Dental Disease in Pets
By Rhonda Teel
It affects 78% of dogs and 68% of cats over the age of 3. It causes the same trouble in our pets that it does in humans, smaller dogs are more prone to tooth loss than larger dogs. The more the condition progresses the higher the risk that bacteria will get into the bloodstream and your pets organs.
If you keep your pets teeth clean you can add 3 to 5 years to their life. Be sure to use toothpaste made for pets and not your toothpaste which has too much fluoride in it to be safe for pets. A good time to brush their teeth is when they have just woken up or before meal time so the meal becomes a
treat for getting their teeth cleaned.
Some signs your pet might have a toothache are:
-
He ducks when someone pets his head or neck.
- He picks the kibble out of the bowl and drops it on the floor. It’s the pet equivalent of
pushing the food around and could be a sign that eating hurts.
- The gums are more red than pink it could mean they are infected.
- He ignores the chew toys that he used to play with.
- Cats that make themselves scarce or get quiet can mean that they are in pain.
- If the breath smells really bad it can be a sign of decay.
Back to top
|
