Cat & Dog Teething Stages
You've fallen
in love with your new puppy or kitten, but his teeth
his teething is causing some problems. When cats
and dogs are four to six months old, their milk
teeth begin to drop out and are replaced with adult
teeth. During this period, your four-legged youngster
will start teething and chewing. This helps ease
the pain of the new teeth penetrating the gums.
Unfortunately, your pet can't always distinguish
between what he should and shouldn't chew. Indeed,
many a sofa leg and sneaker have fallen victim to
a teething pup. Instead of grinning and bearing
it, you can minimize the damage, and help relieve
your pet's discomfort with these tips.
Dog or Cat Teething & Chew-Proofing Your Home
First, you'll need to pet-proof your
home. There's a good chance your cat or dog will
gnaw on your soft leather slippers if he has access
to them, so be sure to remove anything that you
think seems tempting. Remember to tape down or hide
all electrical cords, and get household chemicals
and cleaning products out of the way. If necessary,
cover target areas of your furniture with plastic.
You may also wish to treat objects with a special
anti-chew spray available at pet supply stores.
These sprays impart a smell and taste that animals
dislike.
Next, you must provide your pet with
appropriate items to chew on that he can call his
own. Hard-rubber toys are your best bet. Avoid ones
with bells or other small parts that could be swallowed.
To make safe toys even more attractive, spread some
peanut butter on them. This way, your pet is sure
to choose to chew his yummy-tasting synthetic bone
over the chair leg.
If you catch your pet in the act
of teething on an inappropriate object, tell him
a firm "No!" and offer him one of his
own toys. Heap on the praise when he chews it.
Dog Teething & Confinement
If you come home to find that new
pair of boots in bits, unfortunately, it's already
too late for a reprimanding. Your dog will not be
able to associate your correction with the destructive
chewing he did when you were gone. Save both your
pup and yourself trouble by confining him in a crate
or pet-proofed room when you are not around to supervise
him.
While you are waiting for your pet's
permanent teeth to come in, you can help relieve
teething pain by giving him some ice cubes to chew.
The cubes will really numb his tender gums. And
if your pet allows it, try giving him a mouth massage.
First, relax him with some gentle stroking on the
outside of his mouth, and gently rub his gums in
a circular motion.
