Veterinarians say about two-thirds of pet owners don’t comply with the recommended dental treatment for their dogs and cats, the two most popular pet animals in homes. However, if people understood the implications that gum and teeth diseases bring, they’d provide their pets’ oral hygiene a serious second thought.
Teeth and gum diseases of your pets may result in serious illnesses in different organs of the body which might be fatal if left unattended. Chronic oral diseases affect general health and cause sickness of the liver, heart, lungs, and kidneys. But preventive activities and normal care can protect them from having these conditions and help them enjoy longer, healthier lives.
Problems of the gums and teeth usually occur by age 2-3 years. Here are a few of the common conditions that disturb our furry friends and the hints that show you how you can find them.
- Gingivitis
When you notice light redness in the teeth of the pet, don’t ignore it. This is a sign of gingivitis or gum disease. Inflammation of the gums in its early stage is readily reversible when you take prompt corrective steps. Aside from redness, there is some plaque although the gum is smooth. Plaque is the leading cause of gingivitis. It occurs when food debris collects in the mouth and blends with saliva, dead cells, and mucus, turning the area into a rich breeding ground for bacteria. Bad breath and minor swelling of the gums are different signs of gingivitis.
- Periodontal Disease
Untended gingivitis worsens and turns right into periodontal disease. Plaque hardens form into tartar and creates gingival pockets (narrow distances between the teeth and teeth). Eventually, the gums recede, tissues are destroyed and teeth become loose, putting them at risk of falling out.
With celiac disease, your pet feels that the pain and has trouble eating and chewing. The breath smells bad and there is blood from the mouth coming out of the gums. Teeth are all loose. The worst occurs when bacterial disease penetrates the membranes, goes into the bloodstream, and travels into the different parts of the body, inducing systemic illnesses of the vital organs.
- Stomatitis
Chronic Ulcerative Paradental Stomatitis (CUPS), or just referred to as stomatitis, is a state that occurs when your cat or dog develops a severe reaction to the plaque on the tooth surfaces. It can cause inflammation of the throat and the palate and there is accompanying loss of appetite, an enormous amount of saliva, bleeding, mouth sensitivity, acute halitosis or bad breath, and weight reduction.
Most often, stomatitis is due to untreated gingivitis or periodontal disease.
- Baby Teeth
Dogs and cats have baby teeth, also, just like humans. They fall out and are replaced with mature permanent teeth. In dogs, the adult teeth are generally all set up at 7 – 8 weeks of age and in cats, baby teeth are typically replaced completely by 4 months of age. They can cause overcrowding, the mature tooth may come out jagged and result in an incorrect bite and plaque is faster to develop and construct up. It’s easy to spot teeth that are retained. Two teeth are inhabiting one spot; among these is the baby tooth and the other is the adult tooth trying to come out. A vet can best determine the condition and pull the baby out tooth to make way for the permanent one to erupt.
- Tooth Root Abscess
It’s characterized by pain and the presence of pus but most pet owners won’t have the ability to observe the pus. Outward symptoms include loss of appetite, difficulty in eating, and facial swelling because the abscess develops. The creature may paw at the site or rub its face on the ground, often leading one to believe it’s an itch.
An abscess is generally due to two conditions: the existence of periodontal disease and tooth traumatic trauma or crack. In periodontal disease, the enlarged pockets allow food debris and bacteria to collect inside and form an abscess while a broken or cracked tooth exposes the tissues under the enamel, providing entry to the germs that cause the abscess.
How to Prevent Dental Diseases in Your Pets
As they say, prevention is always better than cure. It is possible to help avoid these common dental conditions from affecting your own pets and keeping them healthy and comfortable. In the home, you can brush their teeth once a day or even only three times each week to complement the professional cleaning of a veterinarian which could be done annually.
Brushing can be carried out using a brush or wrapping your finger in a gauze pad and hammering it at a 45-degree angle, moving the finger in a circular movement, and covering all areas if at all possible. There are special veterinary toothpaste, antibacterial soaps, and rawhide chew strips you can purchase in your vet’s clinic. These products reduce plaque buildup and can go a long way to maintaining oral health.
Offer your pet nontoxic toys that they can chew on to massage their gums and serve as an outlet for their strain and boredom. Again, your vet is the best adviser on these toys.
But professional cleaning and brushing are necessary and cannot be undertaken by you alone. A comprehensive checkup involves x-rays for diagnoses and anesthesia for complete cleaning. Take care of your pets. They might not be much help around the home but the joy and merriment they bring are worth much more than the money spent for their maintenance.
Dental Care for Pets
As experienced veterinarians, we all know most pets do not receive the oral hygiene care that they have to keep their gums and teeth healthy. That is why we’re so enthusiastic about providing regular dental care as a crucial part of your pet’s oral and general health. Learn more from this dog dentist.
In our Ambler vets animal practice, we offer complete dental care for the pet, from fundamental dental exams, teeth cleaning, and polishing to surgeries and dental x-rays and radiographs.
We’re also loyal advocates of home dental hygiene and dental health education for pet owners.
Cats and dogs want accessibility to qualified preventive and restorative veterinary dental hygiene. In Spring House Animal Hospital our vets supply the careful care that your pet needs. Visit springhouseanimalhospital.com for more information.
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