Dental Care for Your Pet

Some folks shudder at the thought of a dog jumping up and licking them on the face. All those germs. I'm bound to catch something. Others say that a dog's mouth is cleaner than a human being's is. They point out that when an animal gets injured, the first thing that they do is to lick the wound. The animal's saliva has natural germ fighting compounds in it.

But dogs suffer from the same dental problems that we do. Yes, they get cavities, but not very often. They have more problems with periodontal, or gum disease. I had a brother who used to brush his dog's teeth every morning right after he brushed his. He also wiped the dog's butt after she went to the bathroom.

A little bit much, I would think, although I don't think that occasionally brushing a dog's teeth is such a bad idea. It won't do much for gum disease, but at least the dog's breath will be fresh.

Studies have suggested that by the time they are three-years-old, some 70-80% of all dogs and cats suffer from some kind of dental disease. According to the Healthy Planet Magazine:

"Over time, a layer of bacteria forms which is called dental 'plaque'. If allowed to accumulate, the chemicals and saliva in the mouth allow for calcification of this material, which is visibly evident to us as dental 'tartar', or dental 'calculus'. Now, you have a concretion that requires more aggressive management."

Eventually this plaque calcifies and turns into tarter. The plaque is a breeding ground for infection and sooner or later the gums may become inflamed and then infected. The infection can then move upwards into the root of the tooth and after that, into the sinus cavity. The animal will them be very sick and surgery to remove the tooth may be required.

Sometimes dog groomers will clean your pet's teeth, but the plaque is very difficult to remove and the groomer won't be able to remove all of it. It's better to request a dental cleaning when you visit your vet. Some even have programs that give reduced rates for dental care as part of the general shots program and examination.

Larger breeds will only require a teeth cleaning once a year, but some smaller breeds may need it 3-4 times a year.

When you go in for a formal teeth cleaning for your dog, you may find out that it is very similar to when you go to the dentist for one. Your dog may require an X-ray to determine if there are any unseen problems. The dog may require an intravenous drip before general gas anesthesia. Antibiotics may be prescribed as well as a product to prevent the further development of tarter before the next cleaning.

Remember that an infection in the mouth of your pet can spread to other organs in the body and become a serious problem. A little prevention can go a long way towards keeping your pet healthy.

Source: http://www.thehealthyplanet.com/feb2011_dental.htm