A large proportion of cats and dogs over 4 years old have some form of dental disease. Dental disease causes bad breath and pain, and it is a source of infection and can make your pet seriously ill.

Dental disease is preventable in most cases and is easy to monitor at home. There are many different methods to keep your pet's teeth healthy and these should be started while they are puppies and kittens.

Brushing your pet's teeth daily is the best method and the most thorough, although there are also other measures such as feeding raw bones, dental diets, rinses, etc.

For adult cats and dogs with existing dental disease, a dental treatment with a scale and polish under general anaesthetic is often necessary to get their mouth back into top condition. This will allow us to start with a clean mouth and hopefully prevent, or slow down dental disease developing again in the future.

Brushing your pet's teeth daily can help control plaque build up and prevent dental disease. Choose a soft toothbrush; Toddler brushes are great for small dogs and cats.

Pet toothbrushes are available at the clinic, and make sure you label your pet's toothbrush and keep it separate from the family toothbrushes!

Do not use human toothpaste when brushing your pet's teeth as your pet may swallow it. Human toothpaste is not designed to be swallowed and has ingredients that can upset your pet's stomach.

Pet toothpaste is chicken or beef flavoured which may help your pet accept it. It is also safe if it is swallowed. Sometimes our pets will like the toothpaste too much!! In this case we suggest dipping the toothbrush in an oral rinse instead.

Cats and small dogs may feel more comfortable if they can sit on their owners lap while having their teeth brushed.

Begin slowly, initial sessions should be brief, a minute or two and well rewarded.

Get your pet used to the toothbrush by dipping it in tuna juice, chicken or beef stock or just use water.

Next try offering the toothbrush with the paste, without brushing. Allow your pet to taste the paste.

When your pet is comfortable with the brush try brushing one or two strokes on a few teeth. Slowly increase the amount of brushing as your pet becomes more comfortable.

Start at the front of the mouth. Pets are often more accepting of this.

The toothbrush bristles should be placed at the gum margin where the teeth and gums meet at a 45 degree angle. The movement should be in an oval pattern. Be sure to gently force the bristle ends into the area around the base of the tooth as well as into the space between the teeth.

While brushing is referred to as the gold standard in home dental care, it is sometimes not possible due to the personality of your pet, or the amount of spare time you have each day. Listed below are some other alternatives.

Raw Bones

Raw meaty bones are great for cleaning teeth. Pets have to chew them causing scraping on the teeth and most importantly gum massage, aiding in the removal of plaque.

Do not feed your pet cooked bones as they may splinter and cause intestinal damage.

For large, medium and small dogs, ask your butcher for large bones. For very small dogs and cats, raw chicken necks and chicken wings do a great job.
Raw beef strips for cats and pig ears for small dogs can also give gums a good massage.

If you decide to feed raw bones they should be given 2-3 times per week.

If the bone is cut it should be cut across not lengthways. This is to avoid the fattening bone marrow being exposed.

The bone should always be bigger than the dogs head so it cannot be swallowed.

Bones are for chewing on not chewing through.

Dispose of chewed bones.

Bone chewing should be started as kittens or puppies. It is inadvisable to start later in life as incorrect chewing action may lead to tooth damage.

Treats and Chews

Large hard products such as pig's ears, noses or trotters, rawhide bones and Dentabones encourage your pets to chew. The chewing action aids in the removal of plaque via physical rubbing and the spread of protective saliva. These should not be relied on solely for dental prevention, as they are not as effective as raw bones, but could be fed once a week instead of raw bones for a change.

Dental Diets

Hills Prescription Diet t/d is a dry food available for both cats and dogs. It is designed to keep pets teeth clean, while still providing them with a complete balanced diet. Each piece of kibble is larger than regular kibble and is specifically designed to encourage and stimulate chewing. It also has a special fibre matrix within each biscuit which aids in the breakdown of plaque. For best results Hills Prescription Diet t/d needs to be fed daily. It is a very palatable food, but if your pet is too fussy to enjoy it there is a money back guarantee. Hills Prescription Diet t/d is only available at vet clinics.

Dental toys

There are some toys available which are again great at encouraging your dog to chew. Toys are a useful addition to a dental hygiene program, however they should not be relied on solely.

Oral treatments

For pets with severe or persistent dental and gum disease or bad breath, using a rinse or gel may be advisable. Gum protectant applications may also be prescribed for pets with problem gums.

Vet dental treatments

In the majority of pet's lives, there comes a time when their teeth may require vet treatment over and above their regular examinations. A dental treatment involves a general anaesthetic and a full dental examination, including charting and scaling, both ultrasonically and by hand, and then finishing with a polish. A very similar procedure used by your own dentist.

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