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Barks & Meows
Your Pet's Health
Animal Lovers Should Include Dentistry In Their
Overall Pet Health Care Programs
Cold noses and warm hears hold the human-animal bond dear,
but plaque, yellow teeth and doggie breath keep the pet on the porch.
By staff writers, Animal Health Concepts, Inc., Lenexa, KS
With Kenneth F. Lyon, DVM
Mesa Veterinary Hospital Mesa, AZ
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When more than three-quarters of companion animal owners say they pay attention to their pet's teeth, then it's safe to assume that interest in pet dental health programs is growing. When almost 35% of them claim, as they did in an America On Line survey last year, that hey actually brush their dog or cat's teeth, then you know the concern is genuine. And well it should be, because nearly 80% of adult cats and dogs suffer from dental disease, according to a statement by Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc., in its conference newspaper, Vet Today, published this past January at the North American Veterinary Conference.
Even so, many pet owners still aren't sure what to do when it comes to dental care. Worse yet, most pet owners really don't do anything at all. The same survey revealed that just 25% of pet owners make sure their pets receive dental care, but only when it's obvious the pet needs it.
Apparently the idea of preventive dental care is still a novel concept, but it shouldn't be. Dental problems can be the cause of a number of ailments in your pet, and these dental diseases start he same way they do for humans. Bacterial build up on teeth causing bad breath, gum disease and tooth loss. This bacterial build up is initially known as plaque. As it remains on the tooth it calcifies into that hard yellow coating you see on your pet's teeth, called tartar or calculus. When the bacteria build up it can travel into the bloodstream and cause damage to the heart, liver, kidney and lungs.
Plaque traces its origins to the accumulation of food particles in the space between the gum and the teeth. The conventional genesis of plaque as it develops into dental disease includes a mingling of saliva and other mouth bacteria with the food particles, proliferating into more bacteria that die and leave waste. The pet's body responds to the waste products by sending combat cells to the gums to fight the bacteria. In the pitched effort to attack the bacterial positions in the gum line, the cells cause inflammation
and mineral buildup. The minerals calcify and the |
resulting hardened calculus wedges farther into the gum line creating even larger traps where new bacteria congregate. As you can guess, the toxicity of the area kills the surrounding tissues, weakening the grip of the ligaments on the tooth and bone. If left untreated the tooth will eventually fall out.
Most diseases of the oral cavity have a basis in immunological events taking place in the gingival sulcus and involving the complex interactions of the host immune system and various antigens, says Dr. Kenneth Lyon, a Diplomate of the American Veterinary Dental Collete. He goes on to say; "The inflammation in the gingival is activated to some extent by the host's response to the continuous bacterial antigen exposure and to the direct effects of bacterial products from the dental plaque microorganisms."
Initiating Dental Care
Understandably, the idea of brushing your cat or dog's teeth can be daunting, not to mention inconvenient. Just like your own, the animal's teeth should be brushed every day. That's a routine that seems almost inconceivable in the time-pressed, stressed-out environment in which most of us find ourselves. And, that's not mentioning the disposition of your dog or cat toward oral hygiene.
However, there are alternatives. Brushing stands alone as the single most effective way to ward off plaque and tartar. But, pet owners can effectively prevent or manage oral diseases by feeding specially formulated food that removes plaque and tartar buildup, providing toys that exercise the periodontal ligaments and aid in plaque prevention, and feeding treats formulated to reduce plaque formation. Foods with lower levels of calcium and phosphorus help prevent the formation of tartar while the presence of added vegetable fiber acts as a tooth scrubber as the animal chews the food. To look for the Seal of Acceptance of the Veterinary Oral Health Council. The VOHC created the seal that appears on products meeting defined standards for plaque and tartar control in dogs and cats.
(Continued Next Page)
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