Meet "Alice" Hollis, a 6 year old female Yorkshire Terrier that was rescued by Sharon Hollis of Beaver Dam. Alice spent the first 6 years of her life in an unfavorable situation as a breeding female--locked in a cage raising litters of pups. Sharon recently rescued her and brought her home to a wonderful life of love and attention. Sharon realized immediately that poor Alice had some serious medical issues that needed to be addressed--most obvious being her severe dental disease.  

Alice was brought to the clinic for a initial examination and update on vaccinations and heartworm testing. Her physical revealed that she had SEVERE dental disease with loose teeth, pus oozing from under the gums and bleeding of the gums. Since she was formerly a breeding dog, Alice also needed to be spayed (have a hysterectomy). Sharon immediately scheduled a surgical procedure for Alice to have a complete dental prophylaxis with extractions and a spay surgery.

Pre surgical bloodwork indicated that Alice was very healthy, and there were no additional concerns for anesthesia. Her spay surgery was very routine. Her dental procedure involved extraction of 11 teeth--including all of the upper molars on  both sides of her mouth. 9 teeth were already missing prior to surgery. In the end, Alice was left with 22 of her original 42 teeth. 

Due to the infection present in her mouth, Alice was prescribed oral antibiotics for 10 days following surgery. She will likely eat a soft food diet for the rest of her life due to the absence of upper molars. 

WHY IS DENTAL CARE SO IMPORTANT FOR PETS? 

As dental disease progresses, the number of bacteria in the mouth increases tremendously.  These bacteria are easily released into the blood stream through the gums and can cause DAMAGE TO OTHER INTERNAL ORGANS. Also, dental disease is very painful--causing a poor quality of life for your pet if untreated. 

REGULAR BRUSHING  of your pet's teeth can greatly minimize dental disease.  It is important to use pet toothpaste and brushes designed for dogs and cats.  Human toothpaste contains foaming agents that can make your pet sick. Take a week or 2 to slowly introduce the toothpaste and brushing to your pet. Let them get used to the taste--and only do a little brusing at a time. Give lots of praise and some treats. Make it a positive experience. 

MECHANICAL ACTION of chew toys and rawhides can also greatly help keep your pet's teeth clean. Examples are rawhides, rope toys, and toys like Kong's that you put a treat inside and your pet has to lick and chew on the toy to get out the treat. There are also diets that are designed to be especially hard and crunchy to aid in mechanical cleaning of the teeth. 

This month of February, we are offering an online coupon for a disvount on an office call, plus a special Valentines surprise for your pet. Take this opportunity to get your pet in for an annual exam and dental checkup.