Why Should You Clean Your Pets Teeth? February is National Pet Dental Health Month
Just a couple weeks ago I took my eldest dog, Cora, to the vet for a teeth cleaning. If you've ever looked into teeth cleaning you know it may look rather expensive. In fact, I was questioned by a friend or two about why I was 'wasting so much money on a dog' when I did it.
First off, to me my dogs are a part of the family so I'm not going to skimp or their health care just because they don't have opposable thumbs.
Secondly, paying to get your pets teeth cleaned and working to keep them clean can actually save to a lot of money and a lot of heartache in the long run. I had Cora's teeth cleaned at The Vets Animal Hospital in Windsor (where I have been taking both of my dogs for 6+ years). They are celebrating National Pet Dental Health Month right now and have some great deals, including a 10% discount on dental cleanings and other dental services. (You can see more of their dental month deals on their Facebook page.)
Why should you clean your pet’s teeth? According to the American Veterinary Dental Society 80% of dogs and 70% of cats show signs of oral disease by the time they are three years old!
Periodontal disease can cause all sorts of problems for you and your pet. Swollen and tender gums, bleeding, pain, bad breath, broken teeth and even tooth loss. But those are just the tip of the iceberg because the inflammation and infection associated with periodontal disease can actually damage organs like the heart, liver, and kidneys and lead to other very serious health problems.
You can read about how important your pet's oral health is from The Vets, the American Veterinary Medial Foundation , the American Veterinary Dental Society and the American Animal Hospital Association. You won't have to read much to see just how important veterinary professionals believe taking care of your pet's teeth can be.
If your pet has bad breath, has changed their eating/chewing habits, or have been pawing at the mouth please take them in to get checked out by a vet ASAP. I thought Cora's teeth were in pretty good shape (and they were), but The Vets still found a pretty decayed tooth that needed to be removed. That tooth could have caused her a lot of pain and forced us to pay to have it removed at a later date had we not gotten it taken care of now.
You know what else was great about Cora's last cleaning at the Vets Animal Hospital? They sent me a photo text when Cora was waking up from anesthesia, and printed me out before and after pictures of her teeth so I could see exactly what they did.
Neat, huh?
Now Cora is a happy camper.
Just going to the vet for a teeth cleaning is not enough for your pets. You should do things like brush their teeth on a regular basis. If you need some help on that, check out this how-to video for teeth-brushing below. there are also a number of other things you can do to keep your pet's mouth healthy, just ask your vet what's right for your furry little friend.
The moral of the story? Pets need dental care too and February is National Pet Dental Health Month so get your pet's teeth checked out!
You can save 10% on dental services in February at the Vets Animal Hospital in Windsor.
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