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Loading...HVC Newsletter February 2011
What’s In Your Pet’s Mouth? Integral Dental Health
15% discount on dental procedures – Month of March.
When was the last time you opened your cat or dog’s mouth, and took a good, long look? Chances are, this is not something you’re inclined to do very often. And even if you did, how would you know what to look for?
Our animals’ dental health is integral to the health of the whole animal. Dental diseases are often untreated, precisely because either owners neglect to investigate, or certain diets and lifestyles are contributing to dental disease.
Not surprisingly, we take an integrative approach to dental health. This involves three central aims: using a preventative approach to oral care, maintenance and treatment; advocating for aggressive dental procedures only when necessary; and encouraging owners to have their pets’ teeth routinely examined in the event of dental disease. These three all work together to ensure our pets’ teeth are as healthy and strong as possible.
Although we may know about daily hygiene practices, owners rarely have the time (or inclination) to brush their animal’s teeth. However there are things we can do on a daily basis to prevent the onset of dental health problems.
The first step is to eat the right things, and chew the right things. What this means is using a low carbohydrate diet, and the incorporation of chewing, a natural way of keeping teeth healthy and clean.
Why a low-carb diet? First, carbohydrates turn to sugars in the mouth and promote bacterial growth in the teeth. Saliva has digestive enzymes, and helps processes the food and to break it down. Minerals in the saliva and sugars combine with bacteria, leading to tartar and dental calculus.
This is where chewing comes in. Bones can scrape off the tartar and calculus–these can be actual bones, or chews available made out of organic brown rice or other fibrous materials. When introducing bones, you need to be cautious, and make sure the bone is appropriate for the dog. It’s important to check with your veterinarian before giving your cat or dog any raw bones. That said, once you find the right size and type for your pet, raw bones are excellent. Some cats eat chicken necks. If you are already giving your cat a raw diet, chicken gizzards are great for the teeth: tough and fibrous.
Our clinic sells dental chew bones made from organic brown rice, made by Mercola. These bones are natural abrasives for the teeth, and completely digestible. We also recommend CET enzyme chews; Dr. Judkins gives them to his dogs everyday.
So how do you know what may be happening? Symptoms of dental disease can range from bad breath to difficulty eating. Certainly, pawing at the mouth, excessive salivation or abnormal discharges would also be reason for concern. A dental exam is a part of your pet’s yearly check-up, so if you haven’t had Rufus or Tinkerbell in for his or her exam in the last year, or if you suspect your pet may have a dental problem, give us a call and make an appointment.
Some more serious conditions may require treatments preformed under general anesthesia, and may even require extraction of one or more teeth. However, some pets may be able to have their dental issues addressed with simple home maintenance; others are candidates for dental cleanings (called a prophylaxis, or prophy for short) without any use of anesthesia at all.
Sometimes, teeth and gum issues are reflections of deeper systemic imbalance. For example, poor digestion will be reflected in teeth and gums. Severe inflammatory diseases can show up as gum disease, suggesting something more serious going on, on a systemic level.
As a holistic clinic, we treat the whole animal. Dental health is a central part of the picture.
To help you support your pet’s dental well being, we are offering 15% discount on dental procedures, for the month of March only.
