Pets need dental care too!

Dental disease and infection is one of the most common pet health issues. Pets develop many of the same problems as we do, and feel the same discomfort and pain. Dental disease may result in reluctance to eat, bad breath, loss of energy, and infection that may spread via the bloodstream to the liver, heart, kidneys, and lungs. You may recognize dental disease in your pets as yellow or brown matter on the teeth, red or inflamed gums, pus around teeth, and loose or missing teeth. Daily brushing of your pet’s teeth is as important for them as it is for you. Other helpful aids include feeding dry food, crunchy biscuits, and chews. Scraping matter from your pet’s teeth at home is never recommended, as it can damage the tooth enamel leaving it more vulnerable to infection later. Home “scaling” also misses over 1/3 of the tooth that lies beneath the gum line, and can potentially injure the pet’s mouth. We recommend at least yearly examinations and are able to provide you with many options to help keep your pet’s teeth healthy.