During teething, many puppies tend to eat less than usual. Although this can be an upsetting situation, there are several steps you can take to reduce their discomfort and soothe their gums.
One of the best ways to soothe your pup’s sore gums is with cold food or chews. You can make frozen fruits and vegetables or ice cubes for them.
Contents
Frozen Fruits and Vegetables
Frozen treats are the ideal way to give your pup something tasty and cold at the same time. This can be especially beneficial when they’re suffering from sore gums, which may make them feel itchy and uncomfortable.
For teething puppies, the ideal frozen fruits to feed are strawberries, bananas, seedless watermelon and peaches (without pit). These items are packed with potassium, vitamins, biotin, fiber and copper for extra nutrition.
Kongs or chew toys made of rubber can also help soothe your pup’s sore gums. Not only are these easy to wash and safe for hours of chewing action without chipping or splintering your dog’s teeth, but they’re easy to store away for future use as well.
Some people even blend frozen fruit and vegetables into ice cubes for a nutritious snack! All you have to do is blend the fruit or vegetable with some ice, yogurt or coconut milk, then pour into an ice tray. Serve each cube one at a time for a quick treat that won’t add too many calories to their diet.
Frozen Ice Cubes
Ice cubes are a dog’s go-to treat for many reasons. Not only do they cool them down, satisfy their chewing urge, quench their thirst and help relieve teething pain, but they can also cool their fur down too!
Unfortunately, dogs can get very distracted while chewing on ice and damage their teeth if not careful. This is particularly true for older dogs or those breeds that are naturally predisposed to tooth issues.
But that doesn’t have to mean you must forbid ice from your dog’s diet entirely. They can still enjoy some moderate amounts of it occasionally in moderation – preferably crushed or shaved so there is less chewing required.
Another way to alleviate your pup’s discomfort is by massaging frozen aloe vera onto their gums. For additional relief, you could try freezing herbal teas such as lavender or chamomile in ice cube trays for extra cooling effect.
Frozen Apple Slices
If your puppy is teething and you want to give them a treat that is both nutritious and easily digestible, frozen apple slices make an ideal treat. You can prepare these in advance and store them in the freezer for several hours or until solidified.
To prepare your apples for freezing, peel, core, and slice them into bite-sized pieces with a knife, apple corer ($7 at Walmart), or vegetable peeler.
You can also soak your slices in a lemon juice/water mixture to prevent them from browning too quickly before freezing. Be sure to keep the slices submerged as soon as you take them out of the solution, they will start to oxidize.
Another way to stop your slices from browning is to dip them into a product containing ascorbic acid. You can purchase this powder at most grocery stores and it helps prevent your slices from oxidizing and turning brown as they freeze.
Frozen Chicken Broth Ice Cubes
Teething is an inevitable part of growing up for puppies, but it can be quite uncomfortable. Puppies may experience various symptoms such as baby teeth coming out, raw gum discomfort and adult teeth breaking through.
Good news: there are many ways you can help your puppy cope with his or her discomfort. One of the simplest and most successful solutions is giving them something cold to chew on – like ice cubes!
Make delicious ice cubes from any liquid you like – such as low-sodium chicken broth, beef or vegetable broth. All you have to do is pour the liquid into an ice cube tray and freeze for quick treats!
You can also add some fruit to the ice cube mixture, such as strawberries, bananas or seedless watermelon. The cold cubes will soothe your pup’s teeth and gums while helping to hydrate them.
