Teeth into oral health

– Supplied by Hills Pet Nutrition
AUGUST is National Pet Dental Health Month.
The initiative is part of a worldwide effort to reduce the incidence of oral disease, the most common ailment in adult pets.
According to veterinary research, 80 per cent of dogs and 70 per cent of cats show signs of oral disease by the time they are three.
If the condition is left untreated it can cause significant pain through tooth decay and gum infection and can result in life-threatening conditions.
Signs of disease include persistent bad breath, a yellow-brown tartar crust at the gum line, red and swollen gums, pawing at the mouth and face, bleeding, sensitivity to touch, changes in eating and chewing habits, listlessness and changes in behaviour.
Veterinarian and Hill’s Pet Nutrition spokeswoman in Australia, Dr Karen Johnston encourages pet owners to see oral disease from their pet’s perspective.
“Imagine having not brushed your teeth in years,” she said.
“Imagine the plaque, tartar and tooth decay setting in. Then imagine a tooth ache that you can’t say anything about to anyone.”
However, Dr Johnston warns pet owners not to use toothpaste formulated for humans because it contains ingredients that may upset animal stomachs.
She also cautions against relying on pets chewing on bones to keep their teeth clean because this can cause other problems.
To reduce the incidence of dental decay, pet owners can schedule a pet dental check with a local vet, feed pets specially formulated food that cleans their teeth while they eat and they can also gradually introduce a home brushing routine.