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What's all this talk about dental disease in pets? |
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To bring to light some very important information about your pet's dental health, we are posting some frequently asked questions that we hear in our hospitals every day. We'll add FAQ's each week through February, so check back often. And don't forget that February is National Pet Dental Health Month. Give us a call for discounts on dental services and products during this time!
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January 17, 2012 |
Q: Is bad breath that
big of a deal in my dog?
A: It's the bad
breath that is the sign of more serious things going on in our pets' mouths. The origin of halitosis, or bad
breath, is typically different in pets compared to humans. In pets, it's the oral bacteria that's
responsible for most of the bad breath smell.
If allowed to accumulate, the bacteria can cause an infection around the
teeth called periodontal disease. The
unchecked progression of periodontal disease leads to destruction of the
tissues (including bone) holding the teeth in place and can lead to tooth
loss. The biggest bummers of this
process are that it can lead to other health issues and it's painful for our 4 legged family
members. |
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January 23, 2012 |
Q: What is the brown
stuff on my cat's teeth?
A: The tan or brown
proliferative material commonly seen on our pets? teeth is called
calculus. Think of calculus as the
cement-like product of bacteria mixing with saliva. One of the biggest concerns we have with
calculus is that it provides a rough terrain for even more bacteria to get a
foothold in the mouth. This feeds the
fire of advancing periodontal disease. When we clean the teeth with an ultrasonic scaling instrument, we can easily remove calculus and improve your pet's oral health immediately!
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February 1, 2012
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Q: I’ve heard that
anesthetizing my dog for a dental cleaning is not safe. Doesn’t the risk outweigh the benefit?
A: At Hinesburg
Veterinary Associates, we select the safest anesthetic drugs for each patient
based on their age, breed, and health status.
We also use of cutting-edge technology to measure such things as
respiratory/heart function and blood pressure are closely monitored during anesthesia. Lastly, the care of our well-trained
veterinary technicians dramatically reduces the risk of using anesthesia in
most veterinary patients.
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February 21, 2012
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Q: Is anesthesia even
necessary for dental cleaning?
A: The worst part of
the evolution of periodontal disease takes place below the gum line. This area of a pet’s mouth is essentially
impossible to reach without full access to every side of each tooth. Although we know plenty of great dogs and
cats that are very willing to let us do almost anything, we don’t know any that
would lie still with their mouths open long enough to perform a thorough dental
examination and cleaning!
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