Pet dental problems rate as important to cats and dogs as your own dental issues are for you. Could your dog’s breath melt your glasses? Does your cat’s smile look like five miles of bad road? Pet dental problems are surprisingly similar to their owners’ dental issues. You may wonder how much does teeth cleaning cost for dogs and cats? February is National Pet Dental Health Month and a good time to check out your pets’ pearly whites. You can even learn how to brush your pet’s teeth in this post.
Key Takeaways
Pet dental problems are as significant for pets as they are for humans, affecting their overall health.
Common pet dental issues include halitosis, plaque, gingivitis, receding gums, and periodontal disease.
Dental care practices, such as tooth brushing and professional cleaning, are essential to maintain pets’ oral health.
Using dental treats and specialized diets can also help improve your pets’ dental condition significantly.
Regular attention to your pets’ teeth can prevent serious health issues and ensure fresher breath.
I write about pet dental health every year. These days I pay closer attention to Shadow-Pup because, for some weird reason, he likes rocks. That is, he picks up rocks whenever we go outside, brings them in, and then wants to play with and chew them. Shadow-Pup also raids the fireplace for lava rock embers, to do the same–and the pup wants to chew sticks! Oy! They already have lots of “legal” and safe chews, but he wants to play keep-away with rocks–and of course, I fear a broken tooth, or a tummy full of blocked foreign objects, or choking or worse. Urk!
While some cats drool when happy during petting, drooling cats and dogs point to dental problems. Hopefully, you won’t have that issue. Here are common dental issues you share with your cats and dogs (hopefully NOT eating rocks!), as well as ways to avoid them.
Your own veterinarian probably offers routine dental cleaning, and performs extractions, and Xrays. If your dog or cat requires more advanced care, expect a referral to a specialist able to do oral surgery to remove tumors, for instance. Other services include root canals to salvage broken teeth, metal crowns, or occasionally orthodontics to better position crooked teeth.
9 PET DENTAL PROBLEMS
Stinky mouth odor, referred to as halitosis, develops when bacteria grow on the tooth surface or tongue. Mouthwash and chewing gum may mask your halitosis, but dogs and cats don’t gargle. They don’t spit, either, making fluorinated products dangerous for pets when they’re swallowed. Rinses added to pet water bowls help freshen breath. Dogs benefit from “dental” chew toys that offer some cleaning properties or incorporate bacteria-killing enzymes.
Plaque develops when bacteria mineralize into hard yellow to brown deposits on the teeth, often at the gum line. People typically remove most of this by brushing, flossing, and even chewing “detergent-type” foods like apples. Some dogs enjoy carrots and apples, but most pets gulp mouthfuls of food without too much chewing. Cats and dogs also lack opposable thumbs that make brushing or flossing possible.
Gingivitis—redness, and swelling of the gums—happens when the bacteria in the plaque release enzymes that cause inflammation. People might see blood on the toothbrush. Owners might see blood on the dog’s chew toy.
Receding gums develop because of the inflammation, and forms pockets around the tooth that exposes bone, leading to loose teeth and bone loss. People with painful mouths and loose teeth complain to the dentist. Cats also may stop eating, but dogs eat through the pain without showing much discomfort until it’s terrible.
Periodontal disease (decayed teeth, sore gums, bleeding mouths) affects 80 percent of pets by the age of three. Besides mouth and tooth problems, chewing pumps bacteria into the bloodstream. That damages the heart, liver, and kidneys in both people and pets.
Cavities don’t affect pets in the same way as people, but cats can develop a sneaky cavity called resorptive lesions. The decay starts at or below the gum line. It eats the tooth from the inside out and leaves a fragile shell that can break. Cornell University says 20 to 60 percent of all cats have resorptive lesions with up to 75 percent of cats age five and above affected. This type of cavity can’t be fixed.
WHAT TO DO ABOUT PET DENTAL PROBLEMS
Brushing teeth, as with people, is the first line of defense. Yes, you can teach pets to tolerate or even welcome tooth brushing (complete how-to details in Complete Puppy Care–works for cats, too!). Meat-flavored toothpaste with plaque-retardant enzymes and pet-size brushes used after each meal—or at least a couple of times a week—help enormously to reduce bad breath and plaque control. Learnhow to brush your dog’s teeth here!
Dentistry treats pet teeth similarly to humans, but since dogs and cats won’t open wide and say “ah” a professional veterinary dentistry requires anesthesia. Trying to clean pet teeth without anesthesia can be much less effective. Most veterinarians provide ultrasonic scaling, polishing, tooth extraction, and antibiotics with pain medication when necessary. Veterinary dental specialists also perform root canals, provide crowns and even offer pet orthodontia (braces) to correct misaligned teeth that cause the pet discomfort.
Dental “treats” and specially formulated diets are available to improve cat and dog dental health. Look for the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) Seal of Acceptance, which endorses such products.
Keep both your relationship and your pets’ breath smelling sweet. Don’t limit it to this month, either. Use the opportunity to “brush up” on the facts of your pet’s tooth health.
CHEWY.com offers some great deals on dental products, just click on the banner below to shop!
(This article originally appeared in another form on the Huffington Post).
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Stay up to date with the latest book giveaways and appearances related to my September Day pet-centric THRILLERS WITH BITE! Amy Shojai, CABC is a certified cat & dog behavior consultant, a consultant to the pet industry, and the award-winning author of 35+ pet-centric books and Thrillers with Bite! Oh, and she loves bling!
It’s NATIONAL ADOPT A DOG MONTH! How will you spend your celebration? Wait, your dog didn’t tell you? Well, for Shadow, it’s “dog week” every week of the year, but the “official” celebration takes place the 4th week of September every year — and has been celebrated since the first event in 1928. But October celebrates dog adoptions all month long. Check out my most popular dog-centric blogs in this post.
Have you thought about dog bite Halloween safety? and I’m not talking about vampires, either. Many dogs enjoy the howl-idays. But dogs biting kids happens more often at this time of year than any other.
This is a timely subject so I try to revisit the information every year. I write about this every year because it’s so darned important. With Halloween in the offing, this is the perfect time to brush up on dog safety issues and protect your kids, too.
To give equal time, there are many kitty-centric Halloween myth-teries you’ll find fascinating, especially about black cats.
While nonstop doorbell rings and visitors showering attention may be doggy bliss for your pet, even friendly laid back pooches get their tails in a twist over the disruption to routine. That can be dangerous for the pet—and for the human. Learn more about dog bites and kid safety here…
August 17 is Black Cat Appreciation Day to counter the Halloween black cat negative myths. Of course, those folks who share their lives (and pillows!) with a special black cat know better. Sadly, too many black cats remain in shelters rather than being adopted.
In fact, some evidence supports the notion that black cats (one of the first “mutations” of wild coat color), enhanced what I call the feline friendly factor. Black cats often seem to be much more agreeable and love spending time with their chosen human. Maybe that’s why so many of the so-called witches were associated with black kitties.
People have more difficulty picking cats because they assume all felines are the same. And because usually, cats pick us.
Halloween pet safety is needed every year. Halloween at its best is a night of mystery, fun, and thrills for human children and many adults. It’s important to keep your human kiddoes safe with these tips, but no less important for the pets. I write about Halloween pets safety every year because it can be a nightmare for your furry kids.
Do you enjoy dressing up the house—and yourself—for the holidays? If you want to include Halloween pet costumes, start now to get them used to the notion. Most of the costumes don’t fit Bravo-Dawg, and I’ve not yet tried Shadow-Pup. I’ll share pictures if/when that happens.
Meanwhile, be sure to keep pets safe over Halloween, though. Dogs and cats aren’t always fans of wearing Halloween costumes, but with these tips, you can help pets accept the notion.
Halloween Pet Costumes
Some pets enjoy dressing up, particularly the small dogs already used to wearing coats and sweaters in cool weather. There are many pet costumes available from pet products stores, from fancy to plain. If your outgoing, confident pet is willing, you can have great fun with costumes. But if your pets don’t care for dress up, don’t press it. Many pets may bite over Halloween out of fear of change.
Even reluctant pets may be persuaded to wear a fancy collar or bandana or painted toenails.
Every year, I write about our old cat needs. While Karma-Kat has just reached middle age, cats age at different rates. When do you consider your cat old? Is your old cat a senior kitty by age 8, or 13, or…when? For cats, what is old? Here’s how the experts define ‘old age’ in cats…
Can we take a minute to talk about something almost every pet parent deals with?
Although pet hair and odors are a small price to pay to have our furry ones at home with us, the fuzz and funky smells can sometimes seem overwhelming!
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Interesting article Amy.
How do I really know if or what my Cat needs for her teeth and When?
If your cat is older than 3, ask the vet to check.
Great blog. I needed this info. Thank you.
Thanks, Frank!