Importance of Regular Pet Dental Screenings Explained by Hollywood FL Top Vet
Your pet’s dental health is very similar to yours. The difference is you wouldn’t go months without brushing your teeth or even years without visiting the dentist. 70% of cats and 80% of dogs have some form of dental disease by 3 years of age according to the AVMA. Dental disease can lead to:
- tooth loss
- eating problems
- bad breath
Oral disease can also affect the functioning of your pet’s vital organs, including the kidneys, liver and heart. The good news is as a pet owner there’s a lot you can do.
Here are a few tips to help safeguard your pet’s oral health.
- Provide your pet oral chews designed specifically for oral health, it’s an easy and effective way to help reduce the build-up of tartar on the teeth.
- Become familiar with your pet’s teeth at an early age. Examine their mouth regularly and check for sensitive painful areas or lesions.
- Use pet friendly toothpastes and rinses to reduce tartar and bacteria build-up.
The Importance of Regular Dental Consultations
To ensure your pets oral health, have your veterinarian complete a dental consult on a regular basis. A vet can determine if your pet requires a non-anesthetic dental cleaning or more extensive work under general anesthesia. Your pet remains awake during a non-anesthetic dental cleaning and it can be a great way for preventative care. A non-anesthetic dental procedure is a dental cleaning completed without anesthesia. However, not all pets are suitable candidates for this procedure, and your veterinarian will determine which is the best option for your pet based on their overall health condition. Anesthetic dental cleanings are often recommended when your pet is showing indications of more advanced oral disease. They may include; polishing, scaling, antibiotics, x-rays, extractions and blood work. Ask your vet which one is right for your pet
Pet dental work can be a serious medical procedure so always be sure that it is performed in a veterinary hospital, by a licensed vet. At DPC Veterinary Hospital in Davie Florida we offer full dental packages for your pet including a FREE consult. Call us today at (954) 516-1654 more information.
