Dental Care: The Root of Your Pet's Health

Dental Care: The Root of Your Pet's Health

            Who doesn’t love getting kisses from their better half?  No I don’t mean your partner, your dog of course!  It is all fun games until your dog has a mouth that could clear out a room while you are watching the Packers-Bears game with friends.  But again, who wants Bear fans in their home?! (Yes I’m a Packer fan).

How Common is Dental Disease?

            According to the American Veterinary Dental College, periodontal disease is the MOST COMMON clinical condition occurring in adult dogs and cats, and worse yet it is ENTIRELY preventable.  How common you might wonder?  Several studies have shown that in dogs by age 2 or 3, about 85-90% of them have some form of periodontal disease.  This number mirrors what I see in my daily practice.  Other than bad breath, there are unfortunately very few signs of periodontal disease.  As a result, a dental treatment comes often too late for many of these patients and leads to many teeth needing to be removed.

What can you do to prevent dental disease in your pet?

            The good news though, is that a lot of the disease that I see can be prevented with at home care.  This includes brushing of the teeth, chewing on bones, dental prescription diets, and dental chew products.  Before choosing a dental product, talk to your veterinarian of where to find products that are scientifically proven to help reduce dental disease.  He or She will likely talk about the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC.org).  This council will validate manufacturer’s claims of decreasing dental disease.  You can go to this council’s website and look for products that you

can try.  My favorite products to use are “dental diets”.  I look at this as us brushing our teeth once or twice a day depending on how often you feed your dog.  It is easy and dogs love these products.

            

The goal of at home care is the same goal with your own dental health; a beautiful pain-free, functional mouth.  Dental cleanings will still be recommended by your veterinarian, just like we see our dentists regularly.  By doing more frequent cleaning treatments, anesthesia time will be less, there will be less teeth extracted over the course of the life of the dog, and there will be less risk of systemic disease as a result of chronic dental disease.

In closing, I want your dogs to be among your friends watching the game due to the fact that he/she has a healthy mouth.  The more Packers fans the better during a Packers-Bears game!  Please look at the following websites for more information and talk to your veterinarian as well regarding dental cleaning treatments.  

By: 

Nick Juleen, DVM
Companion Animal Hospital Kenosha

Websites:  The American Veterinary Dental College, www.avdc.org and The Veterinary Oral Health Council, www.vohc.org. 

There are so many dental treats on the market…..which ones work the best?

There are so many dental treats on the market - 
which ones work the best?

Home dental care plays an important role reducing the need for a professional dental cleaning for your pet by your veterinarian.  Professional dental cleanings performed by your veterinarian are proven to be important to your pet’s overall health, but it’s the treatment owners do at home between cleanings that can have a bigger effect!

Daily teeth brushing has long been the best way to prevent the accumulation of plaque and tartar.  Many pet owners, however, find it difficult to make this a priority in their pets.  For this reason, dental treats have gained in popularity as they are seen as a more convenient alternative to brushing.

Dental treats typically break up plaque as it forms on the teeth.  There are two main ways this is accomplished.  The first is associated with the mechanical action of chewing.  Many treats are strategically shaped to help “brush” the teeth as they are chewed.  Dental treats will typically take a bit longer for your pet to eat than a treat not meant to have this function.  Many dental treats also contain enzymes which interact with developing plaque on the teeth.  Together, the mechanical chewing action and enzymatic cleaning help slow the accumulation of tartar formation and periodontal disease development.

Which dental treats are the best?  In general, look for an item which is approved by the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC).  These products typically have a seal of approval on them which states they are VOHC accepted.  The VOHC is a group of veterinary dentists and dental scientists and their approval indicates regular use of that product will reduce the severity of periodontal disease in pets.

Professional dental cleanings will always be necessary to maintain oral health.  Teeth brushing and treats can help slow the progression of plaque, tartar, and periodontal disease helping make your pet’s dental more routine.  Look for the VOHC seal of approval the next time you are looking for a dental treat!

www.vohc.org

article written by:

Derek Williamson, DVM

Crawford Animal Hospital