Toothy Topics: Your Guide to Pet Dental Care

TOOTHY TOPICS: Your Guide to Pet Dental Care HOW HE ALTHY ARE YOUR PET'S TEETH? Your pet needs dental care that includes tooth brushing with a pet-specific brush and toothpaste! 80% of dogs and cats have some kind of oral disease by age 3. 85% of dogs have periodontal disease by age 5. 2-3 Recommended age for first professional dental cleaning. Number of professional dental cleanings dogs and cats need per year. Minimum number of times per week owners should brush dogs' teeth* Minimum number of times per week owners should brush cats' teeth* *Daily brushing is best! COMMON DENTAL See your veterinarian as soon as possible if you suspect that your pet has a dental health issue: HEALTH RISKS AND TREATM ENTS FOR PETS Pet Dental Health Issue Symptoms Typical Vet Treatments Risks Loose teeth • Change in eating habits • Drooling · Bleeding · Eating/digestion problems • Pain • Infection · Extraction Periodontal disease · Bad breath · Bleeding gums • Pawing at mouth • Subdued behavior • Lost teeth • Receding gums • Pain • Systemic infections • Kidney • Heart • Liver • Professional cleanings • Recommendation daily at-home brushing Tooth root abscess • Change in eating habits • Pawing at mouth • Subdued behavior · Extreme pain · Eating/digestion problems Root canal • Possible extraction · Antibiotics Feline Oral Resorptive Lesions (FORLS) • Lesions on teeth • Change in eating habits · Pawing at mouth · Extreme pain · Eating/digestion problems • Extraction of affected teeth • Antibiotics • Pain medication Malocclusions • Difficulty chewing · Excess drooling · Sometimes no symptoms • Discomfort · Eating/digestion problems • If symptoms are present, extraction or capping Provided by: The Vet House petswebmd.com/dogs/dog teeth care Sources: pets.webmd.com/cats/cat-dental-problems-and-care?page-2 www.aspca.org/Pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/dog-articles/brushing-your- dogs-teeth forcatseyesonly.com/tips_for_brushing your_cats_teeth.htm www.ohiovma.org/Downloads/Publics%20Education/Dental%20Health.pdf animal.discovery.com/pets/healthy-pets/5-common-dog-tooth-problems.htm www.TheVetHouseTX.com