Eliminating bad breath isn't the only reason to keep your pets mouth healthy

By the age of three, dogs and cats show signs of plaque and tartar build-up that lead to minor infections which can become a major health problem. When plaque accumulates on your pet's teeth, bacteria excrete toxic waste products that break down the gum tissue and eventually enter the blood stream and then affect the heart, liver, and kidneys....serious medical conditions.

We use top of the line, state of the art technology in dental radiology, specifically designed for veterinary use. This specialty equipment enables us to give a complete evaluation of the health of your pets teeth below the surface of the gumline where periodontal disease can hide. This gives us the opportunity to better determine if a questionable tooth can be saved, thus saving your pet a longer anesthetic time,(saving you money) and making a more informed decision.

Treatment may include full periodontal treatments; probing and measuring for periodontal disease, dental x-rays, root planing, hand and ultrasonic scaling (including below the gumline), probing gingival pockets, extractions and polishing as well as full examination of the mouth; gums, tongue, and throat.

Anesthesia is a must for animal dentistry's, no matter how well behaved the animal. Without it, any improvements to the mouth are merely cosmetic and not of any significant health value. Please leave your pets oral health in the hands of those trained and legally licensed to handle your pets medical needs.

Anesthetic procedures; Every pet that undergoes anesthesia at Governor Animal Clinic must first be given a complete exam by one of our doctors, and, depending on the age of your pet, they will be given a blood test to determine the health of their body's system. While your pet is under anesthetic, the technicians administer either subcutaneous or I.V. fluids, this will prevent dehydration. This procedure also helps to keep your pet's blood pressure at a healthy level, protecting the heart and kidneys. A long acting injection for pain is given, which allows your pet to wake up from the procedure calmly and pain-free. Our inpatient nurses use state-of-the-art monitoring equipment to continuously check respiratory rate, heart rate, blood-oxygen levels and carbon dioxide levels. They take your pets temperature and blood pressure at regular intervals so that the doctor is constantly updated during procedures.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, don't hesitate to call our knowledgeable staff, they will be happy to answer questions, explain procedures, show you our facilities and equipment, and set your mind at ease.

Staying for the day; During the lifetime of your pet there will be times when a procedure (ie; teeth cleaning) will be scheduled that will require an admittance into the hospital for a few hours. This admission takes place first thing in the morning, when a technician will place your pet into it's own individual kennel in one of our specially equipped wards. Detailed notes are kept of all treatments, progress, special needs and care that is required. Our veterinarians make regular ward rounds to check on in-patients, and our technicians are continuously monitoring them throughout their stay with us.

Your pets are handled with care and tenderness, and we make it a point to use your buddy's name whenever we are handling them. We treat your pets as if they were our own, which includes hugs and pep-talks. If your pet will be undergoing surgery or an anesthetic procedure they will be given a sedative and an analgesic (painkiller) injection. The sedative greatly reduces the amount of anesthetic agent required, giving a further margin of safety. At anytime during your pet's stay you would like an up-to-the-minute report on how she/he is doing, you may call and speak directly with the technician in charge of your pets care.

Please call (858-453-6312) for more information and to set up an appointment for your pet.

Below is a video that will give you step by step directions on how to brush your pets teeth;

The basic steps for identifying painful problems in a pets mouth start with a physical exam and history. 

*An initial oral exam after anesthetic induction is to look for any obvious dental problems (fractured or loose teeth), discolored teeth, oral tumors and anything else out of the ordinary. 

*Ultrasonic scaling and hand instrumentation to get into the subgingival areas of the mouth,

*Polishing, which removes irregularities created by scaling and slows the accumulation of future plaque and calculus

*Thorough rinsing under the gumline to remove infectious debris and foreign material

*Fluoride treatment to strengthen enamel and help desensitize exposed root surfaces and exposed dentin

*Complete charting of the mouth.  (this helps keep track of areas requiring radiographs and further treatment.

*Radiographs are an absolute requirement for quality dental care. 

*Follow-up exam and home care are important steps in keeping your pets teeth and mouth healthy.  It is essential that you follow your veterinarians recommendations.

Teeth are anchored in periodontal tissues consisting of gingiva (gums), ligaments, cementum, and supporting bone. More than 85% of dogs and cats older than 4 years have periodontal disease.

Periodontal disease starts with the formation of plaque, a transparent adhesive fluid composed of bacteria. Plaque starts forming within eight hours after a thorough dental cleaning. When plaque is not removed, mineral salts in the saliva precipitate forming hard calculus. Calculus is irritating to gingival tissue. By-products of the bacteria "eat away" the tooth's support structures eventually causing pain and periodontal disease.

Periodontal disease can be graded from stages one to four. The first two stages are classified as gingivitis the last two as periodontitis. In stage one, plaque extends to the gum line causing inflammation of the gingiva. Stage two gingivitis, is marked by inflammation and swelling. Gingivitis can usually be reversed by thorough teeth cleaning by a veterinarian while the dog or cat is anesthetized. If treated early, the gums can return to normal appearance and function. If untreated, periodontitis can result. Stage three periodontal disease occurs when there is bone loss in addition to gingival inflammation and infection. In stage four periodontal disease, there is a progression of the bone loss usually creating tooth mobility.

The owner of a dog or cat with periodontal disease needs to be committed to save their animal's teeth. This commitment includes daily brushing to remove plaque, which begins to build within eight hours after the previous brushing. Frequent veterinary dental re-examinations are required, and expense should be considered. The patient must also be a willing partner. If a dog or cat will not allow home care the best dental surgeon and most caring owner will not make a difference. Unless there is strong owner commitment and patient compliance, it is wiser to extract a tooth rather than letting the pet suffer.

Choosing appropriate teeth to operate upon is equally important. Every dental procedure by a veterinarian should include probing and charting.

 X-rays supply important information when deciding which tooth will benefit from surgery. X-rays help evaluate supportive bone around the teeth.    X-rays are also examined for other pathology that should be treated prior to and may affect the outcome of periodontal care.

Dr. Jan Bellows

Mild Gingivitis

Moderate Gingivitis

Severe Gingivitis

Periodontal Disease

The American Veterinary Dental Society recommends a full dental cleaning every six months for your pet, just the same as your dentist recommends for you. Still, imagine what that cleaning procedure would be like for you if you did not brush your teeth at all between dental visits.

Dental home care is the single most important aspect of regular dental care.

The Toothbrush Kit
Just as with your own teeth, nothing beats brushing. The fibers of the tooth brush are able to reach between teeth and under gums to pick out tiny deposits of food. A toothbrush acts as a tiny scrub brush for the closest possible cleaning.

Notice the shape of the canine and feline brushes and how they conform to a pet's mouth. You can use a human toothbrush but you will probably find it difficult to manipulate in the pet's mouth.

Finger brushes are available and are smaller for puppies and kittens.

Toothpaste
DO NOT USE A HUMAN TOOTHPASTE ON YOUR PET. Toothpaste for people contains sudsing agents which are not expected to be swallowed. These will upset your pet's stomach as your pet is not able to rinse out his or her mouth.

Pet toothpaste comes in a variety of flavors: mint (which people tend to prefer as a scent but animals do not prefer as a flavor), chicken, liver, and malt (generally preferred as a flavor by pets).

Dental Spray
Some pets will not allow anyone to actually touch their teeth. For these pets there is dental spray which can be sprayed into the mouth as an anti-plaque wash. As noted above, the spray can be applied to a tissue or cloth and rubbed on the teeth as well.

Dental Treats
Some cats will not allow anyone to reach into their mouths for any reason and will not tolerate brushing, spraying, rinsing or any other home care. For these animals dental treats represent an excellent method of dental home care.  We recommend a treat daily for routine home care if you are unable to brush your cats teeth.

In the dog, research has shown that daily rawhide chewing can be as beneficial as brushing. We carry special compressed C.E.T. chews.

T/D Diet  Realizing the difficulties involved in dental home care, Hills has created a diet designed to break calculus off of teeth. If you would like the benefits of performing dental home care without actually having to schedule time, this may be a viable option for you.

DO'S AND DON'TS OF DENTAL HOME CARE

• DON'T USE A HUMAN TOOTHPASTE ON YOUR PET
   
• DO USE A TOOTHBRUSH WITHOUT ANY PASTE AT FIRST SO THAT YOUR PET MAY GET USED TO THE OBJECT IN THE MOUTH BEFORE HAVING TO CONTEND WITH FLAVOR
   
• DON'T ATTEMPT TO CLEAN THE INNER SURFACE OF YOUR PET'S TEETH. NATURAL SALIVA CLEANS THIS SURFACE ON ITS OWN
   
• DO TRY TO PERFORM DENTAL HOME CARE AT LEAST ONCE DAILY
   
• DON'T PERFORM DENTAL HOME CARE DURING THE FIRST WEEK AFTER A FULL DENTISTRY IN THE HOSPITAL AS YOUR PET'S GUMS MAY BE TENDER
    
• DON'T CONSIDER DENTAL HOME CARE AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO FULL DENTAL CLEANING IF YOUR PET HAS MORE ADVANCED DENTAL DISEASE.

Special "starter" dental kits for puppies and kittens are available as well. These will help you accommodate your young pet to dental care right from the start.

     Brushing Your Dog's Teeth

How to brush your cat's teeth
(courtesy of C.E.T. Dental Care)

Tooth brushing doesn't happen overnight. It requires training, just like any other behavior.

First, select a convenient time when you and your cat are both relaxed. For the first few days, simply hold your cat as you normally do when petting him/her. Gently stroke the outside of your pet’s cheeks with your finger for a minute or two.

After a few days, place a small amount of C.E.T. Toothpaste on your finger and let your pet sample the flavor. Pets love the flavors of C.E.T. Toothpastes and soon will consider it a treat.

Next, introduce your pet to a C.E.T. Toothbrush or Fingerbrush. Place a small amount of C.E.T. Toothpaste on the brush and gently brush one tooth with a slow circular motion.

Gradually increase the number of teeth brushed until you’ve built up to 30 seconds of brushing per side.

It is important to reward your cat with a healthy treat and plenty of praise after every step of this process.

As with any other routine, it’s best to begin a dental care program when pets are young.

Quick Bites

DOGS

Puppies develop 28 temporary teeth at two to three weeks of age. Their 42 adult teeth begin to emerge at about four months.

Studies show that, by age 3, 80 % of dogs exhibit signs of gum disease. 

Small dog breeds are more likely than large breeds to develop periodontal disease. Canine dentistry experts believe this is because the teeth of small dogs often are too large for their mouths, forcing the teeth closer together.

Symptoms of gum disease may include yellow and brown build up of tartar at the gum line, bad breath, red, inflamed gums, bleeding and pain.  When left untreated, periodontal disease leads to tooth loss.  Inflammation and infection associated with periodontal disease may damage organs. The heart, liver, and kidneys can be affected, and the disease may lead to other serious health problems.

Broken teeth are common, and aggressive chewing on hard objects, such as rocks, fencing, hard toys, and commercially sold cow hooves are primary causes of broken teeth in dogs.

CATS

Kittens have about 26 temporary teeth at two to three weeks of age. Their 30 adult teeth erupt at about three to four months.

Signs of periodontal disease may include yellow and brown tartar, red inflamed gums, and bad breath.

According to studies, about 70 % of cats have signs of gum disease by age 3.

Cervical line lesions are the most common tooth disease in domestic cats. Studies show that about 28 percent of cats develop at least one of these painful lesions during their lifetime.

Proper Dental Care for Pets

April 22, 2010 Pet Talk

 (As seen in;  ABOUT PET TALK.   Pet Talk is a service of the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University. Stories can be viewed on the Web at http://tamunews.tamu.edu.)

An ounce of prevention may be worth a pound of cure, but when it comes to your pet’s health, practicing good dental hygiene may make a significant difference.

 In fact, an animal’s teeth may be more important to its overall health than most pet owners realize, says Dr. J.R. “Bert” Dodd, a board certified veterinary dentist at Texas A&M University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.

“Human dentists have done a really good job of educating people on practicing good preventive dental health, but often we don’t think about preventive dental health for our pets,” said Dodd.

Overall dental health can be an indicator of current or future health challenges for humans and pets. 

 ”As goes the mouth, so goes the health. So, taking care of your pet’s mouth and keeping it nice and healthy, should help the animal live longer,” said Dodd. Preventive dental care includes regularly brushing your pet’s teeth and getting an oral evaluation and dental cleaning at least annually by your
veterinarian.

 Some pet owners may question the importance of dental health maintenance for pets based on their own experience with childhood pets, but veterinary medicine has come a long way over
the past 20 years.

 ”It used to be that most of our pets died at younger ages, so periodontal disease did not have a chance to impact their health and cause damage to their kidneys, livers or other vital organs” noted Dodd. “Veterinary medicine has advanced such that we are now better able to treat these diseases and our animals are living longer, healthier lives.”

Dental therapy for pets includes many of the same procedures that help humans maintain healthy teeth, gums and mouths. Available treatments include oral surgery, periodontics, endodontics, restorations, and even orthodontics on animal patients as needed. Some of these procedures may be offered by your family veterinarian or you may be referred to a board certified veterinary dentist.

It is highly important that pet owners become aware of the serious consequences of ignoring their pet’s dental health.

“Periodontal disease is a disease of neglect. If preventative dental health is not practiced and periodontal therapy, such as root canals and tooth extractions, is ignored, other health complications may follow,” said Dodd.

 Teeth, gum or mouth problems can cause infections and disease, or they can be symptoms of serious illness in veterinary patients.

“The teeth are 42 little patients in a dog’s mouth, so they need to be well taken care of and treated with respect” added Dodd.

 More and more pet owners are recognizing the connection between healthy teeth and their animal’s overall well being. When you make a dental appointment for yourself, it might also be a good idea to make a veterinary appointment to have your dog or cat’s teeth cleaned and checked.

The American Dental Association recommends that people visit the dentist annually to prevent dental problems and even more serious medical problems. According to Dr. Johnathon Dodd, clinical associate professor at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (CVM), who runs the small animal dental suite with Thomas Koenig, registered veterinary technician II at the CVM, animals should get a yearly dental check up as well.

“One of the most overlooked aspects in preventative maintenance is dental care,” explains Dodd. “Your pet’s teeth should be professionally cleaned at least once a year and more often if severe problems are present.”

The most common cause of dental problems is periodontal disease. Periodontal disease starts off as a bacterial growth on the surface of the tooth which leads to inflammation of the gums and can eventually channel to a fatal disease. According to Koenig, around 65-80 percent of dogs have periodontal disease before they are 3 to 4 years old. Periodontal disease can be easily avoided by investing a couple of minutes a day with your pet.

Other than annual teeth cleanings and checkups by a veterinarian, proper dental hygiene should be promoted on a daily basis at home.

“It is best to begin home care when your puppy or kitten is between 8 and 12 weeks old; however it is never too late to start,” notes Dodd. “The first step is to train your pet to accept brushing of the teeth and the best way to approach that is to establish a routine of brushing your pet’s teeth with gauze around your finger. It may be helpful to use beef or chicken broth with dogs or tuna water with cats to get them accustomed to the routine instead of using cleaning agents.”

Once your pet is familiar with the daily routine, you can switch out the gauze for a fingerbrush or a very soft toothbrush. Then you can incorporate using pet toothpaste. Do not use toothpaste intended for people because the ingredients can cause stomach issues in your pet if ingested.

“It is also important to remember not to give your pets bones to chew on,” explains Koenig. “In addition to the gastrointestinal issues bone chips can cause, bones cause real problems for the teeth. Bones are notorious for causing teeth to break which leads to additional visits to the veterinarian and further medical problems.”

Koenig recommends rawhides or softer chew bones to replace bones as chew toys for your pet.

Certain pet foods have enzymes that help with dental maintenance. There are also water additives available on the market that can help with teeth health. However, the most proactive and reliable dental care for your pet is to brush daily and to keep it on a routine basis so your pet is more receptive to the process.

“Good dental care is essential to extend your pet’s life span and assure a good quality of life,” expressed Dodd. “I really enjoy my profession because it is very rewarding as I can see firsthand how much healthier my patients are due to proper dental care.”

ABOUT PET TALK     Pet Talk is a service of the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University. Stories can be viewed on the Web at http://tamunews.tamu.edu.

Suggestions for future topics may be directed to cvmtoday@cvm.tamu.edu.