By Sophia Rutti
A little-known fact: February is National Pet Dental Health Month. We all love our pets like family, and we do everything we can to make sure they’re exercising, eating well and feeling healthy, but we often neglect their oral health. Many of us avoid the dentist ourselves, and our personal reluctance extends to the furrier members of our families.
Dr. Ray Phillip of Friendship Hospital for Animals “Tooth Team” gives tips about how to care for your pet’s dental health.
What are your tips on keeping your pet’s oral hygiene up at home?
The best home hygiene is brushing the teeth. Most people do not brush their pet’s teeth for many reasons: they don’t think about it or remember to, they don’t know how, or the animal does not cooperate. Having a veterinarian or technician demonstrate how to brush the teeth will help. If the owner cannot brush the teeth or, more likely, will not because they forget to, then the second-best way to keep tartar to a minimum is diets made specifically to help the teeth, or “dental diets.”
Also chews and treats are available to help. To help monitor these products, there is a panel of veterinary dental specialists called the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC). This panel evaluates products that claim to help minimize plaque and tartar build up. If the product passes the panel’s evaluation, then the VOHC seal is awarded to that product. People can look for the VOHC seal on products, or they can go to their web site, here.
When should take your pet to the dentist? How old should they be for a first visit?
The veterinarian acts as the dentist in that they evaluate the teeth during routine exams, which should be yearly. A dental cleaning might be recommended based on evaluation of the teeth during an exam. Every animal should have yearly dental cleanings starting at 3 years old for cats and medium- to large-breed dogs, and at 1 year old for small-breed dogs.
Most veterinary clinics and hospitals have veterinarians who can perform dental cleaning and perform extractions or gingival treatments as needed. If special problems arise, such as the need for a root canal to save a tooth or extensive surgery such as tumors or other problems in the mouth, then a referral can be made to a veterinary dental specialist. In some cases, difficult or extensive extraction cases might be referred to a specialist as well.
How often should your pet visit the dentist?
Dental cleanings should be done yearly. Again, these can be done by general veterinarians at most clinics and hospitals. A complete cleaning should include evaluation and radiographs of every tooth, all done while the animal is under general anesthesia.
An exam of the teeth cannot be complete without radiographs and cannot be done properly without anesthesia. Anesthesia-free dentistry is not a standard of care and is denounced by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) and the American Veterinary Dental College (AVDC).
Are there any toys or treats that are particularly harmful to a pet’s teeth?
Toys and treats that are very hard can damage the teeth. Bones and very hard rawhide toys can chip away enamel and eventually break teeth, causing the need for extraction or other treatment such as root canal therapy. A general rule is that one should be able to make an indentation in the product with a fingernail; if not, then it is too hard.
Another lesser-known problem is with tennis balls. The covering of tennis balls is like sandpaper to enamel and can wear it down severely over time. Sometimes the teeth become so worn that the pulp chamber inside of the tooth becomes exposed, which can lead to root infections. There are “pet friendly” tennis balls, without the rough covering of normal tennis balls, available many pet stores and online.
Is there anything in particular a pet owner should be looking out for in terms of oral hygiene?
Things to watch for: reddening or inflammation of the gums, severe tartar build up, problems eating—food falling out of the mouth while eating, trying hard to chew only on one side, gums bleeding some while eating. Also any enlargements or swelling in the mouth. Sometimes these can be seen as swelling under the eye on the face.
If any of these are occurring, an appointment should be made with the regular veterinarian to evaluate the mouth and see if dental cleaning is warranted or if something else is wrong, which might be best handled by a dental specialist.
Is there any other general information that pet owners need to know about their pet’s teeth?
Dental disease can affect the whole body, not just the mouth. Bacteria and toxins can be absorbed into the bloodstream and travel to organs such as the kidneys, liver and heart valves. Treating dental disease has been shown to help in the control of other diseases such as diabetes.
Many dogs and cats will continue to eat and seem to act normal, even with painful, severe problems in their mouths. People should remember their pets’ teeth need care and, at the very least, have their veterinarian evaluate the mouth at each yearly checkup and have yearly dental cleanings performed (under anesthesia, with full-mouth radiographs). This will help the pet have a healthy and happy life!
Friendship Hospital for Animals will highlight pet dental care with its “Yappy” Hour on Feb. 3 from 5-7 p.m and will offer $50 off every dental cleaning for the month.
To attend the event RSVP at toothmonth@friendshiphospital.com
Friendship Hospital for Animals
Tuesday, Feb.3
5-7 p.m
4105 Brandywine St. NW,
Washington, D.C., 20016