Our pets are no different to us when it comes to looking after those pearly whites. Dental care for pets is extremely important, but for those pets who won’t co-operate when it comes to brushing their teeth, veterinary intervention may be required.

Remember that dental care isn’t only for cats and dogs, but for a variety of other pets including guinea pigs, rabbits and horses.

The diet of your pet is important for health, and while the ingredients of pet food will vary, you want to look for high-quality ingredients on the label of your pet food packaging. What you feed your pet has a huge impact on their dental wellbeing.

Some dry foods will keep your pet’s teeth in good form due to them ‘scrubbing’ the teeth as your pet chews to avoid tartar forming. Talk to one of our vets to find out about natural, wholesome ingredients to include in your pet’s diet as this contributes towards good oral health.

You have to be aware of dental disease as it will generally occur below the gum line which makes it invisible to see. This is why it is important to have a vet intervene. Sometimes examining and cleaning the teeth will be required under anaesthesia.

Most veterinarians will advise pet owners to get their pet used to them brushing their teeth at the same time each day to get their pets into a regular routine with dental hygiene. There are special types of toothpaste and toothbrush’s specially made for pets. You must never use human toothpaste as it includes an ingredient that is toxic to animals. If your pet will absolutely not allow you brush their teeth you should speak to one of our vets and arrange a dental scale and polish that will have tremendous benefits for your dog or cat.

A large percentage of dogs and cats require dentistry. Dental health is important for your pet’s general wellbeing, because left unattended, dental problems can lead to a host of health issues. A vet needs to look at your pet’s teeth at least once a year so they can detect early symptoms of dental disease. Cavities can occur in pets which can lead to:

Abscesses or infected teeth.

Palate defects such as cleft palate.

Tumours in the mouth.

Misalignment of the teeth and bite.

Fractured jaw.

Bad breath.

Not wanting to eat due to pain.

Teeth that are covered in tartar.

Pawing at the mouth and rubbing their head on the ground.

Drooling and abnormal chewing.

Bleeding from the mouth as well as swelling.

A general state of lethargy and misery.

Bad breath is a sign that all is not well with your pet, and the truth is, most pets over the age of 3 have some kind of dental disease. You need to attend to your pet’s dental issues as soon as possible as it can lead to other problems such as:

Tooth loss.

Pain.

Gingivitis.

Periodontitis.

Infection.

Periodontal disease for instance, is a pathological inflammatory condition of both bone and gum. Two common periodontal diseases are gingivitis and periodontitis. When infection and tartar in your pets’ mouth get worse, structures around the teeth such as the gums and the periodontal ligaments are affected and you find the ligaments loosening and the gums receding. This results in tooth loss as well as the spread of infection to the underlying maxillary bones and sinuses. Bacteria from the mouth can flow into the bloodstream and spread into organs such as the kidneys and the valves of the heart.

Vets see many pets with infected teeth and diabetes that is out of control. Once the teeth are attended to, within just weeks their insulin levels go down. The vets in our clinic offer excellent dental services for your pet. Some of these services include:

Evaluation of the teeth.

Dental x-rays.

Professional scaling to remove plaque and tartar.

Polishing the teeth.

Oral surgery.

Pain control.

With general dentistry your pet may require anaesthesia. Anaesthesia makes it possible to perform the dental procedure with less stress, pain and discomfort for both your pet and the vet.

Before your dog or cat has their surgery, the vet will perform a physical assessment and blood work to ensure that your pet is healthy enough for anaesthesia. After the dental surgery most pets often go home with a course of antibiotics and painkillers. Some circumstances require the animal staying overnight for monitoring to ensure they have recovered properly before returning home.