Dental Care

According to a recent study by the American Animal Hospital Association, over 80 percent of all dogs and 70 percent of cats suffer from some type of periodontal disease by the time they’re 3 or older. 

Do pets get cavities the way we do?

 Cats get cavities right at the gum line, and they can be pretty painful. Dogs aren’t prone to get cavities, but they do get a build up of plaque, which hardens to form tartar. This promotes gum disease like gingivitis.

 What is gingivitis?

 Gingivitis is a gum disease that results when food and debris are allowed to build up below the gum line.  Aside from the direct problems that this causes in the mouth, there are secondary effects of gingivitis that can be life-threatening.  Oral flora, which is a bacteria that lives inside the mouth, can get introduced into the blood stream as a result of the gum-bleeding and inflammation associated with gingivitis.  When this bacteria gets into the blood stream, it can set up shop in the heart valve as well as in the glomerulus, which is the kidney’s filtration unit.  This can have fatal consequences, especially for older cats.

 So, it’s important to fight tartar build-up in your cat’s mouth?

 Absolutely -- you should brush your pet’s teeth at home regularly, and you should take him in for professional veterinary teeth cleaning once a year.

 How can you tell if a cat is having dental problems?

 If your pet is hungry and acts like she wants to eat, and then goes up to the food bowl and nudges it away, it’s a sign that something may be wrong in the mouth.  Bad breath is another sign of problems.