Like us, pets also need dental care. Cats, dogs, rabbits and rodents regularly get severe dental disease, which can affect their health and happiness.
Cats and Dogs
Cats and dogs do not brush their teeth daily, so they often end up with a lot of tartar. Tartar builds up on the tooth surfaces over time, hardening to form firm yellow layers that are unsightly and smelly – there’s a reason we call it dog breath! This leads to gum inflammation, pain, infection and reluctance to eat. Cats and dogs often injure or break their teeth as well; they chew on all sorts of strange things!
We offer professional advice on the best ways to tackle these problems. We stock a range of dental chews and treats to help prevent developing tartar, as well as a dental diet that has been clinically proven to reduce tartar levels in cats and dogs. The optimal way to control tartar would be to brush your pet’s teeth like your own, so if you have the patience for this we also stock pet toothpaste (which they can swallow) and special toothbrushes to make the job easier.
Often pets’ teeth get beyond the point where dental chews or brushing will help; at this stage we recommend a professional cleaning. Pets will need to be anaesthetised for this procedure. The procedure involves scaling and polishing their teeth, and removing any broken or rotten teeth.
Rabbits and Rodents
Common dental problems in rabbits and rodents include malaligned incisors (the large front teeth) leading to deformed and overgrown teeth, and sharp spikes growing on the molars (back teeth) causing ulcers of the tongue or cheek. Diet plays an important role in dental care for these species but genetics are also a factor. Pets with malaligned incisors may require very regular teeth trims.
Any pet that is drooling, having trouble chewing, dropping bits of food from the mouth, or rubbing at their mouth, should have a dental check as soon as possible. Dental problems can quickly lead to infection and weightloss in these species.
If you are concerned about your pet’s teeth please book a consultation with a veterinarian, so that we can discuss which is the best option for your pet.
A dog with moderate tartar receives an electronic scale and polish
Before After
A cat with severe dental disease
