Plaque is a softer, sticky biofilm that builds up on your dog’s teeth above & below the gumline, that is easier to remove through good daily oral hygiene including the use of ZamiPet Dental Sticks. Tartar is what accumulates when plaque is left on the teeth for longer than it should: plaque mineralises (hardens) into tartar which is easier to see but much more difficult to remove. Tartar has a rough surface which attracts more plaque (and then tartar) to form and build up further. It requires a visit to your vet for a dental scale and polish under general anaesthesia to remove.
 
Plaque and tartar build-up cause bad breath and gingivitis (inflammation of the gums), and if left untreated, more severe periodontal disease. Practicing good oral hygiene daily at home can help prevent more serious dental health challenges from developing and costly visits to the vet.
 

You need to approach your dog’s oral care the same way you do your own. Whilst it’s essential to visit your dentist annually or more regularly as required for a professional clean and check-up, it’s also important you practice good oral hygiene daily at home. The same applies to your pet: all dogs should have a regular dental check-up to have their teeth and gums examined and, if necessary, a professional clean.

Whilst daily cleaning with a toothbrush would be beneficial too, most pet parents find this both impractical and stressful – not only for their dog but themselves. Incorporating ZamiPet Dental Sticks into your dog’s daily routine will reduce plaque and tartar build-up and improve the overall oral health of your pet in between vet visits. It will also reduce the likelihood of the number of professional cleans required by your vet, which can be stressful for your dog and expensive for pet parents, too. 

Bad breath is typically produced by the following in your dog’s mouth:

1. Bacteria in plaque and tartar 
2. Bacteria at the back of the tongue producing volatile sulphur compounds

The longer you incorporate ZamiPet Dental Sticks as part of your dog’s daily routine, the greater the impact it will have on bad breath. An improvement in breath should be sensed after 30 days of use, but a more noticeable difference should be detected after 60 days.

The timeframe for improvement is also dependent upon the current condition of your dog’s mouth and teeth i.e., amount of plaque and tartar build up. Additionally, for those dogs with an appetite for eating foreign material like faeces (their own or others) or rotting food from bins etc., the path to fresher breath will be longer still. 

ZamiPet Dental Sticks have been formulated in two different sizes for adult dogs: small and medium/large. As a further guide, ZamiPet provides weight ranges to help pet parents determine which size stick is best for their dog: 

ZamiPet has also formulated a separate product just for puppies in a special petite size: 

Generally speaking, a medium/large dog = large stick; smaller dog = small stick. If your puppy is above 12 kg, we recommend ZamiPet Dental Sticks Adult for Medium/Large dogs.  

As chew time is critical for getting the best out of a dental stick, it’s important to monitor your dog’s chewing habits i.e., if your dog is devouring a small stick too quickly, you might want to try the larger version.  

Based on globally recognised guidelines for the pet food industry as set out by AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials), ZamiPet Dental Sticks are considered low in both fat and calories: 

Whilst the Australian pet food industry generally follows the standard of the PFIAA (Pet Food Industry Association of Australia), their guidelines are based on the standard set by AAFCO. 

ZamiPet Dental Sticks Puppy are suitable for puppies 12 weeks and older. Puppies will start losing their baby teeth around 12 weeks of age as adult/permanent teeth begin to come through. By around six months of age, adult/permanent teeth should have replaced all baby teeth. Chewing ZamiPet Dental Sticks will not pull-out baby teeth prematurely: baby teeth are initially loosened by the emerging adult/permanent teeth pushing from underneath.  

Some baby teeth can also be retained too long, and the adult/permanent tooth grows out alongside the baby tooth, potentially causing misalignment issues. Chewing dental sticks can help prevent this from occurring. 

ZamiPet Dental Sticks are specially formulated to fight bad breath at the source by inhibiting the bacteria that cause bad breath. A fresh mint flavour will only mask bad breath for a very short period, whereas ZamiPet’s unique ZamiDental formula (Natural Seaweed, Sodium Tripolyphosphate and Zinc Sulphate) directly targets the bacteria that cause bad breath.