Good dental care is vital to enhance and prolong your pet's life. Neglected teeth and gums can cause discomfort and bad breath and lead to difficulty in eating, loss of appetite and weight loss. Untreated dental infection can cause liver, kidney and heart disease.
Symptoms such as drooling and loss of appetite in rabbits is potentially serious and veterinary advice should be sought immediately. In addition to problems such as misaligned or unchecked growth of teeth (the latter can be a problem with rabbits and rodents if not fed correctly), dental disease is caused by a build up of of plaque on teeth and gums.
Plaque
comprises bacteria, dead cells and food. It collects on gums and the static
surface of teeth within forty eight hours of eating where it can calcify
to form tartar. Plaque is often only fully visible when stained with a
disclosing solution; tartar will form a brown deposit around gums and
on the surface of teeth. Plaque bacteria produce volatile sulphides that
cause halitosis and eventually ginigvitis and periodontitis. Healthy gums
(gingiva) are coral pink and/or pigmented. They have firm tissue that
is adapted to the tooth and do not bleed during chewing or brushing. The
gum is attached to the enamel at the base of the tooth's crown and has
a depth of up to 3mm in the dog and 1mm in the cat.
Gingivitis
Gingivitis
is inflammation of the gum (oedemus) due to irritation by plaque and tartar.
It is usually accompanied by mild halitosis and some bleeding may occur
during chewing or brushing. There is no change in the gum attachment or
bone support and the condition is completely reversable with good home
care.
Mild Periodontitis
Mild
periodontitis is caused by plaque and/or tartar with inflammation of the
periodontal ligament and migration of the gingival attachment leading
to periodontal pocket formation of up to 3mm in the dog and 1mm in the
cat. There is loss of bone at the top of the socket, up to 25% of the
root attachment. The breakdown of tooth support is irreversable but the
disease progression can be halted with periodontal treatment and good
home care.
Moderate Periodontitis
Moderate periodontitis produces gingival pockets of up to 6mm in the dog and 2mm in the cat with 25-50% loss of bone attachment and gum support and possible tooth mobility. There is a noticable build up of plaque and tartar producing significant halitosis and noticable bleeding when chewing or on brushing. The disease progression can be slowed with good veterinary and home care.
Advanced Periodontitis
Advanced
periodontitis produces periodontal pockets of more than 6mm in the dog
and 2mm in the cat with severe gingivitis and halitosis. Levels of plaque
and tartar are significant and there is more than 50% loss of bone attachment
and gum support and much tooth mobility. There are high levels of sub-gingival
infection with pus possibly exuding from the gums. Extraction of loss
of teeth is inevitable.
Preventative Care
 | 
|
Good dental care can be established from infancy with good feeding and ideally daily brushing of teeth. If started from young, dogs and cats can be very tolerant and even enjoy their teeth being cared for. Always use toothpaste for animals in the recommended dose. Never use human toothpaste.
Feed a high quality diet and include 30-50% Hills t/d (tooth diet) which has large kibbles with aligned fibres that do not shatter when bitten and that scrape deposits off teeth during chewing. Hills t/d is not suitable for puppies or kittens. In addition, dogs may be fed raw bones under supervision. Never feed cooked bones as they can splinter and cause intestinal obstruction. Also be aware that raw bones can carry infection such as salmonella and campylobacter.
A large range of dog and cat dental products are available such as kong toys, rawhide chews and enzymatic dental chews. Some dental chews may not be suitable for puppies or kittens. Dogs may be fed small amounts of raw carrot.
Rabbits and guinea pigs should be fed large quantities of fresh hay on a daily basis (at least 50% of their total diet). Their teeth are fast growing and need to be worn down by fibrous materials. Rabbits should not be allowed to feed selectively by choosing part of mixed feeds. Checking your rabbit's mouth should be part of a daily routine. For further information on good care for rabbits, please see our links page. We will be pleased to advise you on any aspect of dietary and dental care and can provide toothpaste, chews and dental toys.
Please contact us should you require information that is not available on this site or to make an appointment for a dental check.
