Care for Your Dog or Cat
By Dr. Ira R. Luskin,
Proper dental care for your
dog or cat is a team effort. You provide the day-to-day brushing and your
veterinarian supports you with professional cleanings and dental exams.
Start when your pet is
Dental care starts when
your pet is young. First, it needs to become accustomed to you working with
its mouth. Start by massaging the animal’s muzzle and reward your pet with
treats to develop its trust. Once it readily accepts the hand touching, use
a rubber finger brush to gently apply some animal toothpaste to the outside
surface of the teeth. Most toothpastes are designed to taste good to your
pet and are readily accepted. If you are not sure what to use, ask your
veterinarian for a recommendation.
Make sure toys are safe.
Make sure to use safe chew
toys with your pets. Avoid hard play objects since animals’ teeth are weaker
than ours. These include “indestructible” bones, hooves, rocks and sticks
Young animals’ teeth are more likely to be damaged by inappropriate hard
Do not promote games such
as tug-of-war. Not only does it incite dominance behavior, but it also has a
high risk of damaging teeth. Catching Frisbees in midair can also lead to
either tooth fractures or damage to teeth.
If you see damaged teeth in
your pet’s mouth (pink or grey in color), visit your veterinarian
immediately. A dead tooth can drain into the surrounding supporting bone and
cause it to weaken and eventually fracture.
No food is a substitute
for proper care.
There is no pet food or
treat presently available that eliminates the need for daily home dental
care and periodic cleanings by your veterinary team. Like your own mouth,
your pet’s mouth requires daily brushing. The mouth is the gateway to either
health or disease and the number one disease affecting dogs and cats is
periodontal disease. This can start as early as seven to nine months of age,
soon after the adult teeth erupt.
Why do I need a
veterinarian for dental care?
As with people, the
accumulation of plaque on the teeth leads to the gums becoming swollen and
inflamed. Bad breath and bleeding gums are the most consistent signs that
the pet owner notices at this early stage of disease. The animal might drop
food and rub its mouth as well. Veterinarians can reverse the damage with a
proper dental cleaning or prophy.
Unfortunately, most owners
are accustomed to their pet’s bad breath and they think that foul smelling
“doggy or kitty breath” is normal. They don’t realize that, during early
stages of gum inflammation, the disease can be stopped and their pet’s oral
health returned to normal. Bad breath is not normal. There is a reason for
it and that reason needs to be addressed and treated.
How do I know if my pet
has oral disease?
Visit your veterinarian if
your pet is exhibiting any of these symptoms.
Acting hungry but
being reluctant to eat
Dropping food out of
Refusing to play with
Halitosis or bad
Rubbing or pawing at
Salivation or drooling
Sneezing and Nasal
Red swollen gums
Listless and just not
Sink your teeth into a good
dental care regimen and keep your pets healthier and happier.