Thursday, 28th March 2024
To guardian.ng
Search
Breaking News:

So, What About My Pet’s Teeth

By Dr. Tunji Nasir
02 May 2015   |   6:20 am
WELL, you can announce to the world that you have the best pet in the universe. Your pet is focused, fun to be with, does not bark without a purpose, has the best appetite, is beautiful, not overtly playful, does not mess the house, respects our introduced visitors and gives due regard to you and your household. It is just everything you wanted in a pet.
Photo: losangeles.cbslocal

Photo: losangeles.cbslocal

WELL, you can announce to the world that you have the best pet in the universe. Your pet is focused, fun to be with, does not bark without a purpose, has the best appetite, is beautiful, not overtly playful, does not mess the house, respects our introduced visitors and gives due regard to you and your household. It is just everything you wanted in a pet.

But it is rather unfortunate that you have neglected his teeth. “What about a dog’s teeth?” you may ask. Does it have to flash a set of white teeth for photos?

May be not, but the point is that no matter what you claim are the best attributes your pet possesses, its physical attributes are not complete if you do not pay much attention to its physical health, including the state of his teeth.

Your pet’s teeth are just as vulnerable as your own teeth and can define the totality of the health of the pet, which is quite funny, really.

Does one have to brush its teeth daily as humans do theirs? The disappointing answer is yes, if you have to do that. There could be a better and more efficient way to do this. For some people, however, it should be a daily requirement because of the kind of diet they feed their pets.

Dogs feed basically on human diet and wet dog foods are the most affected.

Although dogs and cats rarely get cavities, it is a sacred fact that about 80 per cent of pets or three years and older have some degree of periodontal disease. This is simply an infection caused by a plaque, a thin bacteria laden film that forms on teeth, which in the course of time can lead to erosion of the gum tissue and bones supporting the teeth, invariably causing the teeth to loosen and fall out.

Before the teeth eventually fall out, they cause a lot of problems. An example is gingivitis (inflammation of the gum tissue), often accompanied by pain, bleeding and lack of desire to eat because of the discomfort that follows the process.

This is, of course, one of the most common causes of lack of appetite and is often missed by owners and veterinarians alike, who think less of the importance of the teeth.

Apart from this, the mouth of the pet oozes out a very offensive odour that can even spread to the immediate environment of the pet.

It has often been reported by the veterinarians that the bacteria seen in the mouth at such instances can spread from the mouth to all parts of the body, possibly causing infection in major organs, such as the kidney or the heart.

The essence of the care of the teeth should not be lost on any pet owner because of the peculiar nature of pet hygiene. It is practically impossible for pets to brush their teeth by themselves and it is not even a regular thing for owners to brush their pet’s teeth on a daily or regular basis, unless there are compelling reasons to do so.

Hence, there is a very big need to be extra vigilant in the care of our critter’s teeth. The tendency for food remnants to lurk in the mouth is higher in pets and therefore imposes more risks for eventual dental diseases.

 

 

Similar stories
Teething Headaches In Pets
Unilever repackages Close-up, unveils new logo, brand ambassador

0 Comments