DENTAL CARE

Dental care for our pets is important to help prevent dental disease, tooth loss, pain and other health problems - we look after our own teeth, so why shouldn't we look after our pets? We, as humans, know that dental pain can be excruciating. Even when we have a high standard of care. So how can we ensure our pets' teeth stay healthy?

• Regular dental checks with the vet or veterinary nurse - this can be done during a vaccination appointment with the vet and a 6 monthly health check with the veterinary nurse. Just like humans, vets & nurses are able to detect any issues before they become serious.
• Regular brushing! Like with humans, this is gold standard every day care. There are toothbrushes and toothpastes specific for our pets so please do not use human toothpaste - these have ingredients which are not healthy for our pets.
• Dental chews & treats can help to remove plaque and tartar but they can also be quite fattening.
• Dental toys can help to reduce boredom and reduce the build up of plaque - although we may find that our older animals aren't as interested in these.
• When it comes to nutrition, some foods are specially formulated to promote oral health. Dry food has a mild scrubbing effect on teeth which helps to reduce build up of plaque and tartar.
• Water additives can help to freshen your pets mouth as well as reducing plaque and tartar build up.
• Supplements to help fight plaque

Signs of dental problems include pawing at mouths, reluctance to eat/loss of appetite, weight loss, drooling, red and/or swollen gums and bad breath.

Poor dental health can sometimes be overlooked not realising the impact it can have on our pets' health and wellbeing. Like with humans, poor dental health can progress into the following:

• Gingivitis - painful condition caused by plaque and tartar
• Tooth abscess - painful infection around the tissues surrounding the teeth
• Periodontal disease - infection affecting the tissues surrounding the teeth
• Bone damage leading to jaw fractures
• Organ damage - affecting (but not limited to) heart, kidneys and liver
• Sepsis - which can be fatal

How do I brush my pet’s teeth?

Having your teeth brushed is a strange experience, and many cats will panic if it is not introduced slowly and gently. It may take a month or two to reach a point of “proper brushing” – this is normal and nothing to worry about. You can use a regular brush or finger brush, but always make sure to use pet toothpaste as it tastes better and doesn’t contain fluoride, which is toxic to pets.

Initially, simply introduce your pet to the toothpaste, offering it on your finger to be licked.

Once your pet accepts it, try running your finger over the outside of their teeth, still with plenty of toothpaste and praise.

After a few days of this, they should be ok with the idea of something in their mouth. Now is a good time to introduce your brush. Initially use plenty of toothpaste and go slow, just accepting the brush in their mouth is enough.

Over the next few weeks practice regularly. Once the brush in their mouth isn’t scary, start moving it along the teeth. Eventually build up to gentle brushing in circular motions.

The younger your pet is when you start brushing, the more likely they will be to accept the idea. Ideally, aim for daily brushing for the most effective dental care, however anything is better than nothing.

Dental Facts

1. Adult dogs have 42 teeth
2. Adult cats have 30 teeth
3. Adult rabbits have 28 teeth
4. Over 80% of dogs are showing signs of dental disease by the age of 3!
5. 90% of cats show signs of dental disease by the age of 4!
6. Smaller breed dogs are more likely to have dental problems
7. Bad breath can be a sign of dental disease
8. Rabbit teeth continue to grow and can grow up to 5 inches per year!
9. If a rabbits molars don't wear evenly, they can develop sharp points which can injure them
10. When rabbits lick, it's a sign of bonding

Rabbit Dental Care

If you are a rabbit owner able to brush your rabbits teeth, I want to hear from you! I feel it would be a great opportunity for me to learn from you so please get in contact if you the miracle worker with rabbit teeth!

It's very uncommon for rabbit owners to be able to brush their teeth. Here are some top tips:

• Their teeth constantly grow so providing them with enough fibre is important - 85% of their diet should be made up of this
• Check front teeth often
• Regular vet checks so they can check the teeth which are a little more difficult to see at home
• Dental burring at the vets

Introducing this from a young age helps to make the job a little easier as our pets become adults.

I am offering a home visit service where I will introduce home dental to you. This includes:

🦷Visit to your home within a 10 mile radius of Elm, Wisbech

🦷Introducing your pet to toothbrushing

🦷Brush your pet's teeth with a pet friendly toothpaste whilst demonstrating and teaching you how to do it yourself

🦷Discuss the importance of dental care

🦷Dental kit including pet friendly toothpaste and toothbrushes worth £8

🦷Advice on effective dental diets and treats

🦷Advice on alternative dental care products you can try Please be aware that I do not offer ultrasonic scaling/polishing of teeth - I am happy to discuss the purpose of a scale & polish during my visit to you and the benefits of our pets being under general anaesthesia for this procedure.

Add on services also available within the drop down menu.