Teeth

Teeth Care Dental care is an important part of an animal’s health.
Incorporating it into the daily routine will reduce the build up of plaque and tartar on the teeth, which in time leads to Gum Disease (gingivitis) and Periodontal Disease including cavities and eventually rotten, wobbly, painful teeth.

Once tartar and gingivitis or diseased teeth have developed the animal will need a general anaesthetic to perform dental treatment to deal with the problem.

SO DAILY TEETH CARE CAN HELP AVOID THIS.

Toothbrush and Paste
There are many forms of dental care for animals. The best way to keep the teeth clean is by brushing daily. Special toothbrushes and toothpaste are available for dogs and cats. Ideally start brushing when young, but it is possible to begin at any age with many pets.

Special Food
If it is not possible to brush your pet’s teeth, the next best option is a teeth cleaning food. For adult dogs and cats a suitable complete dry food is produced by Royal canin. The biscuits are slightly harder than normal dry food, and are designed to scrape the plaque off the teeth before it can develop into tartar.

There are alternatives (though not quite as good) to these two methods. The main alternatives are Chlorhexidine Gels and special Dental Chews.

Chlorhexidine Gel
This is similar to toothpaste, but brushing is not essential (although recommended).Chlorhexidine Gel contains a potent antibacterial that kills the bacteria, helping to inhibit plaque. If brushing is not possible then we would normally recommend this treatment along with Hill’s t/d.

Dental Chews
Chews have been produced for both dogs and cats and some are proving very popular. The chews are either specially shaped or contain abrasives, which reduce the production of plaque.

So please raise any questions with a member of staff, who will help tailor a dental care program that suits you and your pet. We can also demonstrate how to use any of these products.