Dental problems are not confined only to humans. Even animals experience dental problems in their day to day life. Only thing is that, they can’t complain like us. So, it is our responsibility to take care of our pet’s oral health.
Why special dental care for pets?
Not all pet owners are keen on taking special care of their pet’s oral health. Because of which most of the pets are suffering from different dental problems. Dental diseases if left untreated may cause other serious health problems like heart, lung and kidney diseases. Thus, it is utmost necessary to take certain measures to prevent these dental diseases from affecting your pet. Pet dental care is almost as important as your own dental care if you really love your pet.
What dental problems are seen in pets?
Neglected pet dental care may lead to several dental problems in pets which include
Halitosis or Bad breath: Pets tend to have bad breath when their teeth are not cleaned regularly. Apart from this several other problems like eating smelly foods, gum diseases, diabetes, respiratory diseases, tonsillitis, gastrointestinal problems and bacterial or viral infections also cause bad breath.
Plaque: Oral bacteria and food debris get accumulated and form a thick layer of yellow plaque on the teeth. Plaque must be removed from day to day to prevent severe dental diseases. Regular home dental care is sufficient to treat plaque.
Tartar: When plaque is not removed within 4 to 5 days, it combines with the salivary minerals to form calculus or tartar. Tartar sticks firmly to the teeth and affects the gum tissue. It may further lead to severe gum diseases like periodontal diseases and gingivitis.
Periodontal Disease: This is caused when the bacteria and food debris enter the gum line. As a result the gums get infected. This disease can be recognized from the symptoms such as inflamed gums, swelling, bleeding gums or bad breath. Antibiotics, dental cleaning and extraction for advanced cases are the treatments recommended for this disease. Bacteria may sometimes enter the blood stream and infect heart, liver and kidneys.
Gingivitis: This is caused due to severe tartar or calculus formation on the teeth. Tartar results in the receding of the gum tissue. As a result, the infection further spreads to the root canal. Infection may also spread to pharynx (causing pharyngitis), liver, kidney and heart.
What should I do to improve my pet’s oral health?
Oral health of your pet can be improved by following certain steps which include
Oral care at home: Regular brushing exercises are a must for your pets. It helps in the removal of the plaque and tartar from the teeth. Specially designed tooth brushes for pets are also available in the market. Brushing of pet’s teeth forms the basis of pet dental care.
Regular dental check ups: Dental diseases can be prevented by taking your pet to a veterinarian regularly. The regular dental check ups and the preventive measures suggested by your veterinarian will help in the maintenance of your pet’s oral health.
What kind of dental procedures are available especially for pets?
Your pet’s dental disorders can be treated with the help of several dental procedures like
Pre-anesthetic exam: Blood tests, urine tests, electrocardiograph, and x-ray tests are some of the pre-anesthetic exams which are performed to diagnose any heart problems, kidney problems, etc. Pre-anesthetic exams are performed to make sure that anesthesia does not harm your pet.
Anesthesia monitoring: While your pet is under anesthesia, anesthesia monitoring is done to check the body temperature, heart rate, respiration and other important factors to make sure that your pet is safe.
Dental radiographs: These are done to detect any damages in your pet’s teeth. These help in determining any need for tooth extractions.
Dental cleanings & Polishing: Brushing exercises performed at home are not effective enough to remove tartar. A veterinary dental cleaning or prophylaxis is necessary for tartar removal. This is removed by scrapping the infected tooth using a vibrating probe of an ultrasonic instrument. This procedure does not cause any damage to the tooth enamel.
This is performed after the cleaning procedures with the help of a special tooth polish.
Tooth extractions: If your pet’s tooth is severely damaged and is beyond repair then that particular tooth is to be extracted. A general anesthesia is given during this procedure.
Advanced periodontal treatments: These treatments are given during the severe periodontal diseased conditions.
Apart from these, there are several other advanced pet dental treatments available that help in treating their dental disorders.
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