Many people are unaware that although dogs rarely experience tooth decay (thanks to their naturally non-acidic saliva and habit of chewing on whatever they can find!), they can still be at risk for infection.

Click here to visit Dog Food for Life
If you have noticed that your dog’s breath seems particularly stinky, this could be a sign that your  dog’s gums  have become infected. This is often caused by tartar build up below the gum line which traps bacteria inside. If this is the case, you should take your dog to the vet immediately, as infection can be highly uncomfortable for your pet and could lead to serious gum and tooth problems.

The best preventative measure that you can exercise to keep tartar from building up is to brush your dog’s teeth. This may seem a bit funny at first, but it is an important part of hygiene for dogs, just as it is for humans. You can purchase a canine toothbrush at most pet stores or online, but you should be aware that using human toothpaste when brushing your dog’s teeth can be extremely harmful and should never be done. If you are going to use toothpaste, you can purchase some that is specifically designed to be used on canines.

As we were taught when we were first learning to brush our teeth, circular motion is the proper way to brush, and the same applies to brushing your dog’s teeth. After you have brushed all over your dog s teeth with a circular motion, follow up with soft vertical strokes.

A dog’s teeth should be brushed about three times a week. As mentioned before, dogs have a habit of chewing and gnawing frequently, in addition to their non-acidic saliva, which means that their teeth don t require cleaning as often as a human s. If you really want to dedicate yourself to keeping your canine’s chompers in pristine condition, try scheduling a scaling and cleaning session with your vet every two or three years. This will help your dog s teeth stay pearly white and strong for many years to come. You can also get a copy of the Dog Food for Life eBook, which has helpful information about doggy hygiene and diet.

I encourage you to visit Dog Food for Life for more information about canine hygiene and diet.

Technorati Tags: breath, brush, canine, canines, care, dog, dogs, gum, gums, health, problems, scaling, smelly, teeth, tooth, your

A day’s work ends not at ‘quitting time.’ After a hard day’s work, one cannot just rush home and immediately sit back on the sofa with feet raised. After long hours of paper sorting, tedious analysis and hours more of report writing, the average worker cannot simply relax knowing that there are are still more things to done in the house. Eight hours at the office is followed by more domestic tasks such as cleaning the living room, washing the dishes, or doing the laundry. Being at home is just like doing another work shift, but this time, without the need to wear that tie or long-heeled pair of Prada.

There is, however, a great consolation to doing housework. Unlike being in the office, doing more work at home allows one to enjoy the benefits of being in the company of loved ones. As a bonus, a pet lover can also enjoy being with a congenial companion that helps one get over all the stress and anxiety at the office. Having a pet, like having a family, can be a real stress-buster.

Medical studies show that petting an animal can act as anxiety relief. Having a pet helps lower blood pressure and soothes the emotions after a hectic day. The company of pets gives a person a state of serenity and relaxation. Endorphins, the human hormone that kills pain, are easier released when a person enjoys the company of a pet animal. Other research clearly prove that petting a dog can help reduce stress and anxiety. The act of petting is not only comforting to the dog but for the owner as well.

Studies also say that dolphin vocalizations, or the sound being produced by these continental shelf dwellers, act as anxiety relief which can also lower blood pressures and induce calm thoughts. These specialized dolphin organs located below their blow-holes can treat mild depression, psychological problems, and developmental disabilities. These carnivorous mammals that actually feed on squid and fish are not your usual household pets. Still, they are used to conduct studies on animal-assisted therapy for human beings. Dolphin vocalizations are now being fused to classical music to produce mind-relaxing audio in CD and DVD forms.

Bird songs are also natural anxiety relief as those sounds bring incomparable sense of calm to the listener. Listening to the chirping birds can also relieve one’s mind from stress and anxiety. Psychiatrists and behavioral experts point out that petting such animals or listening to their natural sounds can be an effective way to promote emotional health and physical rejuvenation.

However, there are still some quarters that criticize the effectiveness of animal-assisted therapy. They say that therapy using animals are not as effective as taking anxiety medications. They contend that ‘there is still no compelling scientific evidence that proves that animal-assisted therapy is a legitimate therapy or just an answer to a fleeting mood.’

Science may not yet hold concrete proof of the benefits of animal-assisted therapy. But it is important to know that millions have already benefited emotionally and physically by having a pet as a companion. Still, no matter how tedious and tiring your office day was, having a relaxed moment with your family and pets should be considered as an alternative ‘therapeutic’ method to promote one’s health.

By: aseya

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

More information is available by following the links below

Nurse.com – Centegra Employees Change Illinois’ Animal-Assisted

Six years ago, she and a group of colleagues at Centegra Health System in McHenry, Ill., wanted to improve the hospital’s animal-assisted therapy program. At that time, the program consisted of one therapy dog

What is animal assisted therapy?

You will see many different terms and groups that will help people find the pet assisted therapy that they need. The most commonly used term is dog therapy.

Tito’s Wisdom

Pet Therapy Calms the Heart. The Healing Power of Pets . Pet Therapy. The Human-Animal Bond . How Pets Help Us. Animal Assisted Therapy. How to Erase Negative Influence

Technorati Tags: anxiety, canines, pain, pet, relief, stress, therapy, treatment, treatments