Dental Healthcare for Dogs: Symptoms, Treatment, and Prevention

Dental Healthcare for Dogs Symptoms, Treatment, and Prevention

Are you aware of the fact that 80% of dogs suffer from dental disease by the age of three? Sadly, in Australia alone, pet-parents have been found wanting while taking care of the dental health of their dogs.

It has been observed that dental problem is amongst the top three concerns of a pet parent as observed in a survey. So, as a pet parent, it is your duty to take good care of your pet’s teeth. There are certain symptoms that can tell you that your pet is suffering from dental problems.

Symptoms of Dental Problems in Dogs

  • Bleeding from the mouth
  • Broken tooth
  • Excess salivating (drooling)
  • Halitosis (bad breath)
  • Loss of appetite, or inability to eat
  • Not feeling well
  • Pain
  • Pus oozing from the mouth or face
  • Rubbing at the mouth
  • Swollen or bleeding gums

If you find that your pet is suffering from any of the above-mentioned symptoms take them to the vet immediately. Sometimes your pet will not complain about the pain. It is due to the fact that it takes months and sometimes years to reach the level of pain that is shown by pets when they are injured.

The problem is that the pets start living with the pain. This can result in serious consequences and may even reduce their life. Due to toothache the pet may lose its vitality and may show signs of laziness. Sometimes the pet starts reacting like a small puppy. All these signs point toward dental disease.

How does Dental Disease Occur?

Dental disease occurs when the food that your pet eats sticks in his teeth along with bacteria. To prevent this disease, it is extremely crucial to brush the teeth of the pets regularly. There are three major dental diseases: Periodontal disease, Gingivitis, and Caries.

These dental diseases are more prone to certain dog breeds like Chihuahuas, Schnauzers, Maltese Terriers, Toy and Miniature Poodles, German Shepherds, Labradors, and working breeds.

When you find the symptoms of dental disease in your pet take him to the vet and conduct the following examination:

  • A general anesthetic, teeth cleaning and polishing,
  • Antibiotics and pain relief
  • Biopsies
  • Blood tests
  • Preventative oral hygiene
  • X-rays of the teeth

Once the dental disease has been found, it is essential to feed your pet with a diet that is specially formulated for plaque control. Your vet would be the best person to suggest the diet. In the meantime, you can try Advance Adult Dog Dental Large Breed and Hill’s Canine T/D Dental Health.

Also, as suggested earlier brush the teeth of your pets on a daily basis, but do not use a human paste on your pet as it contains ingredients that are harmful to dogs. Try Dentipet Toothpaste on your pet. The last but most important thing is to feed dry food to the pet. This can help in controlling plaque in dogs.

Once the dental disease has been treated practice home dental care problems so that your pet’s teeth always remain in the pink of their health.