Dental Health Month

Did you know that February is Pet Dental Health Month?  Many Veterinary clinics extend this focus through January and February each year.  As much as I appreciate this short term focus on the number 1 health concern afflicting our pets, it is really a yearlong need.

 Let’s take a quick look at the why’s and what to do’s for this important animal health sector.

All of us can see the beautiful smile our pets give us, and while those front teeth may look nice, the root of the problem is much deeper, and more apparent if you lift the lip and look at their premolars.  It has been recognized by the American Veterinary Medical Association, that 80% of pets under the age of 4 have periodontal disease, and 100% of pets over the age of 4! 

 Why is that?  There are four different grades of periodontal disease.  These range from a mild combination of gingivitis and tartar build up, to an excessive amount of calculus (a hard, thick crust), on the tooth enamel, and potentially ulcers or abscesses affecting the gums and roots.

 Small breed dogs and Brachycephalic (flatter faced) pets, such as pugs, are at a greater risk.  These pets have a crowded mouth if you will.  All of their teeth are trying to fit into a small space.  This crowding gives bacteria a really nice place to hide and grow. 

 Signs and symptoms to watch out can vary from the extremely obvious to very subtle.  Pay attention to your dog’s breath.  Doggy breath is not necessarily a good thing, and if it smells like “dragon” breath, there may be a real problem in there.  Are your pet’s teeth a pearly white with a light pink gum tissue?  That would be a healthy mouth.  If not, what do you see?  Do you see a brown or black buildup on the enamel?  Do you see red, inflamed tissue surrounding the gums?  Is there an oozing spot?  What about a loose or seemingly missing tooth?  If you see or smell anything that concerns you, call your local veterinarian and ask if they can see you’re pet for a dental exam and estimate for home care options or dental cleaning.

Brushing is best!

Okay Okay, now we’re talking home care, does that mean I have to brush my dog’s teeth?!  While brushing is the best option, it’s not always the most practical.  Some pets love to have their teeth brushed, it feels good, and they will sit patiently while you do this.  Many others are distracted easily, and you may find it to be a challenging task, SQUIRREL! 

 Water Additives

If you’re not able to brush your dog’s teeth, take a look at some of the other options for home care.  There are water additives that you can mix into your pets bowl.  Products like Aquadent and Breathalyser are available in these formats.  Make sure you are changing the water frequently though, and be sure that your pet is happily drinking as much water as he/she was before.  We don’t want to be worried about dehydration because we added something new.  One other word of caution, some water additives contain an ingredient called Xylitol.  This artificial sweetener encourages them to drink, but can be risky for some pets.  Check with your veterinarian before you use anything with xylitol in it. 

Food Additives

Another home care option is a food additive.  These are one of my favorites for the pets who have daily feedings in measured amounts.  Plaque off comes in a small container with a scoop, Perio-Support is available in two sizes, a smaller container with shaker top, and larger, more cost effective container with a scoop.  All of these are top dressed on the food.  In other words, store these in your food container, scoop out your pet’s meal, shake on the powder, done!  A food additive is typically very palatable, and a lot of dogs will wait for you to add it after using it for a few meals.  I also like that companies such as Vetri-science (Perio-support), offer a 100% guarantee on their product.  If your pet won’t eat it, or you don’t think its working, you can take it back to your veterinarian.  A word of caution, this guarantee does not apply if you don’t purchase from your veterinarian.

 Chews and Treats

There are a lot of chews and treats on the market that claim to support dental health, I’m sure that some do, but be careful in this area.  When it comes to rawhide type chews, you need to monitor your pet carefully, ask any technician, we have removed quite a few rawhide pieces from the throats of our patients.  Also, your pet needs to chew on this for an extended amount of time if they are to receive the full benefit.

Lean treats tartar control for cats, is another favorite.  These tasty, crunchy treats can be found a blue bag, and are only 1.5 calories per treat.  Cats go crazy for this treat, and it’s a great option for them.

Dental Sticks are another options for our furry family members.  Again, monitor your pet when they are chewing on any of these, you want to make sure they don’t chew off a big piece and either choke, or have it lodge in the intestines.  Greenies and Nutrident are available in pet stores, however, there is another great option coming this year through our veterinary clinics.  Perio-Plus Stix, and feline bites are a combination of a chew stick, and the wonderful ingredients in perio-support powder to help neutralize those particles that cause bad breath.  The ingredients found in these sticks will also help to support the gum tissue, and as we already know, most pets have gingivitis of some classification.  Again, the perio stix and feline bites are 100% gauranteed if purchased through your local veterinarian.  Who doesn't love a risk free option?!

Synthetic Chews I caution against.  Some of these, like the Kong toys are great for chewing and massaging the gums, but there are others on the market that may actually cause your pet to break a tooth.  As with all of these options, check with your veterinarian; ask them what they recommend for your pet.

Dental procedures

The last part of my discussion here, does my pet need a dental cleaning and what is involved?  Again, check with your veterinary clinic and ask them a few questions.  Each clinic does their procedures a little different.  So you want to know exactly what is included.  If you call around to get prices, you may find out later that a procedure at one cost at clinic A, only included a cleaning, while the cost at Clinic B included the cleaning, radiographs, pain management, and a home care item to go home.

Dental Cleanings are essential to the health of your pet.  If left unattended, periodontal disease will affect the health of your pets heart, kidneys, liver, etc...  Think about it this way, if we go twice a year for dental cleanings, how often should our pets be seen?  They are aging 7 times faster than we are, that would be 14 dental visits a year!!  Instead, take them in twice a year for their wellness exams, have the teeth checked then.  If you do just one wellness exam, go again 6 months down the road and have a technician take a look at your pet’s mouth.  They can let you know how things look in there, create an estimate for a cleaning if needed, and consult with the veterinarian if they notice a problem.

 I hope you learned something from this article, and will now pay attention to your pets beautiful smile.  After all, it’s not just the health of his mouth at risk here, its whole body support!

The Healthy Equestrian

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