Frequently Asked Questions About Pet Dental Care
Q. Why is dental/oral care important for my pet's overall health?
A. Dental/oral disease is painful, and it affects approximately 80% of all pets. Bone infection around the tooth roots can spread to vital organs like the heart, liver, kidneys and digestive tract. The infection subsequently causes illness and organ damage, decreasing a pet’s quality of life, and shortening a pet's life span.
Dental care eliminates the pain, infection and complications caused by dental/oral disease. All this adds up to longer, healthier, happier lives for pets.
 Q. How can I tell if my pet has dental disease?
A. One of the easiest things pet families can do to check for dental disease is to look in their pets' mouths on a daily basis.
Q . If my pet has signs of painful dental/oral disease, why is he or she still eating?
A. Pets experiencing dental/oral pain will often continue to eat normally because evolution selected the fittest animals that could tolerate pain by masking its symptoms. Animals that could not mask pain acted weak and vulnerable, became prey and were unable to survive long enough to reproduce. Animals "selected" by evolution masked pain effectively and passed this trait on to their progeny to today's pets. Therefore, the fact that a pet is eating normally does not mean he or she is free from dental/oral disease and pain.
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Dentistry for Pets?
Dental care for pets comes in two forms: professional cleaning/polishing at the veterinary clinic and brushing at home. Just like humans, pets' dental problems begin with plaque, a soft sticky residue that hardens over time into tartar. Tartar buildup leads to gum infections, loss of teeth, painful abscesses in the mouth, and can contribute to heart and kidney disease.
Brushing removes plaque before it becomes tartar and is effective in dogs and cats if done 1 to 3 times weekly. Brushing prolongs the time between professional dental cleanings and is of tremendous benefit to your pets' health since he or she will be less likely to lose teeth or to develop the serious consequences of dental infections. Most dogs respond well to brushing. Many cats also do well.
 Professional Cleaning:
All dogs and cats need to have their teeth professionally cleaned as they get older. Your pet's teeth need to be professionally cleaned regularly to maintain good oral health. Depending on the individual pet and other factors such as diet, home dental care, and general health, this will need to be done every 6 to 18 months.
When your pet needs to have a professional dental cleaning, general anesthesia is used so that the doctor can do a thorough exam, cleaning, scaling, and polishing of all the teeth. The procedure includes subgingival curettage, flushing, and a fluoride treatment. Because your pet is under sedation for the procedure, special care must be taken to properly prepare him or her for anesthesia (pre-medication and induction/sedation). Your pet's heart and vital signs are monitored throughout the procedure as well as afterwards to make sure that he or she has recovered from anesthesia successfully. If the doctor has had to remove any teeth or has observed signs of infection, you may be given antibiotics to be given to your pet at home.
Older dogs and cats benefit from dental procedures but special precautions must be taken to help lower the risk of anesthesia. Bloodwork may be required a day before scheduling the dental to detect any underlying conditions and the doctor may give IV fluids during the procedure.
If your pet is younger, but has all of his or her permanent teeth, now is the time to begin brushing. He or she may not need a professional cleaning for years!
More Than Just a Cure for Bad Breath!
Regular dental care is important for your pet's health. Your pet will feel better and avoid illness in later years if his or her teeth are kept clean now. Imagine what your mouth would be like if you went for months without brushing your teeth! Bad breath, brownish stains on the teeth (especially the back teeth or molars), and reddened gums are all signs of dental disease. If your pet has any of these symptoms, has loose teeth, or doesn't want to eat hard food, then he or she needs dental care right away. You don't have to wait for your pet to have a problem before starting regular dental care.
Help your pet avoid the pain and problems of dental neglect!
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 Nuances of a House Dog
- The dog is not allowed in the house.
- Okay, the dog is allowed in the house, but only in certain rooms.
- The dog is allowed in all rooms, but has to stay off the furniture.
- The dog can get on the old furniture only.
- Fine, the dog is allowed on all the furniture, but is not allowed to sleep with the humans on the bed.
- Okay, the dog is allowed on the bed, but only by invitation.
- The dog can sleep on the bed whenever he wants, but not under the covers.
- The dog can sleep under the covers by invitation only.
- The dog can sleep under the covers every night.
- Humans must ask permission to sleep under the covers with the dog.
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As
February is National Pet Dental Health Month, there's no better
time to focus on the importance of regular pet dental care. Did
you know that 80 percent of all dogs and 70 percent of all cats
show signs of oral disease by age three? Bacteria and plaque
buildup can lead to periodontal disease that may cause tooth
decay, bleeding gums and tooth loss. Infection can also spread
through the bloodstream and cause damage to the heart, liver and
kidneys. Follow these three steps to help prevent oral disease
in your pet: