Dental Care for Pets

It sure is quiet around here today.  I took Baby aka Binki Blue to Dr. Fuller at Hope Animal Clinic to have her teeth cleaned this morning.  She loves to ride shot gun but she certainly doesn't like the idea of "fasting".  She kept telling me this morning that not only did she not have her gourmet breakfast (canned food) but her dish with her crunchies was missing too!  To see a picture of Baby, look at the post titled "Feeling Blah".  She often is her Daddy's "catretary".

When should dental care start with your pet?
The earlier the better. With the help of your Veterinarian, be on the lookout for retained deciduous teeth and malocclusion (bad bite) problems. Your Veterinarian can teach you how to care for your pet's teeth and gums early on.

How can you tell if your pet has dental problem?
Bad breath is often a first indicator of dental disease. Gently lift the lips and check for tartar, inflamed gums, or missing/broken teeth. Cats may exhibit increased drooling. Both cats and dogs can exhibit reluctance to eat or play with toys, "chattering" of the teeth when trying to eat, lethargy, bleeding gums, eroded teeth, and failing to groom (cats). Dental disease progresses in stages -- if caught early, you can prevent further damage and save as many teeth as possible.

How is the rest of the body affected by bad teeth?
Infected gums and teeth aren't just a problem in the mouth -- the heart, kidneys, intestinal tract, and joints may also be infected. The tartar and any infected areas of the mouth contain a multitude of bacteria than can 'seed' to other parts of the body. With regular dental care, you can prevent some of these more serious side effects.