Good dental health for your pet is within reach - to treat your pet’s tooth pain and prevent further disease, call us now to book an appointment. Poor dental care and hygiene can lead to plaque. Plaque leads to tartar. Tartar can lead to gum disease, which can quickly turn dangerous. Untreated gum disease can cause loose teeth and has even been linked to heart disease.
Put your pet’s dental health in experienced hands.
Dental hygiene is a critical part of your pet’s dental health. Poor dental care can lead to plaque, which can lead to tartar, which can lead to gum disease – which can quickly become dangerous. Untreated gum disease can result in loose teeth and has even been linked to heart disease!
Dental disease in cats and dogs
Unfortunately, gum disease can be ugly, and it can also be dangerous – but it is one of the most common diseases for both cats and dogs. Periodontal disease (periodontitis) is when some or all of the tooths supporting structures become inflamed. It’s caused by bacteria located on the teeth and in the surrounding tissue.
Signs of dental disease
One of the most common signs of dental disease is bad breath. Check to see if the gums of your pet are red or swollen and look for teeth that are yellow or brown (plaque, tartar or scale siting on their teeth).
Poor appetite and weight loss can also be a sign of severe dental disease. Additionally, if your pet has scale on one side of the teeth but not on the other, this may be an indicator that your pet is no longer eating on that side of their mouth – which may be because of tooth pain in one or more of their teeth. In these cases, you should book your pet in with us as soon as possible.
Teeth may become loose due to worsening periodontal disease and may form an abscess (which is often seen as a draining sinus under the eye over the face) or it may fall out due to loss of supporting tissue. There is also a well-established link between dental disease and kidney, liver and heart disease in people, and it is believed the link will also become apparent in our pets as well. Clean teeth are a must for healthy pets!
Teeth cleaning can prevent gum disease
If your cat or dog has been diagnosed with dental disease, then the next step is to book them in for a teeth cleaning to remove the plaque and treat any underlying periodontal disease. We perform teeth cleaning under general aesthetic, and it can take as little as 15 to 20 minutes or over an hour, depending on the severity of their disease.
Dental care for pets at home
Brushing your pet’s teeth at home is very important. This will reduce the chances that they develop gum disease – but it should not be the only measure that you take.
Brushing doesn’t remove the tartar or scale that is already on their teeth. To help prevent gum disease, we suggest a diet of dry food twice daily – speak with us to learn which specific food will be best for your furry friend.
Using dog food to help prevent tartar
As you can see, thoroughly taking care of your dogs’ dental health is important, and it can start with their diet. The benefits of dry food continue to improve as companies perfect their products – for example, the use of phosphate crystal coating used by Eukanuba on their dry foods can reduce bacteria turning into tartar or scale. Alternatively, T/D dry food made by Hills is fibrous, meaning it doesn’t shatter on impact and instead rubs the slime from their teeth before it can become tartar or scale. Dental chews are also a great way to help keep teeth clean and slow the build-up of tartar.
Bones can also be useful in keeping teeth clean, but only when your pet is enjoying a large, uncut bone – as it is the chewing and gnawing that cleans the teeth. You should also take care not to let your dog eat the bone, as this can eventually lead to broken teeth and costly removal or root canals to preserve the tooth.
Since childhood, Dr. Plummer has been passionate about caring for animals, and graduated with Honours in a Bachelor of Veterinary Science from the University of Queensland. He opened the Brisbane Pet Surgery with the aim of making quality pet care affordable for everyone.
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