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Giving your best friend the best chance at living a longer, healthier life is the goal of every loving pet owner. Doing what’s best for your pet goes beyond keeping it well fed and hydrated, and extends to ensuring that your fur baby receives regular pet dental care at home and at the vet. 

Proper dental care for pets helps to prevent and protect animals from a number of health issues that arise when their teeth aren’t properly looked after. Additionally, when an owner takes the time to maintain their pet’s dental health, they help to improve their pet’s well-being and minimise the likelihood of harmful bacteria from the gums passing onto the major organs in your pet’s body. 

National pet dental health month is the perfect reminder of why it’s important to look after your pet’s teeth and gums. By recognising the signs of dental disease and taking steps to prevent it, you can help improve the quality of life for your pet for the years to come. 

Recognising dental disease in pets 

Poor pet dental health in your dog, cat or bunny often first presents itself in the teeth, gums and surrounding areas of your pet’s mouth. 

The slow buildup of plaque can cause issues over time, eventually spreading bacteria throughout the body. If not removed correctly, the plaque can also harden and become tartar, which will need to be removed by a veterinary clinic offering pet dental health services. Fortunately, tartar above the gums can be removed and cleaned by a professional. By getting to it early, you minimise the likelihood of tartar moving below the gum line and causing your pet serious pain and discomfort as a result of inflammation and infection. 

While plaque and tartar can often be seen by looking in your pet’s mouth, sometimes it can be hard to notice when you’re unsure what to look out for. As a general rule, don’t assume that your pet’s teeth are healthy without getting a pet dental health check and maintaining pet dental care. 

If your pet has a buildup of plaque and/or tartar that has caused its’ dental health to deteriorate, you’ll likely recognise one or more of the following signs: 

  • Bad breath 
  • Irregular/abnormal eating or drinking 
  • Broken/loose teeth 
  • Excessive drooling 
  • Bleeding from the mouth 

Once you notice any of these signs, it’s a good idea to go to the vet to get your furry friend checked out. 

Benefits of maintaining pet dental health 

Ensuring your pet receives proper dental care both at home and at the vet is vital. By practising proper dental care, pets are more likely to experience improved overall health that will help them in the years to come. Having a good level of dental care for dogs, cats, bunnies and more helps them in five key areas. 

The most important reason to maintain a thorough level of dental care for pets is to help prevent the likelihood of organ damage caused by dental diseases or infections. You also minimise the potential for the gum disease to get worse. Any bacteria that makes its way into the bloodstream has the chance to spread to the heart, liver and kidneys of your pet, potentially making them extremely sick.

Additionally, proper dental care for cats and other animals can help prevent them from losing teeth, feeling pain in their mouth region or having bad breath. This helps them live freer and helps to ensure they can eat, drink and behave as normal. 

Quality and affordable pet dental care 

Pet dental health awareness month is the perfect time to book your best friend into your local veterinary clinic for a checkup. 

At Clyde Veterinary Hospital, we provide dental health services for dogs, cats, rabbits, rodents and ferrets. We pride ourselves on treating animals in our state-of-the-art clinic and using gold standard service and dental equipment

With dedicated dog and cat treatment areas, you can trust that your beloved pet will receive the highest quality, tailored care. We use the best pet dental care products and perform rigorous pre-anesthetic testing to help ensure your pet receives the best treatment possible. 

If your pet is showing signs of dental problems or you’d like to make sure your pet’s health is the best it can be, give us a call on 03 9052 3200 or make a booking online today. 

Clyde Veterinary Hospital – dental month offer 

Did you know 70% of all cats and dogs have some form of dental disease by just three years of age? Fortunately, this August is Dental Month at Clyde Veterinary Hospital and we’re here to help your much-loved pet. 

For this month only we’re offering: 

  • Free dental assessment and dental preventative plan 
  • 10% off dental procedures if required 
  • 10% off any dental product in the hospital 

T&C – Dental health checks Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. Bookings required.


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The key to managing gum or tooth disease, whether in dogs, cats or humans is prevention.

And with research showing up to 85% of dogs or cats experience some form of dental health issue by just 3 years of age, it’s vital for their wellbeing that you do your utmost to prevent it developing.

And dental disease doesn’t just present tooth, gum and feeding/diet issues. It can also cause harmful bacteria to pass to your pet’s major organs and cause serious or even life threatening health complications.

There are a few simple steps you can take to ensure maximum dental hygeine in your pet, and what better time than August “Dental Month” 2021 to run you through some of the basics?

And don’t forget, we have a huge range of special offers so you can have peace of mind your fur baby’s mouth is in perfect shape, without overtaxing your wallet. Click the image below to LEARN MORE.

dental care cats dogs veterinary

 

cat teeth dentistry vet care

 

1. Watch for Signs and Symptoms of Disease

As a secondary benefit of regularly brushing your dog or cat’s teeth, you will be routinely getting up close and personal enough with them to notice most emerging tooth or gum issues before they become serious.

Periodontitis has four main stages – progressing from minor plaque build up or mildly inflamed gums through to full blown gingivitis to mild or severe periodontitis – which can result in the loss of teeth or even bone tissue disease.

Dogs and cats both display similar symptoms when they are facing problems with their dental health. The most common early symptoms are bad breath or you may notice a yellowish-brown tartar forming on their teeth. These handy graphics will give you a good idea what to look out for and to judge how serious the dental problem might be.

dental disease dogs cats stages

stages periodontal disease dogs cats

A healthy pet’s mouth should show gums of a uniform light pink colour, with clear white teeth showing no discolouration or build up of plaque around the gums.

Gingivitis – the earliest stage of dental disease will usually present as a red discolouration of the gums – particularly around the base of or between the teeth.

If the disease advances to actual periodonitis, you will notice a more severe discolouration through larger areas of the mouth, and a yellowing of the base of your dog or cat’s teeth, and some bleeding from the gums may also be present, depending how advanced the disease has become.

You may also begin to notice a yellowing or darkening of the enamel on your pet’s teeth, which can lead to a serious and painful abscess, or even bone loss, if not treated promptly.

More severe symptoms include loss of appetite, excessive drooling, and your dog or cat licking up their food and avoiding chewing it, favouring one side of their mouth in eating, or using their front paws to regularly rub at their mouth. 

See your vet urgently if your pet is displaying any one or more of these symptoms.

 

2. Clean Their Teeth Regularly

Few pet owners take the time to give their animal’s teeth a regular or dedicated clean, but this is without question the gold standard in preventative care.

Just imagine if you brushed your own teeth as infrequently as you do your pets’, the number of dental issues that you would be facing. Yet the processes of developing dental disease is exactly the name, no matter what the species.

We strongly encourage the use of a dedicated species-specific toothbrush or “finger brush” – which is a specially designed plastic overlay that you place over your finger and use to brush their teeth directly, and which gives much better tactile feedback and a better experience for your pet.

dog breath treatment veterinary casey
Clean teeth and gums are key to fighting “doggy breath” – even in cats!

All these products have a similar level of efficiency, but a couple of good lists of suiitable products for dogs or cats can be found here>
The 10 Best Dog Toothbrushes in 2019
Best Cat Toothbrushes Reviewed – 2019

While using a dedicated dental paste is not essential, again this is really the gold standard. Dedicated pet-specific formulations are available which have a palatable taste for pets, and which provide additional benefits such as mouth freshening and prevent plaque buld up.

We DO NOT recommend using human toothpaste to clean your dog or cat’s teeth, as these can contain ingredients that can be harmful to dogs or cats if used over an extended period.

oxyfresh veterinary pet dental gel

We do recommend products such as Oxyfresh Pet Dental Gel, which is completely odourless and tasteless and made from natural ingredients.

It’s important that you remain committed to a daily process of brushing in order to maintain the benefits of a regular dental regime, and it’s important to quickly get your pet used to the somewhat unnatural process of having their teeth brushed.

Start out by giving your dog or cat a small sample of the toothpaste to introduce them to the taste. And reward them afterwards with play, petting or a favorite activity, to positively reinforce the brushing process.

We recommend starting your pet out as young as possible while they are still puppies or kittens, as they will be far more receptive to brushing if you begin at an early age.

dog mouth teeth closeup dental

Start by gently lifting up your dog or cat’s top and bottom lip one side at a time and lightly rubbing their teeth with your finger once a day. Once they become used to this, you should begin use of the finger or tooth brush.

We recommend the following handy tips for the process of cleaning your dog or cat’s teeth at home

  • Lift their upper lip to expose the outside surfaces of your pet’s gums and teeth.
  • Brush with gentle circular motions to clean both the teeth and gums, exactly as you would your own.
  • Concentrate on cleaning the outside (cheek-facing) surfaces, as most pets will not allow you to brush the inside surface of the teeth.
  • Be sure to clean the back upper molars and canines, as these teeth tend to quickly build up tartar.

Here’s a great little video that walks you through the process …

 

3. Use Specially Formulated Dental Dry Food

A number of dog and cat food manufacturers now make several varieties of dry food formula which has been specially designed to abrasively prevent the build-up of plaque or tartar on your pet’s teeth and gums.

At Clyde Veterinary Hospital, we strongly recommend Hills Prescription Diet t/d Dental Care for Dogs and Cats – it features a specially formulated, species-specific kibble shape and size, with “fibre matrix technology” for maximum plaque reduction.

And during “Dental Month” at Clyde Vet, we’re offering a huge 15% off RRP on all Hills Dental Care Dry Food until August 31 – email info@clydevet.com.au or phone 9052 3200 to speak to our friendly staff about your needs.

hills veterinary dental diet dog cat 

 

4. Use Dedicated Dental Chews

Similarly, several manufacturers make dedicated dental chew treats for dogs, which are a great-tasting way to supplement a daily brushing regime, and provide a little reward for putting up with the hassle of brushing.

We’re such huge fans of Oravet Dental Chews for Dogs, that we’re also offering $10 off per bag of Oravet if purchased before August 31 – strictly limited to the first 20 purchasers.

That’s up to 25% off the recommended retail price until August 31 – email info@clydevet.com.au or phone 9052 3200 to speak to our friendly staff about your needs.

oravet dental chews veterinary dogs

 

5. Add a Specialised Dental Formula to Their Drinking Water

Oxyfresh have also come up with this extremely clever way of destroying bacteria and removing plaque – a dental additive solution you can mix in with their regular water – it’s completely colourless and odourless so they’ll never even know the good they are doing themselves every time they go to the water bowl – and it’s effective for both dogs and cats, or indeed any animal species.

We don’t recommend relying primarily on this as a preventative measure, but it can certainly help imrove the effectiveness of a more hands-on dental care regime.

oxyfresh veterinary dental water additive

 

6. Give Dogs a Raw Bone

Although this is one preventative measure your dog will truly relish, we recommend exercising caution with this. Importantly NEVER give your dog a cooked bone, as they are liable to splinter and can seriously injure your pet, and if possible supervise them while they are gnawing at it.

Always give your dog a human-grade meat bone (some preservatives used in inferior meats contain substances that can harm your dog), with enough meat still on to retain a degree of softness, and make sure the bone is large enough that they won’t attempt to swallow it.

Chewing on the bone’s rubbery surface can help remove plaque and tartar build-up and strengthen your dog’s gums, providing improved resistance to dental decay.

We recommend a maximum of 1-2 bones per week, and try to leave a minimum 3 day gap between treats.

dog chewing stick dentistry month

 

7. See Your Vet Regularly

This one may seem obvious, but it’s important that your pet has regular dental checkups from an early age – you don’t want them having to live with a lifetime of tooth or other dental issues, which can lead to a loss of appetite, and restrict their enjoyment of life.

Only a professional dental check can properly diagnose and treat the often deeply hidden teeth or gum issues that can lurk deep within your dog or cat’s mouth.

Older animals will also benefit from occasional dental scaling, and your vet can advise if this would be appropriate and beneficial for your pet. Depending on the age of the animal and the level of build-up, they should only need professional dental scaling at 2-3 year intervals.

im3 veterinary dental equipment machine
State of the Art IM3 Ultrasonic Scaler, as used by Clyde Veterinary Hospital

Ultrasonic scalers are handheld devices which use ultrasonic vibrations to remove hard, calcified deposits from your pet’s teeth. They also create shockwaves that disrupt bacterial growth, while also washing flushing the pockets between teeth and any exposed root surfaces with water.

The procedure is usually followed by a professional tooth polish, which smooths the surface of the tooth to minimise bacteria and plaque build up.

We do strongly caution against any lay dental practitioners who claim to perform dental scaling free of anaesthesia. For starters, the procedure can be painful and distressing for your pet, but just as importantly – it’s been shown to be ineffective as a preventative measure – in most cases, your pet is simply not going to allow anyone to insert anything deep enough into their mouths to provide for an effective clean.

dog chew toy dental care

And a final reminder, we have a huge range of special offers for August 2021 Dental Month, so you can have peace of mind your fur baby’s mouth is in perfect shape, without overtaxing your wallet. Click the image below to LEARN MORE.

dental care cats dogs veterinary



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