ALSAGER ANIMAL CARE CENTER

ALSAGER ANIMAL CARE CENTER

DENTISTRY

We believe that good oral hygiene is important for your pet. Dental disease can cause many health problems for your companion. Severe dental disease may lead to heart, liver, and kidney problems. These problems can be avoided with routine dental care.

Good oral hygiene begins with you the pet owner. Who wants a lavish kiss from a pet who's breath could stop a train? Regular brushings at home can prevent the build-up of plaque on the teeth and keep the gums healthy. Some pets enjoy the flavored toothpastes, while others are quite resistant. Don't be discouraged. There are many other products that can help with the fight against dental disease.

Dental pastes: When brushing your pet's teeth, be sure to use a toothpaste that is designed for pets. Human toothpaste is not meant to be swallowed, and your pet will not understand that it has to spit and rinse. Pet toothpaste comes in a variety of flavors such as, mint, poultry, and tuna flavors. Brushing a pet's teeth three times a week will help control tartar buildup and bad breath.

Dental sprays: When brushing is not an option, oral hygiene sprays may be the answer. Applying the spray 2-3 times a week will help keep tartar from building up on your pet's teeth.

Dental pads: Another useful item is dental hygiene pads. These pads are presoaked in a liquid and you just wipe your pet's teeth. They are convenient and easy to use.

Foods and treats: There are a variety of foods and treats available today that help prevent the buildup of tartar on your pet's teeth. Hill's Science Diet offers a food called T/D that gently brushes your pet's teeth as they chew. It is available for cats, small and large dogs. For more information visit their website at www.hillspet.com. Eukanuba has also added a tartar deterrent in several of their foods. This ingredient helps eliminate plaque from sticking to the teeth. Eukanuba has a list of foods with this additive and information regarding how it works on their website at www.iams.com . Some plaque fighting treats can be found at your local pet store such as Pounce tartar control treats for cats. Though none of these products guarantee that your pet will not have tartar, all of them aid in slowing down the process.

Some pets are prone to dental disease or may just need a professional dental cleaning. That is where we can help. Our skilled technicians can clean and polish your pet's teeth and ensure there are no unforeseen dental problems such as broken or loose teeth, or severe gingivitis. This process requires anesthesia. Prior to anesthesia, we will do presurgical bloodwork on your pet. This blood screen tells us how well your pet's kidneys and liver are functioning so that we can safely anesthetize them. The pet is then anesthetized and their teeth cleaned. The entire oral cavity is checked for potential problems. When you pet is discharged, one of our technicians will review their findings and make suggestions of how to prevent further dental disease in the future.

Merial has introduced a new product called Oravet. The purpose of this product is to control plaque buildup on your pet's teeth. The initial treatment is applied during the dental procedure at our office. The initial treatment lasts for two weeks and then is maintained by a weekly application done at home. The home application is quite simple and takes a matter of minutes. Ask one of our technicians about Oravet for your pet.

Hopefully with the right dental care your faithful companion will be able to give you numerous friendly kisses without you falling over or family members running for cover.