| Dental care vital for pets |
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| Community Living - Community Living | |||
| Written by Kathy Crawford | |||
| Wednesday, 25 February 2009 01:00 | |||
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Experts say checkups, homecare, periodic cleanings are best medicine Poor dental health in pets can cause serious health issues, including organ damage and hardening of the arteries.
To make matters worse, 80 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats show signs of oral disease by age 3, according to the American Veterinary Dental Society. To raise awareness about the importance of good oral health, several veterinary groups are sponsoring February as National Pet Dental Month. Michelle Harper, a dental technician at Smithville Animal “As babies, we should start taking care of their teeth,” she said. Although pet owners can buy products to brush their animal’s teeth, that’s not the first choice for many people. “I’ve got three dogs,” Harper said. “I’m not going to brush all their teeth daily.” But other products sold in pet stores can help, said Zach Brockman, co-owner of Critter-Wise in Kearney. Several types of chews are available that work by either dissolving or scraping plaque off of the teeth. Oral solutions are also available. Toys can double as a dental product, too. “Any kind of rope toy with frayed ends will act like floss,” Brockman said. “Fleece toys act like a toothbrush.” Brockman, who has an animal science degree with a nutrition emphasis, said diet plays an important role in maintenance. “For dental health, a kibble diet is best,” he said. “The hardness knocks the plaque off and scrapes some bacteria to keep the gums healthy.” Bad breath and oral pain are two of the most common symptoms of a dental problem, said Dr. Chris Morrow, program director at the Metropolitan Community College-Maple Woods Veterinarian Technology Program. “They’ll avoid chewing on one side,” Morrow said. “They may paw at their mouth.” However, most animals simply tolerate the pain, he said, so inspecting the teeth and gums is important. “Lift that lip and take a look,” Morrow said. Annual dental check-ups and periodic cleanings are necessary in addition to homecare, Harper said. Pets can develop an abscess, and bacteria could spread into the animal’s bloodstream through the gums, wreaking havoc on internal organs. Animals can also develop hardening of the arteries from plaque. “(A dental cleaning) is not a cosmetic procedure,” said Tom Del Pico, a veterinarian at Smithville Animal Hospital. “From a medical perspective, it’s for the whole body.” Harper said that a standard dental cleaning costs about $100. Geriatric pets or those with a history of health problems require extra care such as blood work before anesthesia is administered and IV fluid therapy, which is an additional $100. Three days prior to a dental cleaning, a pet is given antibiotics to protect them against bacteria because health care professionals clean under the gum line. The day of the cleaning, pets are administered anesthesia and a pain shot. The cleaning takes about 20 minutes for dogs and 12 to 15 minutes for cats. The pet is awakened within 15 to 30 minutes after the cleaning and will be groggy. The animal hospital keeps pets for a few hours to monitor them before allowing them to go home from the outpatient procedure. Source: Smithville Animal Hospital WHERE TO FIND ASSISTANCE WITH YOUR PET'S ORAL HEALTH Smithville AnimalHospital - 1514 U.S. Highway 169, Smithville - 532-0130 For Pet’s Sake - 14460 U.S. Highway 169, Smithville - 532-2277 PET ORAL CARE PRODUCTS - Pet owners can buy an oral rinse for daily use, which is sprayed directly on a pet’s teeth or mixed with their water. Some products contain the chemical chlorhexidine, which aids in dissolving plaque. - A finger brush and toothpaste is sold for pet owners to brush their animal’s teeth. It’s recommended that you do it daily, but Michelle Harper, a dental technician at Smithville Animal Hospital, said that even a couple of times per week is better than nothing. - Zach Brockman, co-owner of Critter-Wise in Kearney, said a pet’s diet plays an important role in dental maintenance. He said a kibble diet is best because the hardness scrapes off plaque and some bacteria to keep gums healthy. - Many rawhide chews are available that help clean the teeth, and some contain chlorhexidine, which dissolves plaque. Harper said the animal hospital sells chews that aid in digestion; however, other brands are fine as long as they are the right size for the animal to guard against digestion problems. Sources: Smithville Animal Hospital and Critter-Wise
Staff writer Kathy Crawford can be reached at 532-4444 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
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Hospital, said that caring for a pet’s teeth is a lifelong responsibility.
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