Healthy Set, Happy Pet!

August is Pet Dental Month!

We will be running a pet dental month promotion throughout August to raise awareness of pet dental problems, prevention and treatment and the importance of thorough dental examinations.

An initiative of the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA), the aim of the campaign titled – Healthy set, happy pet - is to educate pet owners about the benefits of annual dental health checks and the importance of a thorough dental examination to help prevent gum disease.

Four out of five dogs and cats over the age of three years have some sort of dental disease which may go unnoticed by their owners.

Pets often won’t show pain. Even pets with sore gums, infected mouths and broken teeth will continue to eat so owners may not see any problems.

So, how can you tell if your dog or cat is in the early stages of dental disease?

Your pet’s breath should not smell bad. Bad breath is a sign of infection. Gums may be red and inflamed and the teeth stained with tartar or they may start dropping food.

It’s in the best interests of your pet to have them examined and treated for dental disease while they are unconscious. This ensures they experience no pain and are not placed under unnecessary stress. It also means that owners get the best value from their pet’s oral health exam because it is thorough and investigates everything above and below the gum line.

At home, we also recommend regular tooth brushing and many cats and dogs can be trained to enjoy having their teeth brushed, especially if you start at an early age.

About 80 per cent of adult animals have some degree of dental disease, which becomes more severe with age.

During August we will be providing free dental health checks performed by our experienced nursing staff. These checks aim to give you an estimate of your pet's dental health status, a full examination can only be performed under general anaesthetic.

Please phone the clinic to book your free dental health check!

Information is also available on the AVA website at www.ava.com.au/dental-month.