Pet Dental Care: Keeping Those Teeth Healthy

Taking care of your pet’s teeth and oral health is essential for their overall well-being. If dental issues are ignored or left untreated, they can lead to symptoms such as bad breath, red and swollen gums, discolored teeth as well as change in behavior and eating habits. In many cases, periodontal disease can be prevented by adequate care provided at home. There are few ways to care for your pet’s teeth, such as regular brushing, adding water additives, and  providing a prescription diet. It is also important to discuss all of those options with your veterinarian. While these steps help to control tartar and plaque buildup, regular dental examinations by a veterinarian are still required. Both cats and dogs can be very successful in masking their discomfort and showing minimal signs of oral sensitivity or pain. Therefore, a visual oral assessment conducted by a veterinarian is important to determine the best next steps specifically for your pet. If it is determined that professional dental cleaning is needed, treatment may include (but not limited to) tooth extraction, scaling, polishing as well as antibiotic treatment. Toxic and dangerous products for pets If you suspect that your pet was exposed to something harmful, contact your veterinarian or pet poison helpline* (1- 855-764-7661) immediately! *Pet poison helpline has a charge of $85 USD per incident. https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com Our pets are naturally curious creatures and they love to investigate their surroundings. This trait often captures our attention and fascinates us. However, it can occasionally lead  them to investigate things that they are not supposed to. Food  One of the most common things that our pets accidentally consume are food that owners enjoy. Most common toxic foods include chocolate, grapes/raisins, onion/garlic, various nuts, alcohol, coffee, and raw yeast dough. This is not a complete list, and any human food can pose a risk to your pet. Plants Another common potential toxin for your pet is plants. A lot of cats and dogs enjoy chewing on plants they find inside and outside the house. There are a lot of toxic plants but the most popular are tulips, daffodils, lilies, sago palm and azaleas. For a comprehensive list of toxic plants, visit ASPCA’s website (https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants). If you are not sure of the plant’s name there are a lot of smartphone apps (Plant app: Plant Identifier, PictureThis: Plant Identifier, Seek by iNaturalist, etc)  that can help you identify it by taking a photo of the leaves.  Household items  A lot of household products pose a danger to our pets due to the presence of dangerous chemicals. Examples include, but not limited to,  cleaning products, glue, paint, garden chemicals, fertilizers, rodenticides (edible bait to kill mice/rats), pesticides (insects baits/sprays), human medication, veterinary products as well as recreational drugs. Sometimes, however, we may not know if our pets have been exposed to something toxic and only observe symptoms they exhibit. Due to the wide range of possible toxins, there are no specific clinical signs that will clearly tell us what your pet was exposed to. Symptoms can vary and may include lethargy, excessive salivation, inflammatory reactions, vomiting, swelling, difficulty breathing and convulsions. If you suspect that your pet was exposed to something harmful, contact your veterinarian or pet poison helpline (1- 855-764-7661) immediately!