The Vet Knows Best
with
Doctor Ann Marie Livengood & Max
What hurts worse than a toothache? For those of us who have had a really bad toothache we can agree that the pain can be unbearable and make you quite grouchy. Now imagine that you have 4 feet and no hands to drive with and can’t say “#$%&* it hurts.” Imagine that you have to wait until your owner realizes your breath stinks and “we have to do something about that.”
Infections of the mouth are the most common type of pet ailment. 80% of dogs over 3 years and 70% of cats will have some dental disease. Sadly these painful and dangerous symptoms can go undiscovered even by “good parents.”
Periodontal disease, abscessed teeth, and malocclusions are the most common types of conditions found. Brushing your dog’s teeth every day at home is a good preventative measure but it will not solve conditions that are already present and it will not prevent all conditions from occurring.
As with our two legged children, routine trips to the dentist are necessary for our pets. You pet needs a comprehensive oral health assessment at least once a year. This assessment must include a thorough oral exam, dental radiographs of every tooth and cleaning of the teeth both above and below the gum line. Ask your veterinarian if they always include each step, and if not find a veterinarian who does!
Why is this so important? I often find painful problems on radiographs that were not visible during a routine exam. This is a radiograph of my 4-year old Standard Poodle. He appeared to have mild gingivitis during his routine wellness exam.
When I took radiographs later during his oral health assessment this is what I found: His lower second molar has root resorption and endodontic disease. It was most likely very painful. In this case, extraction was the best treatment.
This dog has Stage 2 gingivitis and it is possible that her mouth will be returned to normal after a thorough scaling and polishing.
This dog has severe periodontal disease. He will require much more care, including periodontal treatment and probably multiple extractions.
Other very common painful conditions are malocclusions. This dog has a Class 3 malocclusion, or underbite. An underbite is considered “normal” for some breeds, but that does not mean they are not painful. This dog’s upper incisors are traumatizing his lower jaw. He bites himself every time he closes his mouth! He will be much happier when his upper incisors are extracted.
When faced with a pet with multiple oral conditions do not be afraid to have teeth removed. Pets do not need all of their teeth. Pets do not have to hunt. Their food is already in small pieces in the bowl. Pets do deserve a mouth free of pain and infection.
Visit
for more information regarding all of your pet health needs
located at 4693 Yadkinville Road Pfafftown, NC 27040
336.923.2278