Why Are Dental Check-Ups and Cleaing Important For A Pet

Pets, like people, need regular dental care. Dental disease can be prevented with home dental care and by having your pet’s teeth professionally cleaned at a veterinary hospital on a regular basis.

Dental disease begins with PLAQUE, a soft, colorless and sticky film which results from the combination and interaction of food debris, bacteria and saliva. If plaque is not removed, it mineralizes and forms CALCULUS. You may have noticed this hard material on your pet’s teeth.

If plaque and calculus are allowed to build up and are not removed, they can lead to GINGIVITIS, an inflammation of the gum line which is a painful condition for your pet. It also causes bacterial toxins to form along the gum line as well. At this stage, gingivitis is reversible with professional dental care and regular home brushing.

If gingivitis is left untreated, PERIODONTAL DISEASE, a process which causes the breakdown of the teeth’s supporting structures (the components which keep teeth in place) will result. This will cause oral pain and general discomfort, loose teeth, decreased appetite and possible oral infection. As periodontal disease progresses, the gums recess allowing bacteria to travel through the blood stream to other parts of the body. These bacteria can cause disease in the heart, liver and kidneys.

How Can I Tell If My Pet Has Periodontal Disease?

Signs of Dental Disease Include:

	Persistent foul mouth odor
	Red, swollen or bleeding gums
	Puss forming along gum lines and around teeth
	Loose, broken or abscessed teeth
	Loss of appetite
	Pawing at the mouth
	Darkened, stained teeth
	Sensitivity around the mouth

*If your pet exhibits ANY of these symptoms, please contact our clinic:

Why Does My Pet Have To Be Anesthetized?

To perform a thorough and safe dental procedure, your pet must remain very still. To help insure your pet’s safety during the cleaning procedure, Noah’s Ark Animal Clinic uses ISOFLURANE, the safest gas anesthetic agent available. A technician will continually monitor your pet's temperature, pulse, respiration, anesthetic flows and other vital functions throughout the procedure until recovery from anesthesia. Because safety is our primary concern, our surgical suite and laboratory are equipped with several diagnostic instruments to assist us in monitoring your pet’s condition at all times.

Our doctors recommend pre-dental blood screens and may recommend additional diagnostic testing to further reduce your pet’s anesthetic risk.

What Does A Professional Dental Cleaning Involve?

Once under anesthesia, we will conduct a thorough examination of the teeth, gums, lips and throat. Each tooth is carefully checked for any signs of calculus, cavities, fracture, looseness, infection or other dental problems which may be causing pain and discomfort, or threatening your pet’s general health.

The cleaning procedure includes hand scraping, ultrasonic scaling, polishing and fluoride treatment.

The best way to keep your pet happy and healthy is to PREVENT medical conditions from developing and occurring. Annual physical examinations, dental cleanings, vaccines and a healthy diet will promote good overall health and may increase your pet’s lifespan.

If you have any questions or would like to schedule a dental cleaning, please contact our clinic.

The Basics of a Home Dental Care Program

Getting Your Pet Used to Having Their Mouth Handled

The first step in starting a home dental cleaning program is getting your pet used to having your fingers around or in their mouth.

We recommend spending the first couple of weeks of your home dental cleaning program making this contact as pleasurable as possible for your pet.

With dogs, start by dipping a gauze covered finger in broth or garlic powder mixed with water.

Gently rub your finger along your dog’s teeth. Let them lick the gauze and be generous with the dipping solution. Give your dog lots of praise and maybe a treat at the end of the brief session.

It may help to perform the session just prior to your pet’s walk, play session or meal.

With cats, use the juice from canned tuna as the cleaning broth. Gently rub your cat’s teeth with the gauze and be generous with the tuna broth. Scratching your cat in their favorite spot may help to distract them. Brushing just before meal time or rewarding your cat with a favorite treat afterwards can also provide positive reinforcement.

With some dogs and cats, dipping a soft tooth brush into the broth and letting them chew on it works well in the beginning.

Introducing A Brush and Toothpaste

Once your pet becomes comfortable with having their mouth and teeth touched, begin using a pet tooth brush in place of your gauze covered finger, but continue to use the same broth.

After a week using the pet tooth brush, introduce a pet tooth cleaning paste in place of the broth.

Pet toothpaste is specially formulated to be low foaming and soothing to their digestive tract.

These pastes come in a variety of flavors, experiment to find one your pet prefers.

Do not use human tooth paste or baking soda . Human toothpaste will upset your pet’s stomach and the high sodium level of baking soda may cause health problems in some animals.

Hold your pet’s lip up with one hand, and gently brush each tooth at the gum line with a circular motion with the other hand. Go slow and be gentle; the whole procedure should only take about two minutes.

Brushing your pet’s teeth every day is optimal, at least try for every other day

Other Factors To Consider

Providing your pet with hard, crunchy food instead of moist, canned food will help keep their teeth clean. Special dog and cat food is now available for dental care. Also, provide your pet with hard rubber toys or fibrous rope or sisal toys to play with. Both will clean their teeth as they play.

If you have any questions or would like to schedule a dental cleaning, please contact our clinic.