FEBRUARY IS NATIONAL
PET DENTAL HEALTH MONTH
Bergenline
Animal Hospital offers you FREE dental exams on
Tues & Thurs in February. Please call for an appointment.
DENTAL
CARE:
Thousand upon thousands of loving pet owners take their pets for
regular checkups at the veterinarian. After this annual routine, many feel they
have provided the most complete care for their pets. But studies in recent years
indicate this is not enough.
Veterinarians
have learned that regular dental care is vitally important in ensuring pets' overall
health. A mouth full of bacteria can cause serious health problems for pets in
addition to tooth loss or painful gum disease, according to the American Veterinary
Dental Society.
Oral infections,
if left untreated, may infect other organs such as the heart, liver or kidneys.
Periodontal disease may cause bacteria and toxins to enter the bloodstream, carrying
the infection to other parts of the animal's body.
Total pet healthcare
- beginning with proper oral care - is the emphasis of this Newsletter.
February is National Pet Dental Month. To encourage
pet owners to have their pets' teeth electronically scaled if
needed, we will give a 15% discount off the anesthesia
and scaling fee during February. Older pets, those over 5 years
old should have a pre-anesthetic blood test to check for kidney
and liver disease.
The need for
education is great. Oral disease is the most frequently diagnosed health problems
for pets. An astounding 80% of dogs and 70% of cats show signs of oral disease
by
age 3.
 That's
why we are an integral part of the National Pet Dental Month. We want to educate
pet owners about the risks their pets face if oral care is not a priority. The
growth of bacteria in a dog's or cat's mouth or on teeth may lead to the formation
of plaque and tartar. Plaque and tartar buildup then have the potential to cause
periodontal infections that can spread to other organs.
PREVENTATIVE MEASURES:
- Feed hard
or coarse foods
- Provide
rawhides, hard rubber or nylon chew toys (for dogs only) or
hard treat foods but remember that the treat foods are a source
of calories and may lead to obesity if too many are given.
- Brush your
pet's teeth periodically. We can provide you with a special
enzymatic toothpaste and toothbrush developed for the teeth
of cats & dogs.
- Professional
cleaning on a regular basis is the most effective way to ensure
good dental health.
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