The common misconception that dogs teeth will ‘look after themselves’ is leading to this statistic rising, when in reality there are simple measures that can be taken to prevent this problem.
Dogs will benefit from regular teeth brushing, so it might shock you that in a recent survey conducted by super-premium pet brand Fish4Dogs a staggering 43% of pet owners never brush their dog’s teeth.
Add this to the fact that a majority of pet insurance plans don’t cover the cost of dental care in the standard package, despite survey results showing that 86% of people think it should be. Of those questioned is also emerged that 30% of people have forked out more money on their pets teeth than their own.
The research by Fish4Dogs, quizzed 800 people from across the UK, and was conducted to support the British Dental Health Foundation's National Smile Month.
As well as regular brushing, a balanced diet will help to keep dogs teeth healthy.
Dogs’ diets can vary greatly dependent on breed, owner and personal taste – but to help keep those pearly whites in check it is also recommended to include a dry food in your dog’s day – be it in treat form or kibble in their dinner the rough texture will help to remove tartar from the teeth.
Graham Smith, chief executive of Fish4Dogs said: 'This research is definitely an interesting read about people’s attitudes and behaviours towards dental care for their dogs.
'National Smile Month campaigns for healthy and happy teeth and there is no reason this shouldn’t apply to our pets, too. At Fish4Dogs we have never doubted how important dogs are to their owners, but it is clear that with wider awareness we could encourage teeth brushing to become more regular and an introduction of dry food into dogs’ diets and all see improved results.'
