Bad breath blues: Keira tries easy dog dental care with #bluestempets productsThis post is sponsored by bluestem™ and the BlogPaws® Pet Influencer Network™. I am being compensated to increase awareness of and share my experiences with the bluestem™ oral care products, but we only share information we feel is relevant to our readers. Bluestem™ is not responsible for the content of this article.
I love it when my dog Keira the Saint Bernese smiles and gives me kisses! Unfortunately, Keira’s doggy breath is pretty stinky and she is aging, so I am more concerned about her oral health than ever. Bad doggy breath is not normal; it is a sign that your pet has periodontal disease. According to the Veterinary Oral Health Council® (VOHC) bad breath is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to dental disease and a sign that there is a bigger problem. So while I fight with her once a week to brush her teeth, I need something for those in between times to keep her smiling and smelling great! I need something quick and easy, something that doesn’t require a fight.CLICK HERE to read more!
That is why I jumped at the chance to try bluestem™ oral care for cats and dogs. According to the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA), 80% of cats and dogs will show signs of poor dental health including red and swollen gums, bad breath, pain, and tooth loss. That includes my sweet Keira! If left untreated, these conditions can progress to plaque build up, gum recession, loosened teeth, bad breath, inflammation and bleeding of the gums, and eventually loss of teeth, oral infections, and even poor overall health.
Photos by Stacey McIntyre-Gonzalez Copyright©
Graphics provided by bluestem
bluestem oral care products include a water additive and oral spray which are both easy to use and convenient! All bluestem products contain coactiv+™ technology - a unique formulation of food-grade ingredients that are scientifically developed to break down biofilm, where harmful bacteria multiply. coactiv+ technology has been proven to reduce tartar by 23% when used daily as directed. bluestem products do not contain alcohol, chlorhexidine or xylitol, an artificial sweetener that is highly toxic to dogs. bluestem products have been approved by Health Canada’s Low Risk Veterinary Health Products (LRVHP) program. I feel confident using this product because I know bluestem is concerned about my pet’s dental health, and also about providing a safe product to use on Keira, Hazel and Chaos.
Brushing Chaos’ teeth is a nightmare. Cats can safely use all products, with the exception of the Vanilla mint flavour, so I added some of the bluestem oral care water additive in chicken flavor to Chaos’ water dish. This is an easy way to maintain her oral health, and since bluestem is clinically proven to freshen breath and fight plaque and tartar, this is the most ideal type of product for my crazy kitty!
I had never used an water additive before and was a little concerned that my pets wouldn’t like it. Keira has grade 3 periodontal disease and is a very picky eater. Keira used the water additive daily for a full 30 days, and I also used the bluestem oral care oral spray to freshen her breath, and I sprayed it on her toys and chews. Keira has her own water dish that only she uses. Hazel is still very young, and her teeth are in amazing shape. Since she just had a major gastric surgery and was on a strict diet, I could only use the water additive with her for a short time. She was able to use the water additive and oral spray for two weeks after she made a full recovery.
Keira didn’t seem to notice that there was something in her water. She tried the Original, Chicken and Vanilla Mint flavor of water additive. I couldn’t tell you which one she preferred- she drank her water without hesitation. She wasn’t a huge fan of having something sprayed in her mouth, but when I used the oral spray on her toys and chews she didn’t mind the taste at all. Hazel seemed to like the chicken flavor the best. She has always been motivated by her mouth, which is how we ended up having to do a foreign body surgery in the first place.
My pet’s oral health is very important to me and although Keira’s mouth is unhealthy I did find the bluestem products helped freshened her breath. I will defiantly continue using bluestem products, especially the water additive because it's so easy to use on a daily basis. My hope is that bluestem products will someday earn the VOHC seal, which is what I look for when selecting a dental product for my pets. From what I can tell, bluestem definitely freshens breath! Since bluestem makes Keira’s kisses more bearable, I will keep using it on a daily basis!
Try bluestem oral care water additive and oral spray for 30 days and see the results yourself! Check out their website! Follow bluestem on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Google+!
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of bluestem. The opinions and text are all mine.
