for you and your pet to get comfortable with your veterinarian. Taking your dog to the vet when there are no pressing health concerns gives them a better chance of seeing the vet as a safe and familiar place to visit. (In the event of a sudden or severe change in your pet’s health, be sure to contact your veterinarian immediately, rather than waiting for your next scheduled checkup.)
Cost is a common concern when it comes to vet visits. You may be wondering, “How much is a vet visit?” Unfortunately, there’s no standard answer. Vet visit cost generally depends on your veterinarian, your location and what type of services they offer during your pet’s checkup, which can include a physical exam, routine bloodwork and vaccinations, and chatting about how your pup is doing and whether you’ve noticed any changes in them. A 2019-2020 survey found that dog owners paid $212 on average for yearly routine vet visits1; many vet offices charge a standard exam fee of $40–$60 with additional costs for other services and diagnostics.2
Some pet health providers, like Banfield, offer annual preventive care packages with payment plans so pet owners have the option to budget the cost over the course of the next 12 months. As with most questions related to your visit, asking your vet is the most direct way to find out.
Right now, IAMS is helping dog owners skip the cost of their yearly checkups altogether. All you have to do is buy two qualifying bags of IAMS dog food; then, redeem your receipts here and IAMS will pay for the cost of your annual checkup. Your dog gets to eat veterinarian-recommended food and you get to save money. Win-win!
Nutrition and exercise are two of your most valuable tools to keep your pet on track between vet visits. In addition to examining your pet, your veterinarian can advise on how much exercise your pet needs and the right diet for them.
In general, the best nutritional option for your pet is a consistent, balanced and veterinarian-approved diet that meets their individual nutritional requirements and is appropriate for their life stage. No one formula is ideal for all pets, and your pet’s diet may need to change over time based on their lifestyle, life stage and medical history. That’s why IAMS offers a variety of diets to fit your dog’s unique needs — all designed to help promote healthy digestion, healthy skin and coat, and healthy energy for your best friend.
Hopefully you’ve followed our tips for helping you and your veterinarian bring out your dog’s unique best by making good use of their annual visit. During the checkup, your vet will probably give you advice on things to watch out for as your dog grows, as well as some practical advice for keeping them healthy in the meantime. Follow their guidance and, above all, keep loving on your furry family member.
1 Pet Industry Market Size, Trends & Ownership Statistics. (2021, March 24). Retrieved April 12, 2021, from
Opens a new windowhttps://americanpetproducts.org/industry-trends-and-stats
2 Banfield Price Estimator. (n.d.). Retrieved from
Opens a new windowhttps://www.banfield.com/Services/price-estimator
