Dental Disease

Dental health in our small animal companions is often overlooked until we notice things like smelly breath or a swollen face. The maintenance of dental hygiene is just as important in our canine and feline friends as it is for us to prevent painful tooth issues in the future. Dental disease is also linked to disease in other distant parts of the body such as endocarditis of the heart and inflammation of the liver.

With recent studies suggesting a potential link in humans between dental health and the development of Alzheimer’s disease, keeping on top of our pet’s oral hygiene is more important than ever.

A decline in oral health is usually slowly progressive and difficult to notice. Pets usually don’t stop eating until dental disease is very severe or on occasion not at all so the ability to eat is a poor measure of severity. Many people notice a dramatic improvement in their pet’s attitude following the extraction of diseased teeth which is a hint of how debilitating chronic oral pain can be.

The use of dental x-ray allows us to get below the surface and check the health of tooth roots that may not appear to be affected from the outside. It’s always surprising how much lurks beneath the gum line that cannot be seen with either the naked eye or picked up with our probing tools.

Book in your furry friend for a free oral health assessment with one of our nurses to make sure their smiles are looking and feeling their best.

Dr Leah Wakeford BVSc