Dental Health Awareness Month

Dental disease is the most common ailment seen in our cats and dogs. At least 80% of cats and dogs are suffering from dental disease by the time they are only three years old! Poor dental hygiene is not simply a matter of bad breath, it is a very serious condition that if left untreated leads to pain, infection, eroded gums, tooth and bone loss, septicaemia (infection in the blood stream), heart disease, kidney disease, liver disease and nutritional deficiency.

Some of the symptoms of dental disease include:

 

• Bad breath (halitosis)
• Brown tartar on teeth
• Bleeding or red gums (gingivitis)
• Loose or broken teeth
• Problems picking up food and chewing
• Lumps in the mouth or under the eyes
• Chewing on one side of the mouth
• Not wanting head touched
• Bloody saliva
• Mouth ulcers
• Sneezing or nasal discharge

There are simple steps that you can implement at home to help keep your fur child’s teeth at their healthiest:

• Daily teeth brushing
• Feeding a diet that aids in dental health such as Hills t/d, Hills Oral Care or Royal Canin Dental
• Avoid only feeding tin pet food as these diets don’t help remove tartar
• Use of dental water additives such as Healthy Mouth
• Dental chews such as Greenies or Oravet

There are also procedures that your veterinarian can perform such as a simple scale & polish to remove any tartar to removing teeth that are decayed and causing problems. These procedures are performed under general anaesthetic. Your veterinarian will provide a quote to advise of the associated costs prior to booking you in. 

To help get your pet’s pearly whites back on track this  July, Bendigo Animal Hospital is offering FREE dental checks and discounts on dental procedures. Please do not hesitate to call the B.A.H. team to find out more about what you can do to ensure the oral health of your pet and to book a free dental check with one of our qualified veterinary nurses.

And while you are visiting Bendigo Animal Hospital for your free dental check, why not get your pet’s nails trimmed at the same time? The B.A.H team will clip your pet’s nails for a $10.00 donation into their charity tin.