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AAHA
Dental Care Guidelines
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Would
you let years go by between visits to the dentist? Probably
not! Your pet's dental health is just as important to his or
her overall health as your dental health is to your general
health. To help veterinarians and their teams provide
excellent dental care for dogs and cats and educate pet
owners about the importance of proper dental care throughout
their pets’ lives, the American Animal Hospital
Association (AAHA) has developed the AAHA Dental Care
Guidelines for Dogs and Cats. Major highlights of these
guidelines are covered in this article.
Why Dental Care?
Dental care of dogs and cats is one of the most commonly
overlooked areas of pet health care. In fact, a recent AAHA
study showed that approximately two-thirds of pet owners do
not provide the dental care that is recommended as essential
by veterinarians. What’s more, the American Veterinary
Dental Society reports that 80 percent of dogs and 70
percent of cats show signs of oral disease by age three.
Dental disease doesn’t affect just the mouth. It can lead
to more serious health problems including heart, lung and
kidney disease, which makes it all the more important that
you provide your pets with proper dental care from the
start.
AAHA’s Dental Care Guidelines for Dogs and Cats were
designed to provide veterinarians and their teams with a
working framework for small animal dentistry practice,
including dental examinations and cleaning and surgical
procedures. Your pet’s dental health isn’t just in the
hands of your veterinarian though. Pet owner education
regarding treatment options for optimum dental health and
the importance of home care are emphasized throughout the
guidelines.
Periodontal Disease
Fido’s dog breath and Tabby’s tuna breath aren’t
something to be ignored – they could be indicative of an
oral problem, and the sooner you have it treated by your
veterinarian (and learn to care for it yourself), the sooner
you and your pet can smile proudly.
Periodontal disease is an infection of the tissue
surrounding the teeth that takes hold in progressive stages.
It starts out as a bacterial film called plaque. The
bacteria attach to the teeth. When the bacteria die they can
be calcified by calcium in saliva. This forms a hard, rough
substance called tartar or calculus which allows more plaque
to accumulate. Initially, plaque is soft and brushing or
chewing hard food and toys can dislodge it. If left to
spread, plaque can lead to gingivitis, an inflammation of
the gums, causing them to become red and swollen and to
bleed easily.
As plaque and calculus develop below the gum line,
professional cleaning will be needed to help manage it. If
the plaque and tartar buildup continues unchecked, infection
can form around the root of the tooth.
In the final stages of periodontal disease, the tissues
surrounding the tooth are destroyed, the bony socket holding
the tooth in erodes and the tooth becomes loose. This is a
very painful process for your four-legged friend, but these
problems can be averted before they even start.
Dental Care at the Veterinary Practice
There are two critical components of your pet’s
veterinary dental care: oral examinations and dental
cleanings. Veterinary dental care begins at the puppy and
kitten life stage. AAHA recommends that veterinarians
evaluate puppies and kittens for problems related to the
deciduous (baby) teeth, missing or extra teeth, swellings
and oral development. As your pet ages, your veterinarian
will look for developmental anomalies, the accumulation of
plaque and tartar, periodontal disease and oral tumors.
Veterinarians can perform a basic oral examination on
patients that are awake. However, a short-lasting anesthetic
is required in order to provide a complete and thorough
examination as well as dental cleanings.
The AAHA Dental Care Guidelines recommend regular oral
examinations and dental cleanings, under general anesthesia,
for all adult dogs and cats. AAHA recommends these
procedures at least annually starting at one year of age for
cats and small-breed dogs, and at two years of age for
large-breed dogs.
The guidelines further recommend the following:
Pre-anesthetic exam —
Whenever anesthesia is needed, special considerations are
taken to help ensure the safety of your pet. Your
veterinarian will thoroughly examine your pet to make sure
she’s healthy enough to undergo anesthesia. Depending on
your pet’s age and general physical condition, your
veterinarian may also run blood, urine,
electrocardiograph, and x-ray tests to check for any
dangerous heart, kidney, or other conditions. Though there
is some risk associated with any medical procedure, modern
anesthesia is usually safe, even for older pets.
Anesthesia monitoring — During
anesthesia, the monitoring and recording of your pet’s
vital signs (such as body temperature, heart rate, and
respiration, as well as other important factors) is
important. This helps ensure the safety of your pet while
undergoing anesthesia.
Dental radiographs — Radiographs
(x-rays) of the teeth are needed periodically in order to
completely evaluate your pet’s oral health. X-rays aid
the veterinarian greatly in detecting abnormalities that
cannot be detected under examination alone. In some cases,
x-rays can confirm the need for extraction of teeth that
are loose or badly infected.
Scaling & Polishing — Veterinarians
are advised to use similar instruments as human dentists
to remove plaque and calculus from your pet’s teeth. To
smooth out any scratches in the tooth enamel, polishing
with a special paste is also recommended.
Fluoride/sealants — The application of
an anti-plaque substance, such as a fluoride treatment
and/or a barrier sealant is also advised. This can help
strengthen and desensitize teeth as well as decrease
future plaque.
Home Dental Care
Your pet’s dental care doesn’t rest with your
veterinarian alone. As a pet owner, you play a pivotal role
in helping ensure your pet’s dental health through regular
teeth brushing. For more information on getting started,
read our teeth
brushing article.
Remember... pets can live longer, healthier lives if oral
health care is managed and maintained throughout their
lives. In fact, proper dental care may add as much as five
years to your pet's life! Talk to your veterinarian about
developing a dental care plan for your furry friend.
Click
here for an instructive video by the Cornell Feline
Health Center on brushing your cat's teeth.
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Good dental health is important to a happy and healthy pet. For more information click on the following links.
www.avma.org/onlnews/javma/jan02/s010102h.asp
www.petdental.com/
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