Animals need healthy mouths to remain healthy and happy pets!
Animals’ teeth and gum tissue react in exactly the identical manner as ours when threatened by disease and plaque so we must maintain regular and complete dental care for your pet hygiene program for their health and well-being.
Examine their mouth and teeth
If you can, gently pull back your furry friend’s lip and look at her or his teeth (wrigglers may need some assistance!).
- Would you see yellow or brownish plaque deposits on the teeth?
- Are there any other problems like chipped or cracked teeth?
- Does your pet have really smelly breath?
- Assess the gums – are they red or sore-looking?
- Can your pet often dribble spit and drop food when he/she is hoping to eat?
If your response is “yes” to one of these questions, your pet requires some attention to his/her mouth.
It is easy to overlook your pet’s teeth but dental problems could result in major health issues.
- Gingivitis along with the build up of plaque and tartar on the teeth may mean your furry friend is reluctant to drops or eat meals.
Eventually, you’ll be seeing the vet, possibly for dental perform under anesthetic, maybe for something more severe – costly and stressful.
Fortunately, good dental hygiene isn’t too hard to attain by following a similar plan of action to mine:
- Provide difficult (dry) meals. There are lots of balanced diets available on the current market, many designed to aid with dental hygiene and exercise the teeth.
- Use a toothbrush and toothpaste designed for animal usage because it froths less, is flavored, and does not require rinsing. Start gently for a few moments and work as much as a complete set of teeth!
- Hard and crunchy treats to help with the removal of tartar and plaque are extremely popular with pets. My dog loves to chew over carrots (great healthy veggies!) And you will find lots of treats available for helping with great dental hygiene.
- Toys designed to work out the mouth are great – happy playtime and dental hygiene rolled into one!
- Check regularly for continuous extremely bad breath – not just ‘I’ve been eating something horrible’ breath. This could be a warning signal that your pet might have something serious going on.
- When you go to your vet for hepatitis boosters your pet should have a professional dental check-up. Most vets now also have practices run by trained nursing personnel to assist you with your pet’s dental hygiene. Take a cat annual checkup right here.
Small Pets
Rabbit and bark owners, please assess your pet’s teeth regularly especially if they are showing any of the signs above as their teeth grow continuously and your veterinarian may need to shorten them.
If you are not convinced, think of it this way. A cat or dog year is equal to approximately five to seven years. If your pet is five years old, this is much like a 25 to a 35-year-old human who has never brushed their teeth or gone to a dentist!
One critical part of oral and general health for cats and dogs is regular dental care. But most pets don’t get the oral hygiene care that they have to keep their gums and teeth healthy.
We are also passionate about educating pet owners on dental health education and also the need for a solid at-home oral care routine.
Cats and dogs may often react to dental procedures by struggling or biting since they do not know what is happening. We provide anesthesia to all our patients prior to performing dental procedures. This puts less strain on animals and makes it possible for us to x-ray their mouth as necessary.
Our Citrus County vets provide preventive and curative veterinary dental healthcare and surgery for dogs and cats. Click this link for more information.