This February, during Pet Dental Health Month, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) is reminding all pet owners to care for their pets’ teeth like they do their own.
“One of the biggest hurdles in pet dental health in this country is the realization that problems exist in dog and cats’ mouths,” explains Dr. Jan Bellows, a veterinary dentist from Weston, Fla., and incoming president of the American Veterinary Dental College. “Many pet owners simply don’t know they should be doing more to prevent periodontal disease. Not only is periodontal disease a common problem in people, it is the most commonly diagnosed problem in dogs and cats. If untreated, it can develop into more serious medical conditions.”
The AVMA, a sponsor of Pet Dental Health Month, offers an informative video giving step-by-step instructions on how to brush your pet’s teeth, and Dr. Bellows is featured in an AVMA podcast on periodontal disease. The Pet Dental Month website, www.petdental.com, includes tips from veterinary experts on pet dental health.
“It’s estimated that by the age of two 80 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats have some form of periodontal disease,” explains Dr. Larry Kornegay, president of the AVMA. “Periodontal infections have been linked to diabetes, heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease and other life threatening disorders. During Pet Dental Health Month, the AVMA is encouraging all dog and cat owners to take steps to control plaque on their pet’s teeth and see their veterinarian for dental checkups.”
For more information, please visit www.avma.org, and to show off your pet’s pearly whites upload their photos to the AVMA Flickr site Pearly White Pets.
The AVMA, founded in 1863, is one of the oldest and largest veterinary medical organizations in the world. More than 80,000 member veterinarians worldwide are engaged in a wide variety of professional activities.
Speaking of dog dental health, check out this perfect dog smile. 🙂
i just had my kitty’s teeth cleaned today! 🙂
that dog needs some braces! 😉
best way to clean ur dogs teeth (and keep them that way) is a natural raw diet!
My pup is scheduled for a cleaning on Monday!!!
Dogs kept in crates for long periods of time, will gnaw on the metal bars and this is not good for a dog’s teeth as it wears down the enamel to the Dentin. This may be a possible way to determine if a pup comes from a PUPPY MILL as well. The dogs chew out of anxiety or boredom so remember this if you are crating a dog for several hours. Provide toys or crate less often.
If you start them young enough, it’s not hard to get your doggie into the routine of getting his teeth brushed. There are different flavors of dog toothpaste and our Petey loves the beef flavor!