There are many things involved in the total care of your dog. Some things are easy to overlook, even with the best-intentioned people. We occasionally forget about cleaning the ears, trimming the toenails, and even cleaning the teeth! It’s easy to assume that the crunchy kibble our dogs eat will “cleanse” the teeth while they chew. That is not always the case and unless one makes it a habit of prying open those mouths – avoiding the cheerful kissing attempts on their parts – and looking at the health of the teeth, we might miss a plaque build-up, or gum disease/gingivitis. 

Here are some easy tips on brushing your dog’s teeth.

Step 1 – Choose the right time and place

Timing is everything. Find a quite, convenient time when you and your dog are both relaxed.

Step 2 – Get you dog use to the process

For the first few sessions, don’t even use a toothbrush. Start out by using your finger with a small dab of toothpaste and let your dog taste it. Try starting will the all-natural Dental Gel from Vet’s Best because not only does it taste great to pets, but it also strengthens tooth enamel while supporting healthy gums.

Step 3 – Bring in the toothbrush

The main thing here is to get your dog accustomed to the feel of the brush, so just place a small amount of toothpaste on it and brush one or two teeth at a time in a slow, circular motion.

Step 4 – Showtime

Over the next few days, start to increase the number of teeth brushed. Eventually, you want to be able to brush the very back teeth, where plaque and tarter have a greater tendency to build up.

Most importantly, you want to make tooth brushing a pleasurable experience. Stop each session while it’s still fun and don’t forget it give your dog all the tender loving care during and afterwards.

For more information on your dog’s dental health, visit www.pets.webmd.com

Cleanliness and proper grooming can be very important to the continued good health of your beloved pets. But bathing your puppy or adult dog can often prove to be a challenge.

Generally speaking, most dogs don’t like baths. Even though they might put up a bit of a struggle, it’s necessary to keep them healthy. Bathing doesn’t only clean their coat and make them more desirable to pet, but it’s also a good opportunity for you to look for fleas or ticks on your dog, which is a great preventative measure against the diseases these bugs cause.

So how often should you give your dog a bath? Usually, once a month will work just fine. Try to avoid giving them a full-on bath more than that because it will dry out their coat. The natural oils from the skin give the coat a luster and also prevent itching and dry skin. That’s why it’s a good idea to use all-natural shampoos.

Companies like Vet’s Best offer a wide selection of all-natural bathing products. There’s the Hypo-Allergenic Shampoo that is specially formulated for dogs with allergies, the Flea Itch Relief Shampoo if your dog is carrying around a few unwanted guests, and even a Waterless dog Bath to keep your dog clean between baths, which also works without affecting topical flea treatments.

Although many dog owners think of bathing their dog as a challenge, with the right approach, supplies, and equipment, you can get through it relatively unscathed. And don’t forget to reward your dog’s good behavior in the bathing process with treats and plenty of love and kindness.

For more information on natural pet bathing, visit www.vetsbest.com

September 2009 is National Pet Insurance Month and for good reason. Nowadays, more and more people have their dogs and cats insured. According to the 2009/10 American Pet Products Association National Pet Owners Survey, there are more than two million dogs and at least 900,000 cats with health insurance. Perhaps even more eye opening is how fast those numbers have grown. In 2006 the number of cats insured was a whopping zero and within the last 10 years the number of dogs has tripled.

So how much does pet insurance cost? The APPA survey reported that two-thirds of dog owners spend more than $250 annually on health insurance premiums for their pet, while cat owners spend around $275. Not too bad considering it’s not that uncommon for vet bills to reach well over that.

As a way to celebrate this month, the North American Pet Health Insurance Association is having a couple of contests where people can submit a story about how having pet health insurance has helped them when their pet needed medical care. NAPHIA will review all the stories and pick one lucky winner who will receive $500.

Pet owners can also nominate their veterinarian to receive an educational grant and a plaque of excellence by writing a story about why their vet deserves this honor.

To find out more about National Pet Insurance Month and NAPHIA contests, visit http://www.naphia.org/pet_health_month.htm

Most dogs sleep, bark occasionally or chew their toys when left alone in the house or in a room alone. Although they might be a little bored they don’t cause in problems. In general, they pretty much do what they normally do when you are with them.

A dog with separation anxiety is different. When you go to the door to leave, he becomes anxious and may try to leave with you. You manage to get outside and close the door but you can hear him whining and scratching on the inside. You get upset, your dog gets upset and you become nervous about what you’ll find upon return. When you do get back, your fears come true. Your house is in shambles. Furniture chewed, blinds destroyed, ripped carpet and so on. You get upset at your dog, which makes him even more upset. This cycle repeats and builds upon itself until you are ready to give your dog away.

Not a very pretty picture is it? This is something that many owners and dogs go through on a daily basis. So much so, that separation anxiety is the major cause for dogs ending up in shelters. According to Dog Psychology Help, 14-35% of dogs have separation anxiety. The percentage increases to 29-50% for senior dogs.

Because there are so many different causes and behaviors associated with separation anxiety, it’s important that you talk with your vet to correctly determine the problem.

Here are a few signs of separation anxiety from the Humane Society of the United States:

• The behavior occurs exclusively or primarily when he’s left alone
•  He follows you from room to room whenever you’re home
•  He displays effusive, frantic greeting behaviors
•  The behavior always occurs when he’s left alone, whether for a short or long period of time
•  He reacts with excitement, depression, or anxiety to your preparations to leave the house
•  He dislikes spending time outdoors by himself

So how do you treat separation anxiety? It really depends on how severe the anxiety is. There are hundreds of methods out there, ranging from behavior modification to drug therapy. Because many treatments like these carry a high risk of side affects, many people have turned to natural alternatives. Comfort Calm by Vet’s Best is an all-natural supplement that gently helps ease your dog’s stress and tension. Its made from Valerian Root and Trytophan, which is a combination of well-known natural calmatives. Valerian Root was used by ancient Greeks for a variety of temporary conditions, such as sleeplessness and nervousness.

For more information on natural treatments for separation anxiety, visit www.vetsbest.com