Fun Pet Facts: Pups begin life with 28 baby teeth; kittens start out their life adventure with 26 baby teeth.? By the age of 6 months, the baby teeth fall out (you may actually find baby teeth in a variety of places in your home) and permanent teeth erupt.? The pups/dogs have 42 permanent teeth and the kittens/cats have 30 permanent teeth.
?????? February is annually designated as Dental Health Month for Pets. But February isn?t the only time to think about your dog?s and cat?s dental health. Keeping your pet?s teeth and gums in good shape should be an on-going effort. Just like people, animals can get dental disease. In fact, dental disease is seen more often in pets than in humans. The reason is pretty clear: pets can?t brush or floss their teeth. Without proper oral healthcare, by the age of four, 80 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats will show signs of dental disease. (Don't you find it interesting that 70% of cats may have dental disease? How often do we actually LOOK at our cat's teeth?) And the problems don?t end there. Infections of the teeth and gums can spread to the heart, kidney, and liver, possibly causing additional health problems.
?????? But there are things that you can do to ensure that your pet?s teeth and gums stay healthy. You can take your pet to the veterinarian for a dental exam. The vet will thoroughly examine your pet?s mouth: teeth, gums, and oral cavity. The vet can also tell you if your pet?s teeth need a professional cleaning. Some pets need yearly cleanings; others need cleanings only once every few years. If your pet?s teeth do need cleaning, only your vet will be able to do this procedure, and will explain the process to you. When beginning dental care for your pet, the earlier the better. Your veterinarian will be able to teach you how to care for your pet?s teeth and gums early on and get your pet?s oral health off to a good start.
????? One of the most important things you can do for your pet?s oral health is to brush or clean your pet?s teeth. If you decide this is something you want to try, your veterinarian can show you how to do this. It?s best to go slowly when introducing this routine to your pet so that you are not bitten and your pet is not injured. Slow and steady and under the guidance and advice of your veterinarian is definitely a necessity. Be sure to use the correct kind of brush or cleaning tool, and never use toothpaste made for people. Your pet will swallow the toothpaste, so use only toothpaste that won?t be harmful to your pet. While it?s preferred that you brush your pet?s teeth daily, in reality, once or twice a week will still be very beneficial.
???? You never know but your pet might find the attention and the handling enjoyable. The pet's response to this new experience will depend upon the personality and general behavior of your pet. Handling the pet's mouth should be accompanied with gentle praise and a friendly tone to your voice, and with no other interference or loud noise going on in the household. Make the experiences as quiet and relaxed as possible for you and your dog or cat. Petting the animal, giving it, and you, confidence for checking the teeth, will make the encounter much more enjoyable. Dogs and cats want approval from their companions so tooth inspection and, possibly, a bit of cleaning would be a time for some bonding. And if you begin to establish a routine, your dog or cat will be more receptive to the procedure. Animals love routine and seem to have an internal clock for enjoyable things such as mealtime! Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly before and after handling your pet's mouth. And if you and your pet do not make the teeth cleaning experience something you both want to continue, do not feel inadequate to the task. The main thing is to have the teeth checked by your veterinarian.
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???? If your pet will allow you to handle its mouth between veterinary routine exams, you can occasionally do a visual check of the teeth. You can look for missing teeth, loose teeth, discolored teeth, broken or fractured teeth, and dental plaque or tartar. You should let your pet?s veterinarian know if you find any of these things, and the vet will then probably want to examine your pet based upon your findings. Also be alert for bad breath, excessive drooling (especially with cats), and reluctance to eat or reduced appetite because any mouth or tooth situations can be signs of dental disease. Report any of these things to your vet right away to keep your pet healthy, plus you will avoid expensive treatments if the potential problems are left unattended.
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???? The best plan for assuring good dental health for your pets is to have your veterinarian show you what and how to begin the routine checks of teeth. Don't proceed to the cleaning task until you are confident about handling your pet's mouth. Take the process slowly.You don't have to take on the cleaning of teeth in a rush? don't assume you can be adept at the task in one day!? It could take a couple months for you and your pet to be comfortable with the shared pleasure of clean teeth.? Enjoy your time together and learn from it.
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???? For both dogs and cats, dental problems pose a painful, chronic threat to health. Prevention is the best way to fight both tooth and gum disease. Second best is to treat tooth and gum disease when it arises. You want your pet?s teeth to last a lifetime!
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???????????????? this article was researched and written by OMHS member J. Hansen
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