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SALT LAKE CITY — Anyone who owns a pet knows how much bring so much joy to life, but many may not know that their pet may be suffering silently from dental disease.
"Animals hide that pain so well. They don't ever complain. They don't ever not eat," said Dr. Lynn McCarron, DVM, of the University Veterinary Hospital & Diagnosis Center said.
Tartar builds up at the gum line and begins to wedge under the gums, causing inflammation and infection. Bacteria live in tartar and make gums painful. It leads to gingivitis and bad breath. Most pets show few signs of dental disease, even when it's advanced McCarron said.
Tucker, a corgi, got a sedative to have his teeth cleaned. Under general anesthesia, McCarron was able to give a thorough examination.
"He has significant gum recession and root exposure," she said. "This is periodontal disease."
Untreated, periodontal disease can be painful and dangerous to Tucker. "It really is the most common, non-life-threatening thing we see in animals." It's also one of the most overlooked, she added.
Tracey Watson, who has had her cat, Titus, for 12 years, said it has been a struggle to keep his teeth healthy; however, treatment has been a big change.
"Oh my goodness, yes. Absolutely. Titus's teeth have been a weakness since the time he was a baby," Watson said. "He had stopped grooming himself, and I didn't notice that, and he really wasn't playing all that much. Within days (of treatment), he was playing like a kitty."
McCarron said that's a common response from owners after treatment.
"(They say) 'they're so much happier, they're playing with their toys again. I thought they were just old, but they're playing with their toys again,'" McCarron said.
Ginger, a Mastiff, had lost some weight. Even though Ginger's teeth are cleaned every year, X-rays showed one of her teeth was diseased. Left untreated, it can lead to more life-threatening problems like kidney disease, heart disease and generalized infection.
"When the disease gets significant enough, the bacteria can get into the blood stream, and it's hard on their organs, hard on their hearts," McCarron said.
McCarron recommends rawhide chews to clean a dogs' teeth. They soften as they chew them, help keep tartar under control and help prevent periodontal disease.
"Anything that they chew on that is as hard as their teeth has the potential to break their teeth," she said.
She said every dog and cat should have a dental cleaning once a year beginning at age 5 or 6. Smaller dogs, which are prone to tooth problems, should have it sooner.
"I wish that we did more of them a little bit younger, a little bit more preventatively, instead of waiting until they have pretty significant disease and then saying, 'Oh, now I need to do something,'" McCarron said.
Caring for their teeth is one of the best ways we can look after our closest pals.
The Veterinary Oral Health Council has a list of dog treats they recommend to clean their teeth. Visit www.vohc.org for more information.
