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How Oral Health Affects Your Dog’s Overall Health
How Oral Health Affects Your Dog’s Overall Health

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How Oral Health Affects Your Dog’s Overall Health

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Oral care is a key component of your pet’s overall health: A smart regimen can help prevent the development of serious conditions. Keeping your pet’s teeth clean and bacteria-free results in more than just healthy teeth and fresh breath. With a little know-how and effort, you can protect your pet for a lifetime of companionship.

 

 

Practice the 3Ds

Tartar and gingivitis are the most common problems seen by veterinarians. The majority of dogs will develop these problems. Unchecked, these can lead to periodontitis and serious health concerns for your pet, up to and including, tooth loss and serious illness. But you can take action to control this and promote good oral health by incorporating the 3Ds: Daily Brushing, Dentistry. and Diet.

 

 

Daily Brushing

Daily brushing of your pet’s teeth will remove plaque and slow the development of tartar. When first beginning to brush, be gradual and make it a pleasant experience. Start by using your finger. Later, introduce a toothbrush. Be sure to praise and reassure your pet while brushing. Also, reward your pet afterward with play or a walk.

 

 

Dentistry

Talk with your veterinarian about annual or semiannual teeth cleaning—a dental prophylaxis or prophy for short. Teeth cleaning, performed by your veterinarian, is the only way to remove tartar.

 

 

Diet

Diet is important to good oral health. The mechanical, brushing action of dry, crunchy kibbles helps remove plaque and works to scrub teeth clean. Some diets also might include ingredients such as hexametaphosphate (HMP) that can help block tartar formation. Diet, daily brushing, and dentistry helps break the plaque-to- tartar cycle and optimize oral health.

  •  A Pet Parent’s Guide To The Best Antioxidants For Dogs
     A Pet Parent’s Guide To The Best Antioxidants For Dogs
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    A Pet Parent’s Guide To The Best Antioxidants For Dogs

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    Antioxidants are chemicals that the body uses to combat free radicals. And free radicals are substances that might harm the body if they exceed a certain level. Antioxidants are also beneficial for your pets, especially your dogs. Your dog needs antioxidants to help promote a healthy immune system. Hence, every IAMS™ dog formula contains optimal levels of these nutrients.

    Antioxidants are naturally occurring essential nutrients that help maintain your dog’s health by slowing the destructive oxidative process of cellular molecules. IAMS™ research has been focusing on advancing antioxidant nutrients for senior dogs — and the benefit is improved immune function. Discover how the antioxidants in IAMS™ products can benefit your dog’s health in a number of ways.

     

    Benefits of antioxidants for dogs

    Antioxidants are found naturally in fruits and vegetables. Common antioxidants include vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, and certain compounds called carotenoids (like lutein and beta-carotene). When antioxidants are a part of a dog’s complete diet, they can provide the following benefits:

    • Slowing the oxidative process of cellular molecules.
    • Reversing immune-cell function in senior dogs.

     

    How antioxidants work

    As cells function normally in the body, they produce damaged molecules called free radicals. These free radicals are highly unstable and steal components from other cellular molecules such as fat, protein, or DNA, thereby spreading the damage.

     

    This continues in a chain reaction, and causes cells to die. This process is called peroxidation. Peroxidation is useful because it helps the body destroy cells that have outlived their usefulness, and it kills germs and parasites. However, when left unchecked, peroxidation also destroys or damages healthy cells.

     

    Antioxidants help prevent widespread cellular destruction by willingly donating components to stabilise free radicals. More importantly, antioxidants return to the surface of the cell to stabilise other cellular components.

     

    When there are not enough antioxidants to hold peroxidation in check, free radicals begin damaging healthy cells, which can lead to problems. For example, free radical damage to immune cells can lead to an increased risk of infections.

     

    Antioxidants in IAMS™ adult dog and puppy foods

    Antioxidants offer countless benefits to our furry friends. And it is imperative that their food is loaded with it. Want to know why? Read on.

     

    Why do dogs need antioxidants?

    Antioxidants are a must for dogs as they are exposed to significantly more toxins than humans. These antioxidants work like protective agents within the dog’s body, battling free radicals that cause symptoms and diseases like skin problems.

    Furthermore, giving liver antioxidants for dogs will boost liver health and eliminate toxins from their body more efficiently. The liver will convert fat-soluble toxins into water-soluble toxins to easily flush them from your pet’s body through the GI tract and kidneys.

    Recent research has examined the benefits of certain antioxidants on the immune response of dogs, and the results of these studies indicated that antioxidants are important in helping dogs maintain a healthy immune system.

    IAMS™ adult and puppy formulas contain optimal levels of antioxidants such as:

     

    Antioxidant

    Source

    Function

    Vitamin E

    Plant oil extract and tocopherols

    Optimizes immune system’s T-cell activation

    Beta-carotene

    Vitamin premix, corn meal, chicken by-product meal and chicken fat

    Optimizes types of cells present in the blood,
    increases antibody levels in the blood
     

     

    Now that you know how dog food with antioxidants can benefit your dog, here’s a list of the best antioxidants for dogs: 
     

    Best antioxidants for dogs

    Vitamin C

    • One of the most essential vitamins for a dog's health
    • Aids in wound healing and reducing inflammation
    • Provides energy so your dog can enjoy playing outside all day

    Vitamin E

    • One of the best antioxidants for dogs with cancer
    • Provides a natural boost to the immune system
    • Supports healthy blood vessels and protects against diabetes and heart disease

    Beta-carotene

    • It is a fantastic dietary addition for your dog.
    • Helps boost the number of antibodies in blood and offers additional protection against diseases in older dogs

     

    Polyphenols

    • Excellent antioxidants for dogs as they help maintain your pet’s health and strength for many years
    • Shields from diseases like cancer or diabetes 

     

    Sources of antioxidants for dogs

    You can find natural antioxidants for dogs in the following:

     

    Fruits and vegetables

    The antioxidant content of plant-based foods is high. Foods that are highest in antioxidants are fruits and vegetables as they are loaded with vitamins and beneficial in countless ways. Some examples of excellent sources of antioxidants are blueberries, strawberries, pears, red cabbages, and kale. Make sure to check which fruits and vegetables are safe for your dog to consume. 


    Supplements

    Give your dog the best vitamins you can, so your pooch stays healthy. It is crucial that dogs receive a supplement that is specifically designed for their life stage. 

     

    Look for dog food with antioxidants and nutrients that are bioactive and bioavailable so that these get absorbed properly into your dog’s body. Make sure that the supplement you choose has the ideal ratio of natural elements for your pet’s needs. That can be accomplished by looking for a combination of prebiotics, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.

     

    For a healthy body from the inside, you can also feed your pooch IAMSTM Proactive HealthTM dog food. Find the products that are best for your dog by shopping based on your pet’s age.

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