Februrary is National Pet Dental Health Month

Most people don’t realize it, but February is National Pet Dental Health Month. Yep, animals have a month to increase their awareness too. Actually, it’s really to help owners realize how important dental health can be for your cat or dog. Here are a few facts most owners don’t know:

*Good oral health alone can increase your pet’s lifespan by 2-5 years

*80% of dogs and 70% of cats have dental disease by the time they are 3 years old

*Dry food alone may not be enough to prevent tartar build-up

*Rawhides and other “hard” chew toys are the #1 reason for broken teeth in dogs.

*Dental disease isn’t just a mouth problem—it can affect the heart, liver, and kidneys.

*Severe dental disease leads to bad breath, painful mouths, inability to eat, and tooth loss.

Sounds bad, right? There are actually a lot of ways to combat dental disease, if you only know about them. The first and most important thing you can do for your pet is brush their teeth. Starting when they are puppies and kittens is best (you have those “practice teeth”), but even adults can learn to tolerate or even enjoy a good brushing. There several flavors of toothpaste specifically for animals. My personal preference is vanilla mint, since they have that lovely minty fresh breath after brushing, but you can also find poultry, beef, liver, and malt flavors. They even have tuna for the picky feline. As long as you are brushing at least 3 times a week, you are doing a great job at reducing bacteria and early plaque that forms the tartar.

So—not a chance of brushing teeth, huh? Well, you can try one of the many products developed for those problems animals that are either too painful or fearful to have their teeth brushed. There are the obvious dental treats, from Booda’s Talk to Me Bones to NutraDent chews, Nylabones, Greenies, etc… CET chews, available through your veterinarian, come in several varieties designed to be given daily. These are coated in an enzymatic formula to help kill bacteria that form plaque. The most important thing to remember with ANY of these products, whether digestible or not, is to supervise your pet! Just like a toddler, any of these chewable treats can be swallowed in a large piece and cause problems.

Another popular way to control bad breath and mouth bacteria is to add products to your animal’s water bowl. Think about it…every time they get a drink they are also rinsing their mouth with an antiseptic wash. It doesn’t have a flavor, and even cats will drink water with these additives. The most popular at the moment is CET Aquadent Solution, which contains chlorhexidine.

So—your pet’s teeth are already bad, now what? All hope is not lost! Make an appointment with your veterinarian and have your pet’s teeth evaluated. If there is significant infection your vet will probably prescribe some antibiotics to take for several days before the cleaning procedure. This helps to reduce the risk of a secondary infection. They will also evaluate your pet for any other health concerns that need to be addressed when anesthesia is used. Unfortunately, most pets feel about the dentist like we do---SCARED! This just means that light anesthesia is used to make sure that everything goes smoothly. The use of an endotracheal tube, which goes in their trachea, also minimizes the risk of putting any of that nasty tartar or bacteria in the lungs. Most pets go home the same day their teeth are cleaned with much better breath and more comfortable mouths.

An important consideration when cleaning the teeth is whether or not to add sealant, such as Oravet, to the teeth. Most of the time the enamel is already damaged, so you may notice the teeth looking dirty again within 6 to 8 months of cleaning. A sealant allows all of the small imperfections of the enamel to be protected, and you can go much longer between cleanings. This is especially important in older pets and in pets with another health condition, such as heart disease. Talk to your veterinarian about this new product.

And for root canals, braces, crowns---see your local veterinary dentist. That’s right—there are veterinarians who specialize in dentistry. Dr Bill Scott is a veterinary dentist located in Clarksville, AR, who can do cosmetic and surgical dentistry.

For more information about veterinary dentistry and how to help your pets keep their teeth in top shape, visit www.petdental.com. You can learn about diets, products and see demonstrations on how to brush teeth.

-- Courtesy of Dr. Vava Hooper from Rose Animal Clinic, Bentonville, AR. Rose Animal Clinic is offering $20 off all cleaning during the month of February.