Pet Health Library - Marin Pet Hospital, San Rafael, CA » Halitosis

How to Brush Your Pet’s Teeth

MarinPet — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 22:19:03 +0000

In honor of National Veterinary Dental Month, we put together this short informational video to help you brush your pet’s teeth. This is a great preventative measure that we recommend to all of our patients!

Veterinary Q & A: Dental Care for Pets

admin — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 20:34:18 +0000

Veterinary Q & A: Dental Care For Pets

What you need to know about your pet’s dental health

By Janet Tobiassen Crosby, DVM, About.com Guide

Open up and say Ahhhh!

Companion piece to: The Importance of Dental Care for Pets .

Healthy Mouth = Healthier Life
Each year, February is designated as Pet Dental Health month. Various organizations, such as the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), the American Veterinary Dental Society, and Hill’s Pet Food promote pet dental health awareness campaigns. February isn’t the only time to think about good oral health though. Keeping your pet’s teeth and gums in good shape has many health benefits in addition to the sparkling fresh breath. Now is the time to schedule that checkup for your pet to ensure the best dental health possible.

My pet has bad breath. Are bad teeth and gums the cause?
Most likely, YES. However, it is very important to schedule a visit to the veterinarian. In rare cases, some diseases or situations can cause bad breath in the absence of, or in addition to, tooth/gum disease. Conditions such as kidney failure, diabetes, nasal or facial skin infections, cancers, or situations where the animal is ingesting feces or other materials, can cause bad breath with or without periodontal disease.

What actually causes the bad breath when tooth/gum disease is present?
Bad breath, medically known as “halitosis”, results from the bacterial infection of the gums (gingiva) and supporting tissues seen with periodontal disease (periodontal = occurring around a tooth).

What is the difference between plaque and tartar?
Plaque is a colony of bacteria, mixed with saliva, blood cell, and other bacterial components. Plaque often leads to tooth and gum disease. Dental tartar, or calculus, occurs when plaque becomes mineralized (hard) and firmly adheres to the tooth enamel then erodes the gingival tissue.

What can happen if my pet’s teeth aren’t cleaned?
Both plaque and tartar damage the teeth and gums. Disease starts with the gums (gingiva). They become inflamed – red, swollen, and sore. The gums finally separate from the teeth, creating pockets where more bacteria, plaque, and tartar build up. This in turn causes more damage, and finally tooth and bone loss.

This affects the whole body, too. Bacteria from these inflamed oral areas can enter the bloodstream and affect major body organs. The liver, kidneys, heart, and lungs are most commonly affected. Antibiotics are used prior to and after a dental cleaning to prevent bacterial spread through the blood stream.

But my pet is only 3 years old! Isn’t this an “old dog/cat disease”?
No – dental disease is NOT just for the senior pets. From the Pets Need Dental Care, Too web site:
“Without proper dental care, 80 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats show signs of oral disease by age three.”

Photo credit: “Open up and say Ahhhh” by sarah m scott on Flickr

The Importance of Dental Care for Pets

admin — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 20:27:27 +0000

The Importance of Dental Care for Pets

By Janet Tobiassen Crosby, DVM, About.com Guide

Companion piece to: Veterinary Q & A: Dental Care for Pets

Please see the archive for more Q & A topics.

Bad breath in pets, particularly dogs, is often joked about, but it is not a laughing matter. Dental disease affects up to 80% of pets over the age of three, and just like humans, there can be serious consequences of poor dental health.

How many teeth do dogs and cats have, anyway?
Dogs start out with 28 deciduous (baby) teeth, cats start out with 26 deciduous teeth. By six months of age, these baby teeth fall out and are replaced by permanent teeth, 42 in the dog and 30 in the cat.

Will I find the deciduous teeth, and what happens when they don’t fall out on their own?
You may or may not find the teeth as they fall out. As dogs play and chew on toys, you might see a tooth. Likewise, as a cat grooms, you may find a tooth in the fur. If the deciduous teeth don’t fall out and the permanent teeth erupt under them, this can lead to problems, such as increased tartar formation, malocclusion problems, and gingival (gum) irritation.

When should dental care start with my pet?
The earlier the better. With the help of your Veterinarian, be on the lookout for retained deciduous teeth and malocclusion (bad bite) problems. Your Veterinarian can teach you how to care for your pet’s teeth and gums early on.

How can I tell if my pet has dental problem?
Bad breath is often a first indicator of dental disease. Gently lift the lips and check for tartar, inflamed gums, or missing/broken teeth. Cats may exhibit increased drooling. Both cats and dogs can exhibit reluctance to eat or play with toys, “chattering” of the teeth when trying to eat, lethargy, bleeding gums, eroded teeth, and failing to groom (cats). Dental disease progresses in stages — if caught early, you can prevent further damage and save as many teeth as possible.

How is the rest of the body affected by bad teeth?
Infected gums and teeth aren’t just a problem in the mouth — the heart, kidneys, intestinal tract, and joints may also be infected. The tartar and any infected areas of the mouth contain a multitude of bacteria than can ‘seed’ to other parts of the body. With regular dental care, you can prevent some of these more serious side effects.

Where should I start?
With a new puppy or kitten, talk to your Veterinarian at the vaccination appointments on how to initiate a good dental care program at home. Most Veterinarians are happy to provide brushing lessons, and many carry brushes and toothpaste specifically for dogs and cats. (NOTE: do not use human toothpaste on your pet!)

If your pet is an adult over 3 years of age, it would be wise to schedule a dental check up with your Veterinarian. If a dental cleaning is necessary, it is advisable to do pre-anesthesia blood work to make sure your pet does not have any underlying problems.

My pet needs a dental cleaning — what is involved with that?
As mentioned above, pre-dental blood work is recommended. This is a check on the overall health of the pet to make sure that liver, kidneys, and blood counts are within normal ranges and to reduce any risks possible prior to the anesthesia. Many pets with bad teeth will be put on an antibiotic a few days prior to the dental to calm the infection and reduce possibility of complications.

Your pet will be fasted from the evening before for the anesthesia. The dental itself is similar to a human dental cleaning – tartar removal, checking for cavities, gingival (gum) pockets, loose teeth, any growths on the gums or palate, removal of diseased teeth, and finally, polishing. The polishing is to smooth the tooth after tartar removal, as the tartar pits the tooth. A smooth tooth will not encourage tartar formation as easily as a roughened tooth. Click here for a photo essay on a dental cleaning in a cat.

With good dental care, your pet can enjoy a long and healthy life.

Halitosis – Bad Breath

admin — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 18:29:20 +0000

Halitosis (Bad Breath)

What is halitosis?

Halitosis, also called bad breath, is as an offensive odor emanating from the oral cavity. Bad breath is a common presenting pet odor complaint. Common causes may be related to the mouth or, rarely, related to other health problems.

What causes halitosis?

The most common cause of halitosis is periodontal disease caused by plaque (bacteria). Bacteria is attracted to the tooth surface within hours of teeth cleaning. Within days, the plaque becomes mineralized producing calculus. As plaque ages and gingivitis develops into periodontitis (bone loss), bacteria changes from somewhat irritating strains to bone destroying types that produce hydrogen sulfide causing halitosis.

Other causes include eating malodorous food; metabolic disease (diabetes, uremia); respiratory disease (rhinitis, sinusitis, neoplasia); gastrointestinal (megaesophagus, neoplasia, foreign body); dermatologic (lip fold pyoderma); dietary (fetid foodstuffs, eating stool); non-periodontal oral disease (orthodontic, pharyngitis, tonsilitis, neoplasia); foreign bodies; trauma including electric cord injury; open fractures; caustic agents; infectious agents including bacteria, fungi, and viruses; autoimmune diseases; and eosinophilic granuloma complex.

What are the signs of halitosis?

Periodontal disease is painful. Some dogs and cats will have problems chewing hard food, others will paw at their mouths. Unfortunately most will not show any signs.

How is halitosis diagnosed?

Halitosis is easily diagnosed by smelling your dog or cats breath. If there is a disagreeable odor, halitosis is present. A veterinary examination is necessary to diagnose the specific cause of bad breath. If the diagnosis is not obvious after oral examination, blood tests will be taken to check for internal disease.

How is halitosis treated?

Halitosis treatment depends on the cause. There are four recognized stages of periodontal disease. The first two (early gingivitis and advanced gingivitis) are treated by professional teeth cleaning. As the disease advances bone loss occurs causing periodontitis, which may require surgery or tooth extraction.

Antibiotics may be used to destroy bacteria causing periodontal disease and halitosis. Often the antibiotics are used in a pulse therapy fashion (given the first 5 days of each month). Oral rinses containing chlorhexidine are helpful.

Odor neutralization of hydrogen sulfide occurs with the use of zinc citrate.

What is the prognosis for halitosis?

Once the underlying disease has been treated, halitosis will disappear. If due to periodontal disease, daily tooth brushing will help maintain good oral health and sweet breath.

Dr. Jan Bellows is a board-certified veterinary dentist. His office, Hometown Animal Hospital and Dental Clinic, is located at 17100 Royal Palm Boulevard in Weston, Florida. He can be reached for consultations at 954-349-5800.