CANINE TEETH Q AND A
Q: HOW MANY TEETH DOES YOUR BEST FRIEND HAVE?
A. 42.
Q: WHAT IS TARTAR?
A: Tartar is a hard, yellowish deposit on teeth. It is a mixture of mineral salts, food, and other debris that hardens over time. It has the tendency to attract more debris and food causing more and more tartar buildup over time. It cannot be brushed off. Toys, like hard chews, can help in keeping the teeth clean, but caution is to be used or supervised chews for GI protection.
Q: WHAT IS PLAQUE?
A: This is the precursor to tartar. It is a colony of bacteria, saliva, and blood cells.. Plaque will turn into tartar when it hardens and attachs to tooth enamel. It will then start gum disease with red and swollens gums. The time to treat is in this phase by removing plaque. Brushing a dog's teeth is a very good practice, but check with you vet for canine toothpaste or you can use a paste of baking soda and water.
Q: WHAT IS HALITOSIS?
A: This is the medical term for "Bad Breath In Dogs" or humans for that matter. This is caused from an infection or periodontal disease (around the tooth) and from the bacterial infection of the gums (gingivitis).
Q: SHOULD DOGS HAVE PERIODIC TEETH CLEANINGS.
A: Yes. You can order dental scalers and if your pet will allow clean the outer surface of the teeth and at the gum line. The problem with this is that you cant always get the inside surface of the teeth, so a good cleaning from you vet periodically is a good thing. Ask your vet to check when you are in for vaccines, etc.
Q: SHOULD MY DOG BE ON ANTIBIOTICS AFTER A PROCEDURE?
A: Would advise this, because of the bacteria in the tartar. If the gums bleed, you can cause an infection of the lining of the heart (endocarditis), or enen a infection of the blood (septicemia), which can cause your pet to become very ill or even death.
PREVENTION IS THE BEST PRESCRIPTION !!! Give your dogs hard chews or food on a regular basis, so they exercise their gums and can naturally scrape harmful plaque off their teeth before it turns into tartar and gum disease. Also, brushing, with a vet-approved paste or baking soda and water mixture.