Good Dental Hygiene can save Dogs & Cats from Periodontal Disease
Dental disease is one of the most common diagnoses veterinarians make. In fact, periodontal disease is the No. 1 disease in adult dogs and cats: 85% show signs of it by the time they’re 4 years old.
Untreated oral disease can spread to major organs, including the kidneys, liver and heart, and seriously affect a pet’s health. But, like in humans, a little prevention goes a long way.
“The guidelines for good pet dental care are very similar to those established for people by their dentist” said Denise Piekarski, senior marketing manager for Virbac Animal Health which sponsors the clean every tooth campaign to highlight the importance of pet home dental care. “It’s a year-round process that includes both professional care and routine home care.”
Here are some tips to keep pets’ teeth healthy:
Start when the animal is young. Slowly introduce the pet to pet-specific dental toothpastes and soft-bristled brushes.
Use brushes that are appropriate size and shape for a pet’s mouth. There are even brushes made for cats.
Use pet-specific toothpastes, which come in appealing flavors like beef, chicken, seafood or malt. Human products can actually cause more harm than good.
Start by letting the pet taste the toothpaste, then put it on a finger or washcloth and run it along the gum line. When the pet is used to it, you can put the toothpaste on the brush and use that to clean the gum line.
Push the toothpaste into the bristles of the brush to keep the pet from just eating or licking it. Angle the brush under the gums–that’s where disease causing bacteria hide.
Using small circles, brush from the back to the front of the mouth, Start with outer surfaces of the teeth (facing the cheek) and move to inner surfaces (facing the tougue). The outer surfaces of the teeth are where the most plaque and tartar build up, so reaching them is critical. The whole process, should only take about 30 seconds.
If a pet loses patience before a complete brushing gets done, try water additives and dental chews.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Tara Schumacher, Puppy Plus. Puppy Plus said: New blog post: Good Dental Hygiene can save Dogs & Cats from Periodontal Disease http://bit.ly/cmm67B [...]
Pingback by Tweets that mention Good Dental Hygiene can save Dogs & Cats from Periodontal Disease « Puppy Plus Inc -- Topsy.com — August 6, 2010 @ 1:35 am
I came across your site while searching for more cat and dog information. I have both a dog and cat and they truly a part of our family. Keep up the good work. I’m going to bookmark the site and look forward to reading more articles.
Comment by Andrew A. Sailer — September 9, 2010 @ 3:08 am
Good points. Bookmarking to check back for follow-ups later.
Comment by Free Pc Optimizer — September 10, 2010 @ 5:27 pm
Great blog informative post thanks
Comment by Koolatron — November 28, 2010 @ 9:25 pm
Important information for me. Thanks for really competent informative article. Ill be in touch with U
Comment by wholesale fashion bags — January 14, 2011 @ 1:35 am