It's good to smile

This week Tiny Zeus – known as TZ – came to the clinic. This is always a big affair because TZ is a seven-year-old, proud and beautiful Great Dane, weighing in at 50 kg.

TZ came to the clinic to have his teeth cleaned. This is generally done under light anaesthetic. It’s important that dogs’ teeth are checked regularly and it was good to note that TZ’s teeth were not half as bad as some dogs that come in with severe gum and teeth problems. A lot more care is needed in this area.

Teeth are the only exterior part of the body which does not naturally shed their surface; therefore, they are not self-cleaning and are prone to getting covered by a thin, soft and sticky film which comprises a mixture of biological material and bacteria. This is pale yellow in colour and is known as dental plaque.

If left undisturbed, mineralisation of dental plaque transforms it into tartar, which is darker, thicker, harder, and less easily removed.  A build-up of bacteria occurs beneath the tartar, which causes inflammation of the gums. It is also a possible way of entry and colonisation by bacteria in other parts of the body such as internal organs.

Inflammation of the gum (gengivitis) causes these to recede, which is not only painful, but also exposes the roots of the teeth. This can and will eventually cause tooth loss.  All this manifests itself with the obvious symptoms of bad breath, trouble with eating and chewing, and sore or bleeding gums.

It is estimated that over 80 per cent of dogs and cats above three years of age have dental problems.
Although it is known that different breeds tend to have different build-up rates of tartar, both dogs and cats should have their teeth checked during their bi-annual check-up.

In my experience, the smaller the breed the more build-up prevails, but top of the list for tartar formation and tooth decay is the Greyhound – this is because of the soft diets racing Greyhounds are given and the poor layering of enamel coating on their teeth.

The best way to reduce build-up of plaque on your pet’s teeth is to brush them on a regular basis. In order to be effective this should be done at least three times a week.  Do not use human toothpaste as this is not ideally formulated for dogs and cats. There are special pet toothpastes attractively flavoured to help reduce your pet’s anxiety.

It would be a good idea to get your pet used to having its teeth brushed from an early age; there are finger toothbrushes to help you in the process.  There are special dental diets for pets. In combination with certain ingredients which contribute towards the reduction of plaque mineralisation, the shape and fibre content of these diets exert a mechanical action on tartar formation.  There are also various edible and non-edible dental chews and treats on the market which claim to reduce the amount of plaque and tartar build-up whilst improving your pet’s breath. Most of these products need to be given on a regular basis to be effective.

If you decide on one of these treatments, you need to find the right match for your dog according to how aggresively it chews and how large it is.  When it comes to chews, you need to consider the added calories and cost of upkeep. Some chews are better than others. I’m not particularly keen on hard-compressed chews or hard bones as parts of these may be broken off, ingested, and cause injury or blockage.

There are a number of dog toys which are shaped and formulated to reduce tartar formation; again, make sure toys are of good quality.  There also a number of natural remedies. One which is increasingly gaining importance for both dogs and cats is derived from a specially selected seaweed. The seaweed comes ready pulverised and is administered by sprinkling over food.

No matter what form, single or multiple, of dental hygene product you decide upon, none of these substitute your veterinarian’s tooth and mouth check-up.  With TZ’s teeth cleaning session over and his owner happy that he could once again resume his ‘close’ relationship with his dog, it was time for the dog to go home – not quite as happy as his owner, but certainly smelling better.

Dr Martin Debattista
Veterinary Surgeon

thisweekwiththevet@gmail.com