Whew! We have all heard the term "dog breath", and know it's certainly not meant as a compliment. Bad breath in your pet could be a sign of dental problems, and these problems may be causing your pet pain or discomfort. However, your pet does not have to live with poor dental health and its consequences. Simple, preventive dental care can do wonders for your pet's oral health, and help prevent more serious disease and infection. Prevention of dental disease includes examination of the teeth and oral structures at your pet's annual physical and a program of regular brushing at home. Please ask your technician or veterinarian to demonstrate the brushing procedure at your pet's physical. Our practices have prevention products available to you.

When a pet is experiencing tartar build up or the beginning stages of gum problems, your veterinarian may recommend a dental cleaning. The dental cleaning process is very similar to what you experience in the dentist's office. A trained veterinary technician removes tartar, cleans and flushes under the gums, polishes the teeth, and applies fluoride to strengthen the teeth and help prevent infection. Because pets are not able to understand they have to "lay still" for this procedure, it is done under general sedation. As with all anesthetic procedures, your pet's health is carefully monitored during the cleaning process.

Sometimes pets develop more serious diseases and infections. A study in Trends, a publication by the American Animal Hospital Association (Oct/Nov 1998, written by Kristen Stark) indicated that some 80% of dogs and 70% of cats had signs of dental disease by age three. Unfortunately, when dental disease is left untreated, it may lead to more serious problems in the heart, lungs, and kidneys. Dental diseases can also lead to gingivitis and tooth loss, and also cause a great deal of discomfort for your pet. Signs of periodontal disease may include: yellow/brownish colored teeth; swollen, red, bleeding gums; persistent bad breath; loose or lost teeth, pus between the gums and teeth, broken teeth, unusual growth in mouth, reluctance to play with chew toys or drink cold water, yellow-brown crust at the gum line, and receded or eroded gums. If your pet exhibits any of these signs, please schedule an appointment with your veterinarian as soon as possible. These problems require immediate diagnosis and treatment.