Dental Care at Home

Some statistics:

• By the age of 3, 8 out of 10 dogs (80%) develop gum disease.
• 7 out of 10 cats (70%) develop gum disease during their lifetime.

When to start treatment:

As early as possible: a puppy has 28 temporary teeth and a kitten 26, which appear at 2 to 3 weeks of age. Adult teeth, 42 in dogs and 30 in cats, appear around 6 to 8 weeks of age and will replace the deciduous teeth. You may find temporary teeth in your pet’s stool or on your floor. During this phase, your pet’s gums are more sensitive to bleeding: this is normal! If the bleeding persists or seems heavy, contact the AnimaPlus team.

It is important during the period of tooth loss to provide your pet with a bone or chew toy to facilitate tooth loss and thus prevent the retention of baby teeth.

A regular dental exam at the age of two, three and four months and then once a year can help prevent many problems.

Brushing:

• Introduce toothbrushing gradually.
• The first time, dip your finger in tuna juice for cats.
• Gently and quickly rub the soaked finger over the animal's teeth and gums.
• Afterwards, use a toothbrush designed for your cat.
• Use a C.E.T. enzymatic toothpaste specially designed for animals (avoid using human toothpaste, as it may irritate the animal's stomach).
• Brush the teeth in a circular motion at the junction of the tooth and the gum. Since small teeth are more difficult to brush, you can wrap a strip of gauze around your finger and gently brush these teeth.
• Brushing sessions should be short and positive. Praise with an Uba-Vet liver treat and reassure your pet throughout the session. Avoid holding him back too much. Remember, this should be a fun activity for you and your pet.
• For cats, brushing can be difficult. You can use a mouthwash (Nolvadent) and/or a mouthwash to mix with your pet's daily drinking water (Aquadent) as a supplement, available at our establishments.

Nutrition promoting dental health:

• Avoid giving your pet table scraps, they can increase the build-up of plaque and tartar and lead to other problems.
• Feed a balanced diet. There are adult foods that are specially formulated and appropriate for teeth: Hill’s T/D or Medi-Cal Dental Formula. These foods can help reduce the build-up of plaque and tartar, in addition to preventing gingivitis.
• C.E.T. chews for cats are an excellent supplement for your pet’s dental care. Given on a regular basis, or on days when brushing is not possible, their enzymatic effect will create hypothiocyanate anions in the saliva that will prevent the formation of plaque and consequently tartar.