Gentle Care Animal Hospital - Raleigh, NC
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February 2009 |
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Greetings!
Smile!
Did you know that February is Pet Dental Month here in the world of veterinary medicine?
To educate pet owners about the importance of
regular dental care, February has been designated
National Pet Dental Month by a partnership
between the American Veterinary Medical Association, American Veterinary Dental
Society, Academy of Veterinary Dentistry, American Veterinary Dental College,
Academy of Veterinary Dental Technicians, Veterinary Oral Health Council® and
Hill's Pet Nutrition Inc. (Whew, that's a lot of experts!)
Unfortunately, dental care
is often ignored by owners. A recent
American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) survey indicated that 66% of pet
owners fail to provide essential dental care when recommended by their
veterinarian. In fact, some studies
suggest up to 90% of cats and dogs do not receive appropriate dental care.
Experts agree that periodontal disease is the
most
prevalent disease of all cats and dogs, so what can you do to ensure your furry friend maintains a great set of pearly whites? Keep reading as Dr. Trudi Bowden introduces us to her area of expertise - dental care and technology!
Wags & Shakes,
The Doctors & Staff of Gentle Care Animal Hospital
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| Contact Us |
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By "Snail-Mail": 100 Kumar Court,
Raleigh, 27606
By Phone: 919-852-4386
By Email: Info@PetRepair.com
Online: www.PetRepair.com
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Q&A with Dr. Bowden: Dental Care at Gentle Care Animal Hospital
 Dr. Trudi Bowden grew up in the rural mountains of western North Carolina in the small town of Brevard.
She received her undergraduate degrees from Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College and Western Carolina University in medical technology and her DVM from NCSU's College of Veterinary Medicine. Because of her interest in veterinary dental care, she has devoted most of her continuing education to this subject and share her thoughts in this month's newsletter.
Dr. Bowden cites that regular preventive dental
care includes oral home care by the pet owner AND routine professional dental
care by your veterinarian.
The expenses associated with professional dental
treatment are not insignificant. However, if preventive care is ignored, the cost to the owner is often
substantially higher for management of moderate to severe dental disease. More importantly, we must acknowledge that many
of our pets are suffering in silence with undiagnosed periodontal pathology.
The following Q&A covers some of the most common questions we receive in regards to dental care. Please feel free to contact us for more information!
Q: What is periodontal disease?
A:
Periodontal disease is an inflammation of one or
more of the support structures surrounding the teeth and is caused by a buildup
of plaque over time. When compared to gingivitis, periodontitis indicates loss
of surrounding bone due to infection.
Severe Tartar/Early Periodontitis
Initially, plaque is soft and brushing or
chewing hard food, hard treats, or toys will dislodge it. If allowed to persist
and spread, plaque can lead to gingivitis, inflammation of the gums.
If left
untreated, periodontitis may cause loose, painful teeth as well as internal
disease.
Image: Dr. Jan Bellows, DVM
Q: What are the signs of periodontal disease?
A: The most common sign of periodontal disease is
halitosis or bad breath, caused by plaque (bacteria) accumulation. Experts agree periodontal disease is painful;
it is an insidious chronic inflammatory disease to which most patients
gradually adapt or cope. Some dogs and cats will have problems chewing hard
food; others will paw at their mouths.
Tragically, most will not show any obvious signs to their owners.
Q: What is the cost of a routine dental prophylaxis?
A:
The definition
of a 'dental prophylaxis' is a professional dental scaling, polishing, and
fluoride treatment to maintain healthy teeth.
Sadly, by the time most owners allow their pets to have their teeth
professionally cleaned, some degree of periodontal disease is already present
and the procedure is no longer considered 'routine'.
If
however, your pet has no periodontal disease and no fractured/missing teeth, a
routine cleaning will average less than $300.
This includes a comprehensive pre-surgical exam, IV catheter for
emergency venous access/delivery of IV fluids and other medications, anesthetic
monitoring with Pulse-oximetry, temperature, blood pressure, and EKG in select
cases, supplemental heat, premedication for pain relief/sedation, dental
probing/charting of the entire oral cavity, scaling and subgingival curettage
of all accumulated plaque/tartar, polishing of all teeth, application of an
antiseptic rinse and fluoride treatment.
Q: How often should my pets teeth be professionally cleaned?
A: The
AAHA Dental Care Guidelines recommend regular oral examinations and dental
cleanings, under general anesthesia, for all adult dogs and cats. AAHA
recommends these procedures at least annually starting at one year of age for cats and
small-breed dogs, and at two years of age for large-breed dogs.
Q: Are dental radiographs (x-rays) really necessary?
A: Radiographs of the teeth are needed periodically in order to completely
evaluate your pet's oral health. Approximately 70% of the tooth is below the
gingiva and not visible on oral exam alone.
In many cases, the surface of the tooth can appear quite healthy, while
significant disease is present in the tooth root and/or surrounding bone. Early detection can prompt treatment to
prevent the development of a painful tooth root abscess. In many cases, x-rays will
confirm the need for extraction of teeth that are loose or badly infected.
Radiographs Showing Attachment Loss
Gentle
care is proud to offer state of the art technology with Digital Dental
Radiography. This allows us to image the
entire tooth and surrounding bone with no prolonged delays for developing
traditional x-ray film while your pet is under anesthesia. In addition to reducing delay in service, the
image quality is superior and allows for earlier diagnosis of pathology below the
gum line.
Image: Dr. Jan Bellows, DVM
While this was only a brief look at dental care for your pet, Dr. Bowden has taken the time to detail more information on the subject in the GCAH blog post: February is Dental Month.
Be sure to continue reading and feel free to share the information with friends and family so that they too can ensure wonderful dental health for their pets.
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This Month at Gentle Care Animal Hospital and PetRepair.com
 December is always such a busy month here at GCAH - boarding was booked solid and Doggy Daycare was full, as to be expected with busy holiday travel schedules.
Now that the rush has calmed down, it's a great time to give Doggy Daycare a try! If your "little" buddies have been cooped up indoors, this is a great opportunity to ensure they get some much-needed exercise and canine interaction.
Call us at 919-852-4386 to reserve your play date today!
Be sure to check out our newest albums on facebook:
Don't miss any future albums, events, and news: find us on facebook and become a fan!
 From the GCAH Blog |
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As with any other preventative veterinary care, the best we can ask of clients is to be mindful of what you can do at home to ensure great dental health for your furry friends. As a Valentine's treat, Dr. Bowden has shared her own tips for Dental Care at Home for Your Pet. Please feel free to bring your dental questions and concerns to your next visit or drop us a comment on any of our dental blog posts! As always, we hope you enjoyed this edition of the Gentle Care Animal Hospital eNewsletter! If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us via email at Info@PetRepair.com or during normal business hours at 919-852-4385. We look forward to seeing you and your furry friends soon! Sincerely,
The Doctors and Staff of
Gentle Care Animal Hospital
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