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Having a pet is a good addition to any household. For those who have pets, especially if you are a new owner, you may have a few queries about their dental health. Common household pets like cats and dogs use their teeth to maneuver around in a very different way from humans. For this reason, they face a myriad of dental issues.


Frequently asked questions for dental care for pets may include:

 

When Do Pets Lose Their Teeth?

Adult cats and dogs have thirty and forty-two teeth, respectively. As your pets grow from their puppy or kitten-hood, they lose their baby teeth and grow permanent ones as they age. Their incisors start falling off at around the age of sixteen weeks. The fangs or canine teeth fall out at around 6 months old.

 

The fallen teeth are hard to find around the house. This is because your pet may swallow or lose them while walking outside. Normally, this is no cause for alarm unless you notice a change of behavior in your pet.

 

What Dental Ailments Do Pets Suffer?

Most pets may at one time suffer from periodontal disease. This disease occurs when there is a buildup of tartar and plaque below your pet’s gumline. The buildup causes inflammation of their gums as well as the loss of bone structure in their teeth.

 

Visit your local veterinarian if you suspect that your pet may need some dental observation. Most vets will assign a grade to the level of infection to help them keep track of proceeding dental appointments.

 

Do You Have to Clean Your Pet’s Teeth?

If you love your pet, you must look after their dental hygiene. Just like humans, they develop plaque bacteria when their teeth stay without cleaning. Use the same action you use to brush your teeth on your pet to reduce the presence of plaque in their teeth. Do not use your toothpaste to do this. Human toothpaste can cause them to develop stomach upsets.

 

Instead, use a cat or dog-specific toothpaste that you can purchase from your local pet store or vet. You may take your pet to your vet for periodical professional teeth cleaning. The frequency of teeth cleaning for dogs depends on their size, while cats need it at least once a year.

 

What Causes Pets to Break Their Teeth?

Most vets will tell you that the most common dental issues in their cuddly patients involve teeth that are broken or contain fractures. These can occur from hard toys, ice, bones, and many other things that your pet encounter daily. These fractures do not normally extend to the pulp canal of your pet’s teeth.

 

In worse cases, when the fracture goes beyond the pulp canal, it exposes the nerve endings and blood vessels. Antibiotics may help to counter any infections that may occur.

 

Does Your Pet Need Anesthesia?

Your pet needs anesthesia during cleaning and when undergoing dental X-rays. Some pet owners do not agree with using anesthesia on their pets. Though they may not show it, your pets feel pain when undergoing dental procedures.

 

Learn more about pet dental health, contact Bergen County Veterinary Center in Waldwick, New Jersey at (201) 205-2500 to book an appointment today.