Dog Dental Disease Symptoms and Care
Dental disease is one of the most common ailments among dogs. Astonishingly, 85% of dogs over the age of three will have some form of dental disease via tartar or gingivitis. The most common symptoms owners report include:
Bad Breath (halitosis)
Bleeding gums
Blood left behind on chew toys
As the progression of gingivitis and dental disease progress, other symptoms will appear. These include:
Denying to Eat
Drooling from the Mouth
Inability or difficulty in picking up or chewing hard food
Pain when mouth is opened
Enlargement of lymph nodes underneath the jaw
Swelling under the eyes
Severe dental disease can affect other vital organs of the body as the bacteria can spread to the heart, kidneys and brain.
The Vet Visit – Diagnosis and Treatment
Generally, a physical examination performed by your veterinarian can determine if your dog has dental disease. All that is needed is a thorough view of the inside of the mouth and teeth. However, tartar below the gum line cannot be seen by the naked eye. For this, your veterinarian will require X-rays. This procedure will require your dog to undergo general anesthesia. This is typically performed during the treatment process as both require anesthetic.
The most effective way to treat tartar accumulation and gingivitis is with a professional veterinary cleaning. This procedure is usually a one day, outpatient procedure, but does require general anesthetic.
While a dog is under anesthesia, the teeth are cleaned and polished in the same manner that a human dentist cleans and polishes peoples teeth. The teeth are cleaned both above and below the gum line.
If severe dental disease and gingivitis are present, x-rays of the teeth and jaws should be taken while the dog is under anesthesia to have its teeth cleaned. This allows assessment of the health of the jawbone and root of the tooth and helps in preparing a treatment plan. In some cases, where there is an abscess or severe infection under or around the tooth root, a tooth may need to be pulled. X-rays of the jaw allow the veterinarian to decide which teeth may or may not need to be pulled. Most dogs do very well after having teeth pulled. A great many of them can even continue to eat dry food after losing a large number of teeth.
There are some owners who choose not to have their dogs teeth removed. Instead, they prefer to visit a veterinary dental specialist to salvage a broken or infected tooth.
Preventing Canine Dental Disease
Brushing your dogs teeth is the best and most effective way to prevent dental disease. Always use a soft brush and toothpaste made especially for your dogs. It is important to note not to use human toothpaste as it was not meant to be swallowed and it tends to foam too much. Below you will find a detailed video on how to brush your dogs teeth.
Related posts:
- Symptoms and Care for Canine Dental Disease
- The Symptoms and Care for Canine Dental Disease
- Dental Care for Dogs
- Oral Anatomy of Dogs – Dental Health Care
- Dental Care for Dogs
Tagged with: dog care • dog dental disease • dog fitness • Dog Health • dog teeth • Dogs • pet care • Pet Health
Filed under: Dogs
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