Vets all over the country see a myriad of problems coming through their doors each day, from emergency surgeries to over-zealous pet parents ‘just checking’. But TV Vet Steve Leonard says he can’t go a day without a dog owner bringing in a pet with dental disease.
He said: “There is one thing I will be guaranteed to see every day. Dental disease. It’s so common that it’s part of our language: “He’s got Dog Breath!” In my career so far I have had two dogs in which I took out all 42 teeth in one go just because of severe dental disease. Most of them I could pull out with my fingers as it was only the tartar holding them in.”
Dental disease is easily preventable in dogs, but still more than 87 per cent of dogs over the age of three have periodontal disease. But Forthglade have just made it easier for pet owners who already love their food and treats to care for their pets teeth, by launching their own plant based dental sticks.
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Steve added: “The gold standard, as in humans who have the same anatomy, is tooth brushing, daily. However, healthy diets, dental chews and mouth washes can each play a role.”
Forthglades new dental sticks have been developed by vets, and are made only using natural ingredients to help maintain a healthy dental routine for your dog.
Grain free and perfect for sensitive tummies, the hollow tubes are made with potato flour, potato starch, vegetable glycerine and fibre, minerals, dried liquorice root, dried algae, dried fennel and dried parsley. The meat free treat also features peppermint and eucalyptus to aid breath freshening, but also means they smell really nice when your dog is chomping on them too.
Each dental stick is 92 calories, so we’re happy to give Phoebe and Frank a daily dental chew, making sure to not feed as many treats, or take it out of their kibble allowance. There’s nothing worse than preventing one issue while causing another, and it can be quite easy to let your pooch gain weight, so Forthglade recomment keeping an eye on them, suggesting ‘dental sticks and treats should only make up 10 per cent of your dogs daily energy requirement’.
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Each pack of Forthglade dental sticks contains five chews for £3, but on their site, the more you buy, the more you save. As I have two dogs, it works out best for me to get 20 sticks for £10.80 – but for those who have the storage space, it’s more economic and cost effective to get 80 sticks for £33.40, making them 48p per stick, rather than 60p.
A timed chew-test saw these sticks last Phoebe and Frank 64 seconds, but would last any other dog that doesn’t inhale food much longer. The sticks are one size fits all for dogs over the age of one, and can be cut in half for smaller dogs so they last even longer. Because the tube is hollow, you can turn it into an enrichment game too, stuffing it with peanut butter or pate to make it go a little further, too.
The sticks are ideal for supporting strong teeth, helping to remove tartar and plaque, and freshen breath, with added calcium to support stronge teeth. We’ve found having a pack in at all times to be really handy for when Winston and Belle come to visit too, as everyone can settle down in the garden with a dental stick when play time is over.
And if you subscribe to the Forthglade newsletter, you can bag 20 per cent off your first order, too.
