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 February is Pet Dental Health Month
Did you know that periodontal disease is the most commonly diagnosed disease in cats and dogs? Did you know that, by the age of 3 years, 80% of dogs and 70% of cats have some degree of periodontal disease? Did you know that untreated periodontal disease creates damage in your pet's heart, liver, kidneys, and joints (yes, the same bacteria seen in dental plaque has been found in human and animal joints)? Don't despair, there is hope! Did you know that daily teeth brushing can add as much as five years to your pet's life? Since most of us would prefer to have our pets around for a very long time and would like them to remain as healthy as possible for their entire lifetime, daily brushing seems like a "no-brainer"!
First, let's examine periodontal disease - what is it and how does my pet get it? It is an infection of the tissues surrounding the teeth due to plaque accumulation on the teeth. Plaque is a bacteria-laden film that is deposited on the teeth all day, every day. There are actually one trillion bacteria in 1 gram of plaque! (How much is a gram? It is equal to about one-quarter teaspoon.) These bacteria attach to the teeth, and harden into tartar (or calculus) leaving a rough surface to which more plaque adhers. The presence of all this bacteria irritates the gum tissue turning it red (figure 1) as the body's immune system attempts to fight off the infection. It is a losing battle however, as more and more bacteria create more tartar, finally causing the irritated gum tissue to recede (figure 2). The recession then allows the bacteria access to the area surrounding the tooth root. Eventually the damaged tooth falls out due to the loss of the supporting structures (figure 3). This is a painful process but your pet suffers through it silently.
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figure 2 |
figure 3 |
There are signs you can watch for that would indicate the presence of periodontal disease. These include:
Difficulty chewing or reluctance to eat
Dropping food
Pawing at the mouth
Mouth sensitivity
Persistent bad breath
Red, receding, or bleeding gums
As mentioned earlier all these bacteria are not only creating havoc in your pet's mouth. They are also busy attacking your pet's organs. Once the gum becomes irritated, the bacteria will access the pet's bloodstream through the inflammed gum tissue. They  circulate throughout your pet's body settling into their heart, kidneys, liver, and joints. Your pet's immune system works hard to fight off the attackers but because of the constant flow of bacteria it is nearly impossible. Dogs and cats with untreated periodontal disease are much more likely to suffer from heart, liver, kidney and/or joint disease and live shorter lives.
So, to recap, plaque accumulates, damages tissues in the mouth, teeth fall out, immune system is stressed, and your pet gets heart disease (or kidney or liver disease or arthritis) and dies younger than they might had there been a good plaque control program for them. It can be avoided.
Daily tooth brushing is the most effective way to control the accumulation of plaque in your pet's mouth. We brush our teeth twice daily and visit our dentist at least twice a year for mechanical removal of the hardened plaque missed during our daily brushing. Why should we expect our pets to not get periodontal disease when we don't do anything to control the plaque?
Now that you understand the repercussions of plaque accumulation maybe you'll give tooth brushing a try. If you need some help in starting a daily brushing program don't hesitate to contact us. We will be happy to assist you in your efforts. Visit our February 2009 newsletter for hints in training your pet to allow tooth brushing. Here are some very good home dental care videos for you to check out - American Veterinary Medical Association, Purina, Cornell Feline Health.
Just can't do it? We know it is seems hard, your pet won't cooperate, time is short, you really don't need the frustration – there are a lot of reasons to not brush your pet's teeth. But don't despair, there are other options. If you can't brush your pet's teeth daily then consider a another option for their dental health care program.
Offering your pet a daily plaque-controlling diet or a daily dental health chew is an easy method of plaque control. These options are less effective than daily brushing but most certainly much more effective than doing nothing. If you choose to buy these products on-line or in a pet store, look for the VOHC Seal. The Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) seal is awarded based on a strict set of  standards that measure effectiveness in plaque and tartar control. Any new product seeking recognition from the council must meet these standards. The product must prove itself worthy of the seal.
If you can't brush, there are products that pet owners can apply to their pet's teeth daily that help reduce the accumulation of plaque. Oral rinses are generally applied either directly to the teeth or rubbed on the teeth with a cotton ball soaked in the rinse. This must be done daily in order to control the bacteria in the plaque. There are also water additives available, however there is only one water additive that has the VOHC seal. OraVet is a wax-like substance that you apply to your pet's teeth once every two weeks. This product works by preventing plaque from attaching to the teeth and has been shown to be very effective in preventing periodontal disease.
Anything that you can do to reduce the accumulation of plaque in your pet's mouth will result in a happier, healthier pet. Please speak with your veterinarian or a member of our staff about which product would work best for you.
Our Christmas Donation
 We had a call from Starline Nunley, the head of the Military Working Dog Project. She called to say how grateful she was for our clinic's donation. She reiterated the importance of the military working dogs in helping to keep our military men and women safe while they are fighting in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. She told us the story of Molly, a military working dog handler, and her dog Jody who discovered the largest weapons cache ever found. When the team came to blow it up, they discovered that the weapons cache that Jody had uncovered was connected to more hiding places. The destruction of the first cache resulted in a series of explosions as each of the connected weapons caches also blew up. Must have been quite a sight!
Once again, we would like to thank all who participated in this donation. As the wars continue and more dogs are deployed, the need is great. New dogs need new equipment – currently deployed dogs need equipment replaced. If you would like to donate, please visit their website.
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