A new survey has highlighted bizarre ways pet parents are trying to combat their dog’s bad breath to get a ‘Hollywoof’ smile.
The survey of over 2000 dog owners was commissioned by Lily’s Kitchen to coincide with the launch of Woofbrush, their new natural dental chews. 
The results found that only one in 10 dog owners have ever taken their dog to the vets because of their bad breath and 50% said they thought bad breath was normal for canines.
Only a fifth of dog owners worry about dog breath being a sign of a serious problem and more owner thought bad breath was due to what their dog had eaten rather than porr dental hygiene.
Rodney Zasman, a leading London Veterinary Surgeon, said: “A lot of dog owners aren’t aware of how important it is to look after their dog’s dental health. Poor care of dog’s dental hygiene can result in implications such as dental plaque, gum disease, tooth abscesses and difficulty eating. Bacteria can spread from the teeth and gums causing damage to the kidneys, liver and heart. Painful and extensive dental surgery and treatment may be needed to cure this.
“It is vital to increase owners’ knowledge of the importance of looking after their dog’s teeth and gums to ensure pets are as healthy and fit as possible.”
The survey highlighted ways in which owners have tried to prevent dog breath, including keeping the toilet lid firmly closed and giving them plenty of extra chew-toys to play with.
Although dogs are known to be a man’s best friend, three in 10 owners admitted to avoiding going near their canine companion because of their terrible breath. However, a more confident 40% will let their dog lick their face regardless of how they smell.
Under half of those dog owners who were polled said they take their dog for an annual dental inspection and those owners who do care about their canine’s teeth believe that dental chews are an effective solution, with six in 10 using them to combat their dog’s breath.
Henrietta Morrison, founder of Lily’s Kitchen, said: “Keeping your dog’s teeth in really good condition is part and parcel of being a responsible pet owner. The best time to get your pet used to you brushing their teeth is from when they are puppies. Dental disease is so avoidable and when it does happen it can be devastating for the entire health of your pet as bacteria from teeth spreads throughout their immune system, not to mention the added impact of terrible doggy breath.
“As with many pet products, it’s very hard to work out what’s best for your pet. Almost all pet dental chews are made with nasty ingredients including sugar and chemicals. Which is why we’ve spent the last two years working with experts to make a dental chew that is highly effective at cleaning and also made with 100% healthy ingredients. That’s enough to put a Hollywoof smile on everyone’s face.”
The survey also highlighted the top 20 ways that owners are combatting their dog’s breath.
- Feeding a dental chew
- Brushing their teeth with a special dog toothbrush and paste
- Giving them snacks/treats that ‘brush’ their teeth/improve their breath
- Giving them rawhide bone to chew
- Feeding them carrots
- Giving them extra chew toys to remove plaque from teeth
- Taking them to a vet
- Brushing their teeth with human toothbrush and paste
- Feeding them apples
- Giving them mints
- Mixing fresh mint into their food
- Feed a diet with no added sugar
- Giving them fresh mint leaves to chew
- Keeping the toilet lid closed to keep them out of it
- Cutting down on their meat intake
- Giving them a haircut
- Taking them to a dog-dentist
- Feeding them cooked parsley
- Using breath sprays
- Giving them chewing gum
Lily’s Kitchen has launched Woofbrush, a dental chew for dogs made with only natural ingredients and no nasty preservatives or synthetic flavourings that you might find in some other dental chews.
For more information on Woofbrush dental chews, you can visit www.lilyskitchen.co.uk.
