Feb 24 2009
Pet Dental Health Month
Did ya know? February is Pet Dental Health Month! It’s a good thing to recognize because so many people don’t realize how important dental health can be to a pet’s overall health. Even those who do, don’t always know how to give their pet the best dental health care possible. So I thought I’d provide a few tips.
- If you can possibly afford it, have your pet’s teeth cleaned at the vet’s office. Annual cleaning is best, but even on an as needed basis will help a lot.
- Feed a good quality DRY pet food, as your pet’s primary diet, including cats.
- Provide crunchy treats for your pet, including cats.
- Teach your pet to allow you to brush his teeth, at least a few times a week.
- Even if you can’t afford dental cleaning at the vet’s office, at least be sure to look at your pet’s teeth every week (while brushing them!) and take her to the vet if you see any signs of decay or infection. Notice if your pet seems to want to avoid eating or chewing on one side/spot, or if your pet develops bad breath (not the normal “pet breath”).
- Provide dogs with strong chew toys that can clean the teeth while the dog chews.
- Provide pet rats and other rodents with plenty of safe chewing toys and snacks to help them keep their teeth trimmed.
A full dental cleaning at the vet’s office can be $200-$500, and so I understand it is hard to afford that. A big portion of the cost is anesthesia because the pet has to be completely anesthetized in order for the veterinarian to fully inspect and clean the teeth. It’s possible some teeth could have to be removed, too.
If annual teeth cleaning for your pet is just not doable for you, remember that a decaying or infected tooth/gum is serious and you will at least have to have the tooth removed, and/or provide antibiotics. An infection in the tooth or gum can easily travel in the bloodstream and even directly to the heart, causing severe heart disease. Dry food is the healthier choice over canned food, or semi moist food. The crunchy texture helps to clean the teeth and massage the gums. It’s OK to give some canned food to your cat or dog who is NOT overweight, and as a treat, but don’t let canned food be the mainstay of your pet’s diet.
Brushing your pet’s teeth is usually not as formidable a job as it might seem. Of course, starting with a puppy or kitten is easiest, so they are used to it from a very young age. But even if you’ve never brushed your pet’s teeth, most can be taught to accept it. If you don’t have the patience or your pet just won’t cooperate, there are dental sprays and food additives that can prevent and reduce plaque and bacterial buildup, amazingly without any brushing at all — just a bit more cost than brushing. Be sure to use a toothpaste that is made for pets !! They cannot spit out the toothpaste effectively and the fluoride will upset their stomachs. Most pet toothpastes have enzymes which will help clean the teeth much more effectively. And they usually are meat or cheese flavored, to make it easier for the pet to accept it. Keep checking back, as I will post step by step instructions for training your pet to accept tooth brushing soon.
There are many toys and chews made nowadays that are specially designed to clean the teeth while the pet plays and chews. These are mostly for dogs, but I have seen one or two dental toys for cats . Remember that rodents, such as rats, mice, rabbits, have teeth that continually grow, so they need something safe (there are plenty of choices in the pet stores) to chew all the time, so they can keep their teeth trimmed and healthy.
Stop in tomorrow to find out what other pet’s topics are recognized in February.
