Do you regularly brush your dog’s teeth? Without proper home dental care, bacteria, food particles, and plaque build up and could compromise your pet’s overall health. In fact, neglecting your pet’s oral health can shorten its life. If cuddling with your pet is not something you look forward to because of their bad breath, you might want to take a closer look at your pet’s dental care. At Branch’s Veterinary Clinic in Nashville, GA, we can help with that. Below are the basics of pet dental care.
Pet Dental Care: What You Can Do at Home
You can do plenty at home to ensure your pet’s oral well-being. Here are a few things responsible pet parents do:
Balanced Diet
Brushing your pet’s teeth regularly is integral to the pet's oral health. But even more important is ensuring your pet takes a balanced diet as recommended by your veterinarian.
Oral Sprays and Water
In addition, using oral sprays and ensuring your pet drinks plenty of water while not forgetting about regular brushing works wonders in keeping your pet’s oral health superb.
Vet Visits
Regular visits to the animal hospital are necessary for oral and general health check-ups. The vet has the experience to observe symptoms you may miss and has special dental equipment to diagnose and treat your pet’s oral complications.
Causes of Pet Dental Issues
Your pet’s teeth are super strong. It’s probably why cavities are more common in humans than in pets. However, pets aren’t immune to specific dental issues like:
• Fractured jaw
• Periodontal disease
• Mouth tumors
• Broken teeth
• Infected teeth
• Misalignment of teeth
When to See the Vet
Seeing the vet for a comprehensive oral check-up is encouraged as it helps catch dental issues at their nascent stages. Your dog will require professional dental care if you notice unusual signs, including:
• Excessive drooling
• Bad breath
• Constant pawing of the face or mouth
• Broken, discolored, or missing teeth
• Misaligned teeth
• Too much tartar on the teeth
• Swollen or bleeding gums
• Growths or bumps in your pet’s mouth
Prevention of most of the dental issues highlighted above can be avoided by keeping your pet’s teeth clean. Brushing your pet’s teeth helps reduce the severity of halitosis and other common dental issues in pets.
How Our Vets Take Care of Pets' Teeth
Our experts recommend scheduling a pet dental check-up at least once a year. We ask pet parents to book more appointments if their pet has had previous dental issues. When you show up for your pet’s appointment, our vet carefully examines your pet’s teeth and gums to confirm whether or not there are any visible irregularities or signs of dental issues.
If the vet finds something concerning, they may recommend placing your pet under anesthesia to perform crucial dental procedures like teeth removal, scaling, or polishing. Another reason our vet may want to place your pet under anesthesia is to have a better chance to inspect your pet's mouth without worrying about the pet’s anxious or aggressive behavior.
Contact Branch’s Veterinary Clinic in Nashville, GA
Is it time for a pet dental care visit? Get in touch with our team at Branch’s Veterinary Clinic in Nashville, GA, to book an appointment.
