Does your dog’s breath stink? Does your cat eat its food whole, without even chewing it? Do you see blood on your pet’s chew toys sometimes? Do you see your pet drink lots of water, or paw at its mouth often? Any of these signs may indicate that your four-legged friend has periodontal disease, or infected teeth and gums.

How would your mouth feel to you if you never brushed your teeth? Well, that’s just the start of what dogs and cats may go through. Periodontal disease is one of the most common diseases we see in animals, and can seriously affect an animal. Gingivitis is painful, as are cavities, and can obviously make it hard to chew food. And when the gums become swollen and infected, the bacteria in the mouth are able to get into the bloodstream, potentially affecting other areas of the body, like the heart, liver, and kidneys. Studies show that periodontal disease can shorten a pet’s life by up to 3 years!

Many people are under the impression that if their cat eats only dry food, or if their dog chews bones once in a while, then they don’t need to brush Fluffy or Fido’s teeth. Well, chewing may help some, and there are special diets made to help with tartar and plaque build-up, but up to 90% of our patients still need at least annual cleaning, and sometimes even extractions.

“But Dr. Steve, isn’t Buddy put to sleep when you clean his teeth?” Yes, but we take every precaution when we sedate animals, including IV fluids, pre-anesthetic blood testing, pulse oximetry (which monitors the pulse and oxygen saturation), and the use of the safest anesthetic gas available (Sevoflurane, which was the same anesthetic used on my daughter when she had her tonsils taken out 2 summers ago!). And given the cost in pain, infection, and shortened life span, the benefits of sedation and dental cleaning far outweigh the risks.

A client, Alan, wrote us a letter a while ago, after we cleaned his cat’s teeth. “Symphony is a new cat! He hasn’t been this active in years, and he keeps purring and rubbing up against us ever since we’ve brought him home!!” With Valentine’s Day coming up, there’ll be lots of sweets around, and hopefully a big focus on dental care. I hope you remember that our canine and feline friends also need dental care. Call or stop in for a free dental exam, and we’ll be happy to tell you if Rascal or Rover need some dental work!

Till next time, Dr. Steve