Dental Care for Your Pet

“You want me to brush Fido’s what Doc?????” 

A Few Notes on Periodontal Care and Your Pet

Pet owners are frequently surprised when we recommend that they brush their pet’s teeth.  Society is just used to pet’s having smelly breath.  But imagine if you didn’t brush your teeth for 10 years!  How would your breath smell?  How would you feel about having such a dirty mouth?  As you have heard from your dentist, poor oral health affects the health of your entire body.  The same is true for cats and dogs.  Poor oral health in pets can contribute to heart disease, diabetes and liver issues.  It can also be painful and often leads to loss of teeth.

So what if I told you that your pet’s breath didn’t have to smell at all?  Or that you could potentially add years to your pet’s life by taking care of their teeth?  With routine dental care, pets can have fresh breath just like their humans do.  Veterinarians specializing in dentistry recommend daily brushing with veterinary approved tooth paste.  We recommend the CET brand which comes in poultry, malt or mint flavors.  My pets prefer the poultry and truly think it is a treat!   If your pet won’t sit for brushing, CET also makes the Hextra Chews and Oral Rinse which are good options for maintaining oral health. 

Brushing prevents the future accumulation of tartar and bacteria on teeth.  Unfortunately, brushing will not get hard packed brown tartar off the teeth.  This tartar holds bacteria at the gum line which eventually leads to infection and loss of gingival attachment.  This process is often painful and you may notice that your pet is having trouble eating.    If brown tartar, gingivitis and inflammation are noted in your pet’s mouth, the recommendation will be a thorough periodontal cleaning and polishing, under anesthesia.  Veterinary dentists recommend that this procedure be performed at least once a year on most pets.  The veterinarian will then examine each tooth individually and evaluate teeth that are likely to be causing pain.  At this time teeth may need to be extracted to decrease your pet’s pain and remove infection from the mouth.  Once your pet’s mouth has healed from this procedure, you can start brushing their teeth on a regular basis.

During the month of February, Wolff Animal Hospital recognizes Pet Dental Health Month.  This means we will be promoting oral health throughout the month and we would like to see your pet in for a free oral assessment.  During this appointment we will evaluate your pet’s teeth, organize an estimate of cleaning services for you and demonstrate teeth brushing as needed.  If you have any additional questions regarding your pet’s health, we will ask you to make an additional appointment, so that we will have time to thoroughly evaluate any issues.   There will also be a promotional discount on all periodontal cleanings during the month of February!  Please call to schedule your pet’s oral assessment or periodontal cleaning today, as spots are filling up fast.