- Has your pet had a dental check up recently? Cats are masters at hiding pain and illness, dental discomfort included, until the disease process is quite advanced.
Approximately 50% of adult cats suffer from painful resorptive lesions on their teeth, at some point in their life. Feline resorptive lesions or “neck lesions” often develop at the base or neck of the tooth, where the tooth meets the gumline. In this process, the outer surface of the tooth (enamel) is attacked by cells called odontoclasts which slowly destroy the tooth, causing resorption. Eventually, the resorption spreads to the inside layers of the tooth, exposing the blood supply and nerve. Although there are many theories, it remains unknown what causes feline tooth resorption. Many cats that we recommend dentals for still eat and play at home, so their owners are often unaware of any issues. Our comprehensive examinations include a dental check up so we can address problems early on, when they are easier to treat and less costly.
Read more about resorptive lesions here. - Signs of dental disease to watch for are
- bad breath
- pawing at mouth or rubbing mouth on various objects
- chewing food on one side only or picking up and dropping kibble
- decreased appetite
- droolin
- decrease in energy, less playful
- eating less
- weight loss
- At Central Cat Hospital, we offer professional dental cleanings which include full mouth dental X-rays, IV fluid therapy, and dental extractions with freezing. Our veterinarian carefully examines all the teeth while the patient is anaesthetized, and the necessary dental treatments are performed. Meanwhile, your kitty is kept warm and toasty wrapped up in our thermal warming blanket “the hot dog”. The entire time, our registered veterinary technicians are closely monitoring the heart and respiration rate, blood pressure and temperature.
- During the month of February and March, receive 10% off the price of a complete cleaning! You will also receive a dental goody bag, compliments of Royal Canin.
- We offer several home care options at home to prevent the build up of plaque and tartar. These include:
- Tooth brushing. This is the gold standard for dental hygiene at home. Just like humans, it is recommended to brush your cat’s teeth daily in order to remove plaque. It is best to start brushing the teeth when they are clean (right after a dental, when kittens) Do not attempt to brush your cat’s teeth if they already have tartar and gingivitis – brushing will not remove plaque and will be unpleasant for your cat.
Healthy Mouth. This all natural water additive promotes oral health and fresh breath by inhibiting bacteria and plaque.- Dental diets. These foods are specially formulated to clean the teeth when a cat bites into the fibre matrix of the kibble. Some are even coated with enzymes that act like toothpaste and mouthwash!
- Other products available are enzymatic flavoured toothpastes (pet safe and tasty), dental chews and oral cleansing gels. We can assist you in choosing the right product for your individual pet!
Sunday, February 12, 2017
Dental health impacts overall health
by Central Cat Hospital
February is dental health awareness month. It’s our responsibility to keep you informed about what you can do to maintain your precious pet’s pearly whites! In addition to causing pain, bacteria associated with dental disease can actually harm a cat’s internal organs over time, such as the heart, liver and kidneys.
