Dental care for cats and dogs
DENTAL disease is one of the most common problems we see here at St Vincents vets. Poor oral hygiene can cause ongoing pain, and it can be difficult to assess whether our pets have uncomfortable mouths as they endure pain so well.
It is extremely important to look out for early signs of dental disease. Pets can become a little bit fussier with food, you may notice bad breath or increased salivation or in worst case scenarios some bleeding from the mouth.
If you have any concerns about your pet’s teeth please arrange an appointment at your vets to discuss.
As pet owners, it is important we are vigilant with oral health as early treatment and preventative measures will help ensure that your pet has less trouble with dental disease.
As with humans, poor oral hygiene and bacteria can result in the build up of dental plaque and tartar formation with associated gingivitis (inflammation of the gums).
This can develop into periodontal disease which affects the teeth and the structures around the teeth. Infections in the mouth can also enter the body through the blood setting up infections elsewhere including the kidney, heart and liver.
So what can we do to help?
Diet is a fantastic way of preventing tartar build up on the teeth.
Good quality commercial dry foods tend to be better than wet. Dental diets are specifically designed to clean teeth.
The biscuits are normally bigger and have grooves to help clean. If you change the diet make sure you make the transition slowly.
Dental chews can also really help although be careful if your pet is overweight as they are full of extra calories.
Be careful with bones as they can splinter and cause gastrointestinal upsets, damage the enamel or fracture the teeth. For further information on preventative dietary management please consult your vets.
One of the best ways to keep the teeth clean is by brushing the teeth if they let you.
Introducing this at puppy or kittenhood will give you the best chance of having a compliant pet!
My rescue cat Buddy will sadly not allow me to do this.
Some pets are extremely tolerant of teeth brushing, and daily treatment will definitely help delay the progression of dental disease. Please make sure you use special pet toothpaste as human toothpaste can harm animals.
Tiny pet finger toothbrushes or soft children’s toothbrushes work very well for brushing. There are also some great dental toys which have special grooves to clean the gums as well as the teeth.
At vaccination and routine general health checks we always try and examine the teeth and oral cavity of our patients. If necessary, we advise a more complete examination and scale and a polish under general anaesthetic.
This is necessary in order to perform a thorough examination of the mouth, as well as to effectively scale and polish all the teeth.
If dental disease has progressed before this intervention we may be required to extract teeth with defects in the enamel, gum recession or root abscesses.
As with so many of the issues discussed in this column, preventative measures combined with early interventions when required will minimise the need for dental extractions.
Please feel free to give us a call for a chat about your pet’s dental health if you have any concerns.
Katie Love is a veterinary surgeon at St Vincents Veterinary Surgery, an independent practice offering personal care for all your pets. Katie has a keen interest in feline medicine and can be contacted at the surgery if you have any concerns about your pet’s health.