February is Pet Dental Month
Pet Parents Save Money and Improve Pet Health Through at-Home Pet Dental Care
Are your furry friends' pearly whites shiny and bright? Poor dental hygiene is a pet health issue veterinarians are always concerned with!
You can do something about it. Brush your pet's teeth! For most breeds, the teeth should be white and the gums "bubble gum" pink with no bad odor.
You can also embrace dental toys, chews treats, raw vegetables, and uncooked bones. Dental treats and chews help keep the teeth clean in between brushings. Knotted rope toys also help dogs and cats clean their teeth. As well as fiber-rich raw vegetables such as carrots and celery.
Get tips on how to brush your pet's teeth, signs & symptoms of periodontal disease, and things you can do in your role as pet parent in your dog's or cat's oral health.
We encourage pet owners to learn about the importance of oral health care for their dogs and cats.
Dental disease is the #1 illness affecting pets. By age 2 or 3, 80% of dogs and 70% of cats have a form of dental disease which can be linked to other health issues in pets including heart, kidney, gum infections, tooth lose, and bad breath.
Most pet owners dread trying to brush their dog’s or cat’s teeth, but there are other things that can help with pet oral care. It’s not all or nothing for pet dental care.
Being a pet parent is being responsible for the pet through all stages of life. This includes minimizing risk for disease, illness, and injury.
After weight control, veterinarians are most likely to cite dental care as one of the most important things a pet owner can do to increase the length of a pet’s life by up to 20%, yet only 16% of pet owners say they’re interested in learning more about the topic.
Pet Dental Health:
Dog and cat teeth are similar to human teeth with the enamel, dentin, and pulp; they experience pain and discomfort with cracked and infected teeth
Just like people, dogs and cats have 2 sets of teeth: “baby” and “permanent”
There are 4 stages to Periodontal Disease (PD); the goal is for pet parents to keep the pet’s teeth from getting to Stage 1
Dogs and cats can get oral tumors; they can suffer trauma from accidents or fights; caged dogs and service dogs that pick up things with their teeth can suffer dental trauma
Start dental hygiene as soon as you get your pet (young or adopted older)
Oral Care can increase the lifespan of a dog or cat by 20%
Preventative Home Pet Dental Care can save Hundreds of dollars a year.
Veterinarians consider clean teeth and fresh breath as one of the best indicators of good overall pet health that pet owners can observe at home, yet dental disease is the most commonly diagnosed health problem that pet owners are surprised to hear about from their veterinarians.
Becky’s Pet Care is offers a PetPREP Dental Health seminar. To register and for information on PetPrep Dental Care and other classes, visit BeckysPetCare.com/training.