Dental disease is the number one health issue affecting pets.

Would you believe that dental disease is the NUMBER ONE health issue affecting pets? According to the American Veterinary Dental Society (AVDS), 75% of pets over the age of 4 years have dental disease. Dental disease doesn’t JUST lead to bad breath…it can also cause tooth and gum infections, pain, loss of teeth and even organ damage in pets.

No one likes to go to the dentist and pets are no exception! But like humans, pets also need routine dental care because the key to management of dental disease is prevention.

The AVDS recommends that pet owners follow three basic steps:

1. Take your pet to the veterinarian for a dental exam. Don’t wait for their annual checkup if you suspect a problem.

2. Begin a dental care regimen at home. You veterinarian can show you how to effectively and safely clean your pets teeth.

3. Schedule regular veterinary checkups. These are essential in helping your veterinarian monitor the progress of your pet’s dental health routine.

Click here to read more about dental care in pets. This month, work with your veterinarian to create a dental care plan for your pet that keeps the bad breath away and will maintain your pets’ health for years to come.

This entry was posted on Thursday, February 12th, 2009 at 12:24 pm and is filed under Dr Donna Spector, Pet Facts, Pet Health. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.