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7 Easy Ways to Keep Your Husky’s Teeth Clean

It’s not just our own teeth we need to keep clean and plaque-free! Your husky’s teeth are just as important and need regular brushing.

Owners have lots of questions on this topic so this article covers everything you need to know

Why Brushing Your Husky’s Teeth Is So Important

First off, let’s start with the all-important why?

According to Billings Animal Family Hospital, you might actually add 2-4 years to your husky’s life by keeping his dental hygiene in check. And this theory is backed by most of the top veterinary dental experts in the world.

When bacteria are left to grow and develop, many different issues can arise. Certain dental diseases can happen due to the bacteria and the spreading of the bacteria to the internal organs, creating even more serious health issues.

Additionally, gum disease has been one of the top causes of death in canines for a long time. Due to dogs having such alkaline-based mouths, bacteria and plaque grow fast, and they are the biggest contributors to this fatal disease.

However, with frequent brushing, both bacteria and plaque can be kept at bay, and therefore decrease the chance of your husky developing gum disease.

I could go on and on with more facts, but I think this has already gotten the point across. Brushing your husky’s teeth can literally increase their life expectancy! Let alone stopping his breath from melting your nose.

How Often Should You Brush Your Husky’s Teeth?

Brushing your husky’s teeth once every two days is ideal. This frequency will provide the most protection against bacteria and plaque without irritating his gums.

But if this is too much for you, brushing a couple of times per week is still very good.

Of course, it will take some time to work up to this frequency, as your husky won’t be used to having his mouth held open let alone the sensation of having his teeth brushed! It will take a few weeks for your husky to get comfortable and that’s perfectly normal.

It’s crucial to go slow and build positive associations using treats and plenty of praise before and after brushing his teeth.

If you go too fast or try forcing him he may respond negatively, making future attempts even more difficult.

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How To Brush Your Husky’s Teeth

The actual process of brushing your husky’s teeth is really simple and this video demonstrates it perfectly. The video is only a few minutes long, and I have set it to start at the right moment.

7 Tips to Keep Your Husky’s Teeth Clean

Let’s run through some of the essential tips to make this task as easy and as stress-free as possible.

1. Use a toothpaste your husky likes

It’s important to use canine toothpaste only. Human toothpaste contains xylitol (artificial sweetener) which is a toxic ingredient for all dogs.

Canine toothpaste is generally inexpensive and comes in different flavors like poultry, beef, mint, and some others.

By using a toothpaste your husky actually likes, it will make him look forward to having his teeth brushed, instead of being resistant to it. This will make the process instantly much easier.

2. Brush in straight lines

Brushing your husky’s teeth is simple in the fact you only need to brush in straight lines, back and forth.

Simply covering the teeth in toothpaste is one of the primary goals, hardcore brushing in different directions isn’t necessary.

3. Focus on the outside of the teeth

Over 90% of the plaque build-up, if there is any, will be on the outside of the teeth. So this is the only area you need to brush. Back and forth along the outside of your husky’s teeth.

Your husky will do a great job using his tongue to keep the insides of his teeth clean.

4. Start as soon as possible

The younger you start brushing your husky’s teeth, the easier it will be.

Of course, if you are reading this with an old husky, it’s still important to start, but you might have a harder time getting him or her to comply.

The bonus of starting young is that your husky will be more willing to accept this as a new part of his new routine.

5. Only brush his teeth when he’s calm and relaxed

Choosing the right time of the day to brush your husky’s teeth is more important than it sounds.

Ideally, only brush his teeth when he’s the calmest and most relaxed. This is usually in the evening times after he has been fed and has received his daily exercise.

Try brushing his teeth in the morning when he’s full of energy and excitement, and it’ll be much harder to keep him still.

6. Start inspecting his mouth regularly

This has two huge benefits. The first is that regular inspection allows you to know what’s “normal” for your husky. You’ll know what his teeth and gums usually look like, so as soon as something changes you’ll be aware of it. Early detection of diseases is key.

Apart from that, the more frequently you handle his mouth, the easier it becomes to brush his teeth. If having his mouth held open is just another casual part of his day, brushing his teeth will be a breeze.

7. If you notice irritation after brushing, stop

Brushing your husky’s teeth for 30-60 seconds with a canine toothbrush and canine toothpaste shouldn’t result in irritation.

So if you notice your husky’s gums to be particularly red, bleeding, or he won’t stop pawing at his mouth after brushing, it’s best to stop the routine.

He could be allergic to that particular toothpaste or there’s an existing oral issue. Either way, it’s best to schedule an appointment with your veterinarian to figure out what the problem is and to have a check-up.

When To Start Brushing Your Husky’s Teeth?

Should you be brushing your husky’s teeth throughout teething?

Thankfully, you can wait until your husky has his full set of 42 adult teeth before you need to start brushing them. He’ll finish teething and have his adult teeth by around 8 months of age.

Brushing his teeth before this moment isn’t necessary and your husky won’t gain anything from it.

➡️ However, one thing you CAN start early is handling his mouth as much as possible.

➡️ The more he gets used to having his mouth touched, the easier it will be when you finally need to start brushing.

Best Toothbrush and Toothpaste

There are many kinds of toothbrushes, but most dogs get along with either a standard toothbrush or a finger brush.

For toothpaste, please only use one that’s made for dogs. As I mentioned previously, human toothpaste contains something called Xylitol, which is toxic for dogs.

Here’s a good kit on Amazon to get started: Arm & Hammer Dog Toothbrush Kit. This kit comes with both styles of toothbrushes and toothpaste.


Thank you for reading!
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Disclaimer

The advice given in this article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice in any context. Before making any decisions that may affect the health and/or safety of your dog, you should always consult a trained veterinarian in your local area. For the FULL disclaimer Visit Here


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