PET TALES
Newsletter from Countryside Veterinary Service
February 2007
February is Dental Month:
Very few pet owners know that 85% of all adult pets have some form of dental disease. Dental disease starts when bacteria gathers on teeth and mixes with salvia and food particles to form plaque. Over time the plaque hardens and begins to form a harder substance called tartar. Tartar causes inflammation of the tooth which can lead to inflammation of the gums, foul breath and in severe cases abscesses and loss of teeth. Below is a discussion on a routine dental cleaning in the hospital and a list of routine care that can be done at home to help with your pets continued dental health.
Routine Dental Cleaning:
A pre-anesthetic examination and lab work are done based on the age of the pet. General gas anesthesia by a tracheal tube is used both to sedate the animal and to protect the airway. The first step is to explore the mouth looking for any evidence of tumors or abscesses. Next the gums around the tooth are probed to look for loose teeth or pockets of infection. Any large amounts of tartar are removed before they are ultrasonically scaled to remove smaller amounts of tartar. The teeth are then polished to help decrease areas where bacteria can attach to cause further decay. Teeth are removed or dental x-rays are taken on a case by case basis. Application of a long term protectant is available at the owner’s request. These protectants need to be continually applied every 2 weeks at home with a cotton tipped device
At-Home Treatments for Prevention and Treatment of Dental Disease:
The best treatment is to brush your pet’s teeth. If this is started as a puppy or kitten, most pets will accept this as routine care. There are several types of brushes available although children’s toothbrushes work well as long as they are soft. Finger brushes can work very well in pets as they fit over the edge of the owner’s finger and can be used to work on specific areas of the tooth. There are several flavors of toothpaste available including poultry, beef, and vanilla mint. Human toothpaste should not be used as the higher levels of fluoride can be toxic to pets.
For those pets that will not cooperate with brushing, rinsing the mouth with an antibacterial wash is a good second choice. There are solutions that can be sprayed on the outside of the teeth, as the pet salivates and moves the tongue around the rinse is spread to all the teeth. There are now rinses on the market that can be added to the water bowl. Please read the directions closely as some newer rinses need to be replaced twice daily and fresh water is needed every time you change the rinse.
If your pet will not allow brushing or rinsing of the teeth, the last at home treatment to try is treats or specialized diets to help remove plaque. There are several over the counter diets and treats labeled for tarter control you can try. There are also prescription diets (for example Science Diet T/D) and treats (for example CET) available at the clinic.
4 Stages of Dental Disease:
1. Normal gums and minimal plaque.
2. Start of inflammation around the teeth, some tartar build up, and some foulness to breath
3. Gum and inner lip ulcerations, receding gums, and loose teeth. This stage will cause foul breath and is somewhat painful.
4. Mouth can have pus and teeth falling out. Gums are very red and root exposure of teeth is evident. This stage is painful; the breath is very foul and can cause heavy drooling.
Cat Allergies:
Relief for allergy-affected cat lovers may now be available in the form of hypoallergenic cats from a biotech company called Allerca. These cats carry a mutant gene that produces a modified protein less likely to induce allergies. Kittens will be available next year at the price of $4000 per cat.
~New York Times 10/06/06
According to tests made at the Institute for the Study of Animal Problems in Washington, D.C., dogs and cats, like people, are either right-handed or left-handed --- that is, they favor either their right or left paws. Source: Useless Fact of the Day.Com