Pet health care givers should prioritise teeth

Thursday, 11 February 2010 12:10

Pet health care givers should pay increasing attention to their pet's dental health to help avoid disease.

Gum infections, known as periodontal disease, can have huge repercussions, having been linked to diabetes, heart attacks, strokes and kidney disease, among other life-threatening conditions, according to one expert.

Dr Brook Niemiec, a board certified veterinary dental specialist, believes that the problem is quite common and that 80 per cent of dogs and 70 per cent of cats will have suffered from the disease by the age of two. He gave the advice on behalf of the Veterinary Medical Association, which was promoting February as Pet Dental Health Month.

She advises: "The best way to prevent periodontal disease is by regularly brushing your pet's teeth and by regularly visiting your veterinarian."

Human toothpaste should not be used to clean your pet's teeth as it is not supposed to be swallowed, so an oral gel should be used instead, according to Pet Smile.

Animal Friends are a specialist pet insurance company providing dog insurance and cat insurance to British pet owners since 1999 and we now offer horse insurance too.

Posted by Mike