You know how it works, don’t you? You brush and floss regularly, and see your dentist twice a year for checkups. What about your dog, though? He has teeth too, right? What do you do to ensure your dog’s dental health?
You may have heard it said that dogs don’t have the same dental issues we have, and that when their teeth decay, they don’t feel pain the same way that we do. This is absolutely wrong.
Your dog most certainly can have, and possibly does have dental issues. Any dog can develop a cavity, break a tooth, or experience another issue, and he or she most certainly does experience pain when decay occurs. So, how are you going to ensure your beloved dog’s dental health?
Take Your Dog to the Vet
Take Your Dog to the VetDental problems in your dog are much the same as your own. Your dog can develop dental issues that can create other health problems, and also develop health problems that can lead to dental issues. Your dog’s teeth and gums, the same as yours, should be checked out at least once a year in order to identify problems and prevent them.
So, just like you go to a dentist whenever you need treatment, now you know that you have to do the same for your pet. Dental treatments are essentially the same, whether they are performed on humans or on dogs. The purpose is the same – to ease pain and restore dental health.
About Veterinary Dentistry
Veterinary dentistry involves the cleaning of your dog’s teeth, as well as any adjustments or repairs that may be necessary. If your dog needs a filling, an extraction, or another type of repair, it will have to be done by a veterinarian.
Now, you know that if your technician identifies any problems in your mouth, he or she will refer you to the dentist. It is much the same with your dog. The technician will clean your dog’s teeth and perform a routine oral exam. If anything out of the ordinary is found, like decay below the gumline, then the vet will become involved. If gum disease is identified, then your pet may need treatment like root planing and scaling.
Identifying Dental Problems
So, how do you identify dental problems in your dog? It is essentially the same way as you identify those issues in yourself. You need to look for bad breath, broken or discolored teeth, reduced appetite or swelling in the mouth. Also, if your dog has become unusually irritable, it could be an indication of dental problems.
Cavities are considerably less common in pets than they are in humans, but they do occur, and when they do, they can be very painful. Keep in mind, too, that even the best dog, if suffering from a dental cavity, may bite out of pain and frustration, so explore carefully.
If your pet does have a dental issue, then your vet can treat it in much the same way as you have your own dental issues dealt with, with local anesthesia to numb the pain during treatment. Your pet does not have to suffer with dental issues, and most pet dental issues can be dealt with as easily as human dental issues once they are identified.
If you think that your pet has dental issues, then the best thing you can do is book an appointment with your vet to have them diagnosed and dealt with. Remember that your pet cannot say to you “My teeth hurt.” It is up to you to identify the problem and deal with it.
Why would someone think that dogs don’t feel pain when they have tooth decay? They have nerve endings after all, so when the outer tooth rots, they will be irritated, just like in a human’s mouth. While I’m new to being a dog owner, I am planning on taking him to get his teeth cleaned and checked regularly. I do not want him to live with that kind of pain.
It’s so important to keep up with your dog’s dental care. Thanks for the comment!