Loading ...Pet Dental Health
I admit it. I am guily of neglecting my cats’ dental health. I do give them the right kind of treats that remove plaque and tartar, but as far as dental cleanings go…well… that’s a mute point. Theodore and Sasha would throw a hissy fit if a vet or I even came close to sticking a toothbrush in their mouths. I can see it now…scratching, biting, hissing, claws outstretched. Not a pretty picture.
Benson and Gibson get their teeth checked and cleaned I think once a year at the vet but thankfully none of our animals has ever had any problems with dental health.
Nonetheless, Jessica from VCA Animal Hospitals sent me this information about pet dental health and I thought is was worth posting. Here’s what she had to say:
Bad breath in dogs and cats is a persistent problem for pet owners and often indicates something more serious. Periodontal disease is one of the most common and serious pet health problems, affecting approximately 80% of dogs and 70% of cats by age 3 – often resulting in tooth and gum infections, pain, loss of teeth and even organ damage in pets.
Donna Spector DVM, DACVIM, offers the following tips for keeping your pet’s teeth and gums healthy, for long-term benefits:
- Brush pet’s teeth twice daily. Start when pets are young and will easily adjust to teeth cleaning at home.
- Each pet should have their own toothbrush and proper pet toothbrushes should have bristles to reach under the gum line.
- There are a variety of pet toothpastes available, and most pets seem to prefer the poultry-flavored types.
- Proper brushing technique involves placing the toothbrush bristles at a 45 degree angle where the gum and teeth meet.
Using a gentle oval pattern and covering three to four teeth at a time, move the bristles around the teeth.
- Complete ten short oval motions before moving the toothbrush to a new location in the mouth.
- Focus on the outside upper teeth, as they do the most chewing.
SMILE!
In addition to daily tooth brushing, pets will intermittently require dental cleanings by your veterinarian to prevent periodontal disease from occurring. Veterinarians often perform fluoride treatments or apply plaque prevention gels that have a long-lasting plaque-fighting advantage.
For more information about pet dental health, visit http://www.vcapets.com.
Boy do I feel guilty after reading this… 
[Picture Courtesy Webshots User periwinkle115]
My Mommeh tries to brush our teeths daily, but it usually happens only about 4-5 times a week. We get (healthy) treats afterward, so we do not mind too much. But we only allow a few brushes on each side, not 10 in each spot!
Harley has a blue brush and I have a pink one! And we have seafood-flavored toothpaste.
Mommi bwushes my teefs, but only once a day . OOOPS.
My gumses awe healthy ,but the end of my canine teefies awe not as white as I’d like.
My favowitest toofpaste is vanilla..go figoowe?
Thank you fow the advice
smoochie kisses
ASTA
My wife has some crazy pink stuff she puts on the cat’s teeth that’s supposed to break up tartar. We’ve only started using it so don’t know how it works yet. At 18 Trouble is getting old for anesthesia for dental work, and she’s certainly not going to let us brush her teeth!
Fui had a bit of gingevitis at his last check up. We’re stuck in a battle of wills over the toothbrush now. I’m feeling very guilty seeing it should be done twice a day (as opposed to the twice a month I had been doing it!).
I’m on the Raw Diet so my teeth get cleaned with every meal just by crunching through the raw meaty bones! My vet is very happy with my teeth and my humans with my breath! Hee! Hee! But I agree – it is really important for us doggies & kitties to keep our teeth & gums clean otherwise we can get nasty gum disease which can lead to other problems in other parts of the body!
Slobbers,
Honey the Great Dane