Have you ever was sitting was your dog on the coach washing a movie and you started noticing that your dog’s breath smells like urine? If yes, that is a warning sign of kidney problems. So, keep reading to know what other signs, symptoms, and causes of kidney problems in dogs.
Kidney problems in dogs can be a result of several reasons: toxic foods, some medicines, decreased blood or oxygen delivery to the kidney, and also urine problems especially urine infections and urinary obstruction. However, surprisingly, one of the main and most familiar main causes of kidney problems in dogs is bad teeth.
Bad teeth are the most common and one of the most dangerous problems you will have to face if you have a dog, because, to be honest, keeping your dog’s teeth clean all the time is not an easy task. In fact, as we mentioned in a previous article we wrote about (rotten teeth), about 80% of dogs have bad teeth around the age of 2. That is serious!
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Symptoms of kidney problems in dogs:
There are a lot of signs that can tell you that your dog might be having kidney problems, some of them are:
- Vomiting
- Weight loss
- Diarrhea
- Increased thirst
- Depression
- Lack of appetite
- frequent urination
- Depression
- Bad breath
So, if you noticed any of these symptoms and you felt that your dog is not in the mood, trying so hard to wake up and do his/her usual activities but he/she is so tired that every time you are looking at him/her you feel like he/she is struggling with something he/she can’t reveal.
Call your dog’s veterinarian and tell him/her that this is an emergency and that you need him/her to check you, furry four-legged friend, as soon as possible.
By the time your dog is diagnosed with kidney disease, you need to know that you are a step closer to kidney failure and, most probably, you are about to face a life-threatening problem.
How to prevent your dog from kidney problems caused by bad teeth?
First off, you need to make sure you take extra care of your dog’s teeth since he/she is a puppy. Your dog needs to learn how to stay calm during the toothbrushing process, and that is not an easy task; you need to be patient and take baby steps with your dog till he/she is comfortable during the teeth cleaning process.
Also, you need to understand that the tools you are using for the cleaning process are everything. Therefore, you need to get your dog a toothbrush that is meant to be for dogs (Don’t use a toothbrush that is made for humans, because it makes the dog so uncomfortable), and it is very important to buy your dog a canine toothbrush, too.
Which you will find plenty of it, here. But, I really recommend this one, because it is the most affordable, and really handy. (The Canine toothbrush)
Moreover, you need to calm your dog down before you start brushing his/her teeth, that is a very important thing to do for your dog, because if your furry four-legged friend is not calmed while you are brushing his/her teeth, most probably, he/she will run, bite, or chew the toothbrush, which will make the teeth cleaning process more difficult.
How to calm a dog down to clean his/her teeth?
First off, you need to choose the right time of the day. Most probably, not his/her playing time, and not during his/her active time when he/she used to go out on a walk or play with other dogs.
Also, you need to make sure that you are choosing a room with no distractions at all; no little kids who want to play with their dog, no loud TV with your dog’s favorite movie on it, and of course, don’t choose to brush your dog’s teeth in a room that is filled with toys.
Another worth mentioning note, you really need to train your dog some obedience commands before you start cleaning his/her teeth. And that to help him/her stay calm as long as possible until you finish.
The cleaning process:
Now, your dog is calm and ready to get his/her teeth cleaned. What you should do now is making your dog familiar with the texture and how the toothbrush feels on his/her teeth. And that process requires you to put the toothbrush on your dog’s teeth and gently move it so your dog feels comfortable, and that is called the introducing phase.
What makes this phase very important, is that it, by time, if your dog is comfortable with the first couple of times, the process becomes easier, and that will help you keep your dog’s teeth healthy, which will prevent him/her from having any future kidney problems.
Last, but not least. Chewing toys are one of the most important dental care tools you need to get to your dog as soon as possible, not just because it is fun and dogs really enjoys it, but because it is really important for your dog’s teeth healthy, and that is what it is made for at the first place, to help your dog’s teeth from
Therefore, if you already have a chewing toy, good for you, just keep it clean and make sure that you put it in your dog’s daily activities. If you don’t have one for your dog, then today is your lucky
If you are looking for more steps, here are 12 steps to clean your dog’s teeth from the AKC, check it now!
Now, you have what you need to prevent your dog from having bad teeth, that will, most probably, soon or later will affect your dog’s kidney causing him/her kidney diseases that will eventually lead to kidney failure.
Therefore, you better take care of your dog’s teeth now to not regret later!
Also, please tell us more about you dog’s teeth care routine.
Related Questions:
Is kidney failure in dogs painful?
It is not a pleasant experience. Your dog will be sick, not in the mood, tired almost all the time, and eventually, he/she will be too exhausted to do anything!
