Do You Kiss Your Momma With That Filthy Mouth?

This week has been frustrating.  Can I show you one of the reasons why?

Front

Left Side

Right Side

I saw three purebred dogs who were rescued from a breeding facility in west Tennessee at the spay/neuter clinic.  All three dogs had similar mouths full of dental calculus (tartar), debris (hair and food), and pus.  The halitosis from the pus and rotting debris was enough to run you out of the room.  All three dogs were painful for oral exams.  One had an existing fistula where the canine tooth had fallen out, a hole from the mouth into the nose.  All three left my clinic with fistulas from the remaining teeth having to be removed and the infection having eaten away the bone and draining into the nose.  These dogs lost most of their teeth to a preventable disease.  All will require follow-up surgeries to close the fistulas and one was sent for x-rays for a likely mandibular fracture related to the severe infections.

So lets talk about periodontal disease and what you should do as an owner.

Most pets (a recent estimate of greater than 85% over 4 years old!) have some form a periodontal disease.  Periodontal disease is inflammation and/or infection of the gums and supporting structures of the teeth.  When left untreated the supporting structures of the teeth recede and break down causing the tooth to loosen and result in both pain, infection, and loss of the tooth.  Progression of periodontal disease leads to infection of the underlying bone resulting in bone loss and fractures.  These periodontal infections serve as a reservoir of bacteria which can easily hop into the bloodstream by way of these bleeding gums and seed the body with infections.  This is especially true of the heart valves, liver, and kidneys.  

Most owners are unaware of the severity of their pet's dental disease because they simply never look in their dogs' mouths, even when they smell their terrible breath.  Other owners notice the tartar but simply think there is nothing to be done about it.  Still others think their dog is too old to have their teeth taken care of because "they'll just die soon anyway"..so why risk anesthesia.  Allow me to clear that up for you.

Dogs and cats require daily dental care just as you and I do.  That care involves brushing the teeth with a pet formulated toothpaste and a fingerbrush or toothbrush.  You may be wondering, how do I brush my pet's teeth?  This link is provided by Virbac, a maker of pet dental health supplies, and is a short explanatory video.  Brushing should happen daily if your pet allows.  If your pet is resistant to this or refuses to allow you to brush his/her teeth, then see your veterinarian for inspection of the teeth and evaluation for dental cleaning.  

At a veterinary clinic, dental cleaning is most often done under anesthesia with ultrasonic scaler and polisher. These tools allow for complete removal of tartar and a thorough examination of each tooth.  Your vet will monitor for cavities and fractures and recommend treatment if noted.  Your doctor will also evaluate your pets overall health prior to anesthesia and recommend any tests that will improve the safety of your pet for undergoing the procedure.  

Most importantly, do not wait until your pet's dental disease is severe before addressing the problem.  Owners often shoot themselves in the foot by postponing dental cleaning to save money while allowing dental disease to progress.  Unfortunately this allows time to develop heart disease from endocarditis, liver, or kidney disease, all related to the infection hiding in your dogs mouth.  These diseases increase the risk of anesthetic procedures.  There is nothing that frustrates me more than seeing a dog come in with heart failure and a mouth full of rotting teeth.  Both disease may have likely been prevented with a simple teeth cleaning in the past.  

So how often should your pet have a dental cleaning?  The answer depends on your own pet's oral health and your preventative practices.  Daily brushing often decreases the frequency of dental cleaning and lack thereof definitely increases it. Smaller mouths (think chihuahua, pomeranian, dachsund) usually require it more frequently than larger mouths (think labrador, great dane).  After 4 years old, most require a yearly dental cleaning.  Discuss your dog's dental cleaning schedule with your veterinarian and decide what is safest for your own pet's needs.  

Finally, allow me a few more minutes on my soap box.  The pictures you see above are the exact reason that you should NEVER purchase your pet from a supplier/pet store/flea market.  All too often the business of pet supply (puppy mills) leaves no room for preventative practices for the dogs themselves that are producing the puppies.  It cuts into profit.  The result is what you have just seen.  Dogs living with severe dental infections, undiagnosed heart disease, mammary tumors, etc, for years until they are no longer productive and are culled from the breeding population.  The consequence is chronic suffering.  People need to stop and realize that when they are cuddling a cute puppy in a pet store there is a parent of that pet whose needs may be neglected in order to make money from that puppy.  There are reputable pet breeders in your area who do it right, so do the research!  There are also thousands of purebred dogs dying in local shelters who would love a chance at life.  Find a pure-breed or mix-breed rescue near you!

Now, Go and look in your dog's mouth!  Please and thank you.