February is pet dental health month, just like we regularly clean and check our teeth and gums, it is important to do the same for our pets!
Here are 6 tips to help prevent dental problems and keep your pets' mouth clean and healthy:
- Regular checks: It is important you regularly check your pets' teeth and gums. Either research online or discuss with your vet how to properly check your pet's mouth. Some common signs of dental problems include: swelling, red gums, discolouration and bad breath, if you notice any of these contact your vet and get your pets mouth checked out.
- Veterinary checks: When your pet goes for their regular vet checks, the vet should carry out an examination of your pets' teeth and gums, this helps to spot any problems and treat them. Some pets may need regular scaling of their teeth which needs to be carried out by a professional such as your vet.
- Brushing teeth: Although it may be hard to keep up with this daily, you should try to brush your pets' teeth a few times a week. Doing this will help remove plaque and prevent the risk of dental diseases.
- Avoid sugary treats: When choosing which treats to give you pet, try and stick to healthy ones and only give sugary ones occasionally. Sugary treats are not only bad for your pets mouth, as they contain high calories, it can cause other problems such as weight gain.
- Diet: Some diets are specifically made to help with keeping your pets' teeth and gums healthy. They are designed to scrape plaque away whilst your pet is eating and some include ingredients to prevent plaque from clinging to your pets' teeth. It’s best to discuss with a pet nutritionist or vet which diet is best suited to your pets’ individual needs.
- Dental chews and toys: Chewing not only prevents boredom, it can also help your pets’ teeth and jaw. As above, they help with scraping plaque away and help exercise the jaw muscles. Small mammals and rodents teeth constantly grow, dental chews are a great option to help wear down their teeth and scrape ant plaque away.
I have a Level 2 Diploma in Animal Care, a Level 3 Extended Diploma in Animal Management and in 2020 I gained a BSc (Hons) in Animal Science and Welfare. Alongside my education, I have been fortunate enough to work in a local zoo, an owl sanctuary, and a dog grooming parlour. I have had various pets over the years such as fish, hamsters, rabbits, cats, and dogs. I currently have a 10-year-old cat Marley who I have had since he was a kitten. My experience and education within the animal industry has provided me with a wealth of knowledge that I'm excited to use to write content for We Love Pets and share it with the public to help them understand the health and welfare of their pets.
Topics:
health,
pet care,
pet health,
dental health,
pet facts
.png)
