Human teeth and animal teeth have a lot of similarities. Could you imagine if you almost NEVER brushed your teeth? Pet’s teeth work the same way. If your pet is not receiving a regular dental cleaning, you are completely ignoring a huge part of their overall health. Dental cleaning for domestic animals is just as important as human dental care. Since dogs and cats have been domesticated, their traditional teeth cleaning (catching prey) has been substituted with canned and bagged food which is not beneficial to their dental hygiene and could lead to more serious issues like diseases and infections. Pet dental cleaning should be a regular chore to keep your animal healthy and happy.

Pet dental disease is an infection in the gums, teeth, mouth, and surrounding facial features. An average of 75% of all cats and dogs show signs of oral health disease by the time they are 3 years old, making this one of the most common major health diseases in cats and dogs. Dental disease starts with a buildup of plaque around the gums which will eventually turn into tartar. The gums can separate from the tooth which leads to bacteria entering. Eventually, bacteria can enter the bloodstream and can cause heart, kidney, or lung disease if it goes untreated. Getting regular pet dental cleaning is important for your furry companions.  

Common symptoms of dental disease

• Bad breath
• Salivating
• Inactivity or depression
• Loose teeth or falling out teeth
• Discharge from eyes/nose
• Red, swollen, or bleeding gums

If you notice that your cat or dog is experiencing any of these common symptoms of pet dental disease, please do not hesitate to call Animal Medical Center. After reading this, you might be wondering how you can help maintain your pet’s dental health.

• A good place to start is by regular brushing. By brushing your dog or cats teeth daily, it can reduce the plaque build-up which can turn to tartar. It’s never too early to start brushing daily.
• Giving your dog a weekly new raw bone to chew on will also help with plaque and tartar build-up. The bones have to be raw and not cooked because cooked bones are too hard for their teeth and could end up breaking them. If you have a small dog or cat, a great substitute would be a chicken neck.
• The experts at Animal Medical Center of Appleton recommend using Breathalyzer, which is a water additive to help control oral bacteria, which can lead to plaque and tartar.  This would be ideal after a professional cleaning.

Animal Medical Center of Appleton can help you get started with pet dental cleaning if you have any questions. We serve all pets in the Appleton, Menasha, Neenah, Grand Chute, and all surrounding areas. Call 920-749-1717 or visit us at the Animal Medical Center of Appleton.