Pay Attention To Pet Dental Health Before
Your Dog Encounters These Problems!
Pet dental health is an important aspect in pet grooming but this process is often neglected by many dog owners around the world.
The result of this negligence includes several infections and dog diseases caused by poor pet dental health.
Let’s take a closer look at our dog’s teeth in this update.
PET DENTAL HEALTH – THE FACTS
Did you know that over 80% of all dogs under the age of three have some sort of oral disease?
This fact comes courtesy of the American Veterinary Dental Society (AVDS). It also makes it the most common problem amongst young and old dogs alike. Why?
There are any number of suggested reasons as to why teeth are amongst the biggest problems out there for dogs of all ages. However the biggest one is the lack of care and attention that owners pay to pet dental health.
Looking after your dog’s teeth is an essential element of pet grooming. It should be done on regular basis. This will prevent the oral problems that afflict so many other dogs from affecting your dog.
PET DENTAL HEALTH – ASSOCIATED PROBLEMS
When it comes to teeth, there are plenty of elements of pet grooming to consider. This is because there are so many problems associated with teeth. However the irony is that pet owners should be very familiar with these issues and know how to prevent them to a certain degree. The reason is that dog teeth are prone to the same problems as human teeth.
Human and canine teeth both suffer as a result of the build-up of plaque. The main difference is that humans clean their teeth regularly. This avoids having residual food and saliva build-up in gaps, thus also avoiding the plaque turning into tartar.
Unfortunately the same is often not true about our beloved pets. It is due to the lack of care and attention that owners pay to pet dental health.
This can lead to a whole range of complications in dogs. thus it is incredibly important to ensure that your dog has his or her teeth cleaned regularly.
PET DENTAL HEALTH – GINGIVITIS
One of the most common teeth problems in dogs is gingivitis. You may recognize this as the problem that causes dog bad breath. However, it goes above and beyond that.
Gingivitis is actually the inflammation of the gums because of food not being removed effectively from between the dog’s teeth. The gums will bleed in turn and you may notice that your dog stops eating. This is not because of a loss of appetite but rather because it is painful to chew.
Unfortunately for your dog, it does not end with gingivitis but instead can lead to peritonitis, if untreated, which is far more serious.
PET DENTAL HEALTH – PERITONITIS
Peritonitis is actually an infection that affects the tissue and jaw bone, before actually moving onto more serious health problems that can affect your dog’s long term well being.
It is irreversible so you have to stay on top of your dog’s oral health from the start. After all, any dog affected may lose more than just their teeth. Of course, broken teeth are also a major problem for many dogs because they insist on chewing hard objects, such as bones.
As with human teeth, canine teeth have a breaking point and will snap if caught slightly off centre on a bone. They need to chew such objects to maintain teeth and jaw strength so you cannot prevent this but you do need to be vigilant. Good quality, natural dog chews are one way of minimising this problem, whilst still caring for your dog’s teeth,
So broken teeth aside, how can you spot issues with oral health in your dog?
SOME COMMON SIGNS TO LOOK FOR
• Tartar, which may be either yellow or brown in nature
• Bleeding gums
• Bad breath
• Red and inflamed gums, especially around the teeth rather than above them
• Difficulty in chewing food
• Changing the eating habits to accommodate the pain
• Pawing and scratching at the mouth area
With all these signs in mind, it is essential that you are aware of the possible problems and do your best to prevent issues with your dog’s teeth at home.
As always, prevention is much better than having to look for a cure.
Warmly,
Sharda.