Dental care

Signs & symptoms of poor oral health

If you think your pet has any of these signs, please book an appointment with the vet or nurse:

• Bad Breath
• Loss of appetite
• Bleeding and/or inflamed gums
• Difficulty eating
• Pawing at the mouth
• Loose or missing teeth
• Excess drooling of saliva

Taking care of your pet’s teeth

Looking after your pet’s teeth is very important. Imagine how your teeth would look if you didn’t brush them every day!

Dental problems are one of the most common conditions seen in veterinary practice and are an important factor in your pet’s health.

Brushing

Daily brushing will help reduce the build up of tartar and plaque on your pet’s teeth which, in turn, will help to avoid your pet having to have an anaesthetic to remove the tartar and plaque by ultrasonic scaling and polishing.

From the first day with your pet, you can introduce the idea of having your fingers in and around the mouth. You can then progress to using a finger brush, and then a toothbrush for larger puppies.

To be shown how to start brushing your pet’s teeth please make a free appointment with one of our veterinary nurses who will advise you on the correct equipment – human toothpaste is not suitable for puppies. Pet toothpaste has an enzymatic action on the plaque and tarter and has a poultry flavour which most pets like. Like humans puppies attain two sets of teeth. The pet’s baby teeth should be replaced at around six months of age by the permanent adult teeth. When your pet is teething the gums may be sore, so gentle brushing is advisable.

If tooth brushing is not possible, there are other ways to help keep your pet’s teeth healthy, but they are not as effective as tooth brushing and, generally, will not prevent eventual cleaning under an anaesthetic.

Diet

Your pet’s diet is also a major factor contributing to the health of your pet’s teeth. Dry food, biscuits and especially the new diets, particularly Hills Oral Care, are much better than wet foods at removing plaque and reducing mouth problems.