subject: Why Your Dog Needs A Dentist [print this page] It is estimated by the American Animal Hospital Association that 85% of all adult dogs undergo some kind of dental disease. This shocking statistic is the evidence that dog teeth cleaning are one among the most neglected aspects of maintaining a dogs health. Whereas we tend to visit our dentist every 6- 12 months, our dogs teeth might go for years without thorough examination and cleaning. Most of us mistakenly think that the dog teeth clean themselves and that if our dog continues to be eating things must be ok. This cannot be true.
Though it's preferred to consult a veterinarian for any kind of dog related disease, there are a number of procedure that a person can do at home. This process starts together with your pet doctor, who can assess your dogs mouth and clean the teeth thoroughly. Removal of the diseased teeth is generally needed. Instruction can then be given on how to best perform dog teeth cleaning at home.
If youve ever had a severe toothache, you recognize how debilitating it will be. Generally, you'll be able to literally do nothing else but sit and absorb the pain. The physical condition of a dogs teeth is linked to their overall health and happiness. Most dogs are braver than we are. We like to let our loved ones know once we are in pain. Typically we cant hide it even if we try. In contrast to us, dogs are very smart at hiding their pain and will suffer quietly and still eat (why have an empty tummy on top of your sore tooth?)
We can't blame ourselves for not discovering the pain - dogs do such a good job of hiding it and the disease is hidden away within the mouth. Here are a few tips for helping to discover dental problems as soon as doable:
Examine the mouth often - search for broken teeth, puffy or bleeding gums, ulcers or tartar and hum recession.
Smell the mouth regularly - dogs should NOT have bad breath! If they are doing there's a downside.
Look for signs like excessive drooling, dropping food out of the mouth, unwillingness to eat, and avoiding being touched on the face.
Once you head to the veterinarian for a dog teeth cleaning, the vet will anesthetize your dog, examine the mouth and then take away superficial plaque. They'll take x-rays and make up a chart of the findings. If diseases want to be treated, a treatment plan will be put together. Next, the dogs teeth will be totally scaled, polished and irrigated. The veterinarian will then provide you with a homecare plan and a follow-up date.
