Home Care for Your Pets. . .

What? You want me to brush my pet's teeth??

Yes, this is one of the most important health maintenance things you can do for your pet. Dental disease is the number one diagnosed disease in our patients. More than skin allergies, ear problems, lameness, etc. In animals over 6 years of age it is even more common. Our pet's ancestors did not have periodontal disease, because their natural diet prohibited the accumulation of plaque. However, changing our animals diet has introduced them to plaque and the associated gingivitis and peridontal diesease You say, "I've had pets all my life, and no one has told me about this before." There are a few reasons for that. First, our pets, like us, are living longer, which allows the bacteria in the plaque to work longer, and cause more disease. Second, we are more and more feeding processed foods to our pets. The increase in small breed dogs and purebred cats, which are predisposed to dental disease, is another reason. Finally, in the not too distant past, we as veterinarians did not know that this caused a problem in our patients. For this reason alone, you likely did not appreciate the importance of oral health in our animal friends.

          The "Gold Standard" of home care is tooth brushing. This is the most effective means of controlling plaque and the associated diseases that affect both our patients as well as ourselves. The following is a guide to starting to brush your pet's teeth.

START YOUNG
The sooner you start your pet on its oral health care, the easier it will be to do. I recommend that all pet's have their mouth handled from a young age (as young as possible) to get them used to it. You can start brushing young (2-3 months) too, but it really isn't necessary until they are about 5 months. This is when they have most of their adult teeth in.

GO SLOW
Don't push the procedure on your pet. Make the experience as positive as possible. If you force this on your pet, they will resent it, and the brushing will probably not happen. Start with just handling the mouth for a short period. Then get your fingers in the mouth, and even try to open it. Finally, introduce the brush. These steps may take weeks to accomplish, but it WILL be worth it. Start with a few teeth, and then slowly progress to the entire mouth as your pet gets more comfortable and allows you to brush without much resistance.

MAKE IT FUN
If you link this behavior to positive things like walks, playtime, and especially FOOD (either dinner or a favorite treat), you will greatly increase the likelihood of patient acceptance. I brush my dog's teeth right before dinner, and she gets excited to see the toothbrush. This will take a while, but again, it WILL be worth it.

TOOLS
All you need to get started is a toothbrush. There are various brushes designed for pets. I especially like the small circular ended one for cats. Buy one appropriate for your pet's mouth. If you would prefer, a soft child's toothbrush will work well too. There are many options for toothpaste. You CANNOT use a human toothpaste, because they contain ingredients that can make your pet sick if swallowed (and it will be swallowed). There are numerous veterinary products available, they usually add some enzymatic cleaner, as well as increase the palatability of the tooth brush. Depending on your pet's oral health status our veterinarian may also recommend a antiseptic rinse or fluoride therapy, be sure to ask during your next visit.

TECHNIQUES
Use a circular motion with the brush at a 45 degree angle to the gum line. Use a small amount of veterinary toothpaste, but replace it often. Brush all of your pets teeth in succession. For the rear teeth, you can usually just place the brush in under the lips. The rear lower teeth present a small problem since the upper teeth cover them. If your pet is very good, you can try to open his or her mouth slightly (1/2" or so) by placing a finger between the jaws in the area just behind the upper canine. There are only a few very small teeth in this area. The insides of the teeth are a little bit more tricky. Most patients will not accept brushing this area. Try to open the mouth slightly and brush the inside of the teeth. If you can't do it, it's ok, as most periodontal disease occurs on the outside surface of the teeth. One exception to this is on the inside surface of the upper canines in small breed dogs (especially dachshunds, Yorkshire terriers, Maltese, and poodles. They can get very bad periodontal disease in this area for some reason. If it progresses, it can invade the nasal cavity resulting in an oral/nasal fistula.

FREQUENCY
Once a day would be ideal, but for most owners this is unrealistic. It has been reported that if you brush your pet's teeth 3 times a week you will reduce plaque by 90%, and if you can only manage once a week by 75%. I ask my clients to try for three days a week, unless we are treating periodontal disease.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR
ust like you, even though brushing greatly improves periodontal health, it does not completely eliminate the need for professional cleanings. However it should decrease the frequency necessary to maintain oral health. When you brush your pet's teeth, you can catch potential problems early. If you start seeing blood on the toothbrush, this means that there is some periodontal disease starting, and your pet is due for a cleaning. If you start seeing tan/brown buildup on the teeth, this is calculus, and again your pet is likely due for a cleaning. If you notice and loose teeth, swellings or growths, broken teeth, or anything else that you don't like, it is time to visit your veterinarian for an evaluation. In addition, if a pet who is normally tolerant of brushing stops allowing it, it may be a sign of oral pain, and you should see your veterinarian for an evaluation. Regardless, an oral exam should be part of an annual physical exam performed regularly by your veterinarian.

OTHER OPTIONS
If your pet just won't allow the brushing or if you don't have time, there are some other methods. There are special foods available that will help clean the teeth. Hills T/D is available at your veterinarian. It comes in a cat form, as well as 2 sizes for dogs. This is balanced enough to be the sole food for your pet (as long as your pet has no other healthy problems that require a special diet, please consult your veterinarian). It can also be used as part of the pet's food, or even as a treat. In addition, there are various tartar control chews and biscuits that have varying levels of effectiveness.

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