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02-17-2008, 11:57 AM
Dental health is something that many owners never think of when it comes to their dogs and cats. Setting up a dental evaluation with your veterinarian is as easy as a phone call! To learn more about why dental cleaning and general care is important for your pets, check out the Veterinary Oral Health Council (http://www.vohc.org/).
When bacteria from periodontal disease travels into a pet's bloodstream, the lungs, heart, kidneys, liver and nervous system can be affected. These infections usually are treatable when caught at an early stage. However, if they are not caught in time, they can cause serious organ damage and even death.
Through my rescue and veterinary work, I have seen dogs and cats with severe dental disease - many requiring extractions because there was so much damage. Dogs and cats often don't whine or cry when their teeth hurt, and by the time they start to have difficulty eating it might be too late to save some of the teeth. Extractions are expensive and some require sutures. Pets need to be fed soft food for a period of days or even weeks following most extractions.
A growing number of veterinarians are purchasing high-tech dental equipment - including x-ray machines and cleaning units. There are certifications which technicians can acquire in dental cleaning and extraction as well. If your veterinarian doesn't have the equipment needed to do a dental cleaning (anesthesia is required), they will most likely be happy to refer you to another clinic which does.
There are things you can do to help keep your pets' teeth clean on a daily basis in your own home:
1 - Give medicated dental chews (my dogs love CET Chews (http://cetdental.com/chewing_products.asp)!) and Greenies (http://www.greenies.com/en_US/default.aspx).
2 - Brush your pets' teeth (with special made pet toothbrushes and toothpaste).
3 - Add dental solution to your pets' drinking water (I personally use ProDental (http://www.petedge.com/Top-Performance-ProDental-Solution-32-oz-size-TP97632.pro), though there are other brands available).
4 - Raw, meaty bones help keep teeth in good shape too!
5 - There are even special prescription dental diets (Hill's t/d (http://www.hillspet.com/zSkin_2/products/product_details.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=8455244417 60648&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302037389) is the one I am most familiar with, though you can ask your veterinarian about others available).
The AVMA offers some more tips and information on how to keep your pet's teeth healthy:
Look for signs of tooth decay and oral disease by inspecting your pet's teeth regularly. Bad breath, discoloration and tartar are all indications of problems that could lead to serious health risks with the potential for not only damaging teeth and gums but internal organs.
Regular visits to your veterinarian should include a complete checkup of your pet's teeth. Your veterinarian should clean plaque and tartar off your pet's teeth if necessary. When tartar—created by the mixture of food debris, saliva and bacteria in the mouth—is allowed to build up it can accumulate between teeth and gums causing tooth loss, and result in an infection that could enter the bloodstream and spread to the heart or other internal organs.
Brush your pet's teeth daily or at least weekly. While most dogs or cats will not immediately accept a dental hygiene regimen, it can be successfully introduced with patience, particularly if you start when the pet is young.
To acclimate your pet to dental health, start slowly using plenty of praise and treats. Begin at a time when your pet is relaxed and massage the outside of their mouth with your finger. Then give them a taste of pet toothpaste—poultry-flavored is the most popular—and then slowly introduce a toothbrush to their teeth. Begin brushing in short intervals, working up to about 30 seconds a side.
Dogs don't accumulate as much tartar on the outside of their teeth as they do the inside, so focus your dental hygiene attention there.
Feed your dog or cat crunchy food, or at least a mix of hard and soft foods. The abrasive texture of kibble can help keep teeth clean, while soft food can cling to your pet's teeth and lead to decay. Also consider crunchy treats, which also help clean teeth.
Chew toys for dogs and rope toys that cats can chew are not only immensely entertaining for your pet, but also keep teeth clean and breath smelling fresh.You can also visit Pet Dental Home (http://www.petdental.com/) for more information!
When bacteria from periodontal disease travels into a pet's bloodstream, the lungs, heart, kidneys, liver and nervous system can be affected. These infections usually are treatable when caught at an early stage. However, if they are not caught in time, they can cause serious organ damage and even death.
Through my rescue and veterinary work, I have seen dogs and cats with severe dental disease - many requiring extractions because there was so much damage. Dogs and cats often don't whine or cry when their teeth hurt, and by the time they start to have difficulty eating it might be too late to save some of the teeth. Extractions are expensive and some require sutures. Pets need to be fed soft food for a period of days or even weeks following most extractions.
A growing number of veterinarians are purchasing high-tech dental equipment - including x-ray machines and cleaning units. There are certifications which technicians can acquire in dental cleaning and extraction as well. If your veterinarian doesn't have the equipment needed to do a dental cleaning (anesthesia is required), they will most likely be happy to refer you to another clinic which does.
There are things you can do to help keep your pets' teeth clean on a daily basis in your own home:
1 - Give medicated dental chews (my dogs love CET Chews (http://cetdental.com/chewing_products.asp)!) and Greenies (http://www.greenies.com/en_US/default.aspx).
2 - Brush your pets' teeth (with special made pet toothbrushes and toothpaste).
3 - Add dental solution to your pets' drinking water (I personally use ProDental (http://www.petedge.com/Top-Performance-ProDental-Solution-32-oz-size-TP97632.pro), though there are other brands available).
4 - Raw, meaty bones help keep teeth in good shape too!
5 - There are even special prescription dental diets (Hill's t/d (http://www.hillspet.com/zSkin_2/products/product_details.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=8455244417 60648&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302037389) is the one I am most familiar with, though you can ask your veterinarian about others available).
The AVMA offers some more tips and information on how to keep your pet's teeth healthy:
Look for signs of tooth decay and oral disease by inspecting your pet's teeth regularly. Bad breath, discoloration and tartar are all indications of problems that could lead to serious health risks with the potential for not only damaging teeth and gums but internal organs.
Regular visits to your veterinarian should include a complete checkup of your pet's teeth. Your veterinarian should clean plaque and tartar off your pet's teeth if necessary. When tartar—created by the mixture of food debris, saliva and bacteria in the mouth—is allowed to build up it can accumulate between teeth and gums causing tooth loss, and result in an infection that could enter the bloodstream and spread to the heart or other internal organs.
Brush your pet's teeth daily or at least weekly. While most dogs or cats will not immediately accept a dental hygiene regimen, it can be successfully introduced with patience, particularly if you start when the pet is young.
To acclimate your pet to dental health, start slowly using plenty of praise and treats. Begin at a time when your pet is relaxed and massage the outside of their mouth with your finger. Then give them a taste of pet toothpaste—poultry-flavored is the most popular—and then slowly introduce a toothbrush to their teeth. Begin brushing in short intervals, working up to about 30 seconds a side.
Dogs don't accumulate as much tartar on the outside of their teeth as they do the inside, so focus your dental hygiene attention there.
Feed your dog or cat crunchy food, or at least a mix of hard and soft foods. The abrasive texture of kibble can help keep teeth clean, while soft food can cling to your pet's teeth and lead to decay. Also consider crunchy treats, which also help clean teeth.
Chew toys for dogs and rope toys that cats can chew are not only immensely entertaining for your pet, but also keep teeth clean and breath smelling fresh.You can also visit Pet Dental Home (http://www.petdental.com/) for more information!