Pet Dental Care

DENTAL DISEASE IN DOGS AND CATS
Before we domesticated the family pooch and puss they were hunting animals. Tearing at carcasses no doubt kept their teeth cleaner than tinned food and crunchies do today. Dental problems in pets are most typically seen as dental plaque, tartar and gum inflammation which is known as gingivitis.
Lets have a look at what all this means.

1. PLAQUE AND TARTAR
Dogs and cats can't clean their teeth like we can and so plaque gradually begins to form on the sides of teeth. It's a mixture of minerals and salts from the salivary glands, food particles and bacteria. The problem is that once it starts, it's away and new plaque builds up on old. Soon enough there can be a yellow grey look and furry feel to the sides of teeth as tartar
builds up. .

2. BAD BREATH
Before you see it though you usually smell it, a friendly lick becomes no fun at all. The bacteria love growing in plaque and as the tartar pushes back the gum, infection sets in between the teeth and gums.

3. GINGIVITIS
The reddening swelling and infection of the gums is gingivitis. It’s not just the smell that’s the problem, the gums retract and cause pain and infection which will cause problems with eating, tooth decay and if things get worse, no teeth at all.

4. BACTERAEMIA
The situation can become worse if the bacteria in the gums get into the blood stream and affect other organs in the body. So bad teeth can ultimately be the cause of kidney failure.

WHAT CAN THE VET DO?
Unfortunately Scruffy or Fluffy aren't good at sitting patiently with their mouths open, that’s why they need an anaesthetic to have their teeth scaled properly. All tartar can be cleaned off using instruments similar to the dentist and teeth which are badly affected can be removed. Your pet might need a short course of antibiotics to control infection.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?
If any teeth have been removed think of it as your mouth. It's best not to feed food that will hurt the sockets so no bones or biscuits for a couple of days. Chopped meat, mince, or canned food is better.

Whether you're starting afresh or from scratch there are a few things you can do to reduce the problem.
1) Try to encourage chewing to keep the teeth clean. Strips of raw meat flaps, chicken necks and raw bones all will help.¬¬
2) Hill’s T/D is a dog biscuit specifically designed to clean the teeth. It can be fed as a total diet for maximum effect or with other food.
3) If you are really keen you might buy your pet their own toothbrush (yes there are specially designed cat and dog toothbrushes) and toothpaste and give their teeth a clean several times a week, but remember, don’t get their brush confused with yours.