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November
brings the rainy season that helps
to beautify Oregon’s flowers and
trees. In addition, it gives us the
opportunity to spend more quality
time together. A pet with a clean,
healthy mouth and fresh breath will
help make that time more pleasant.
Keeping your pet’s mouth
disease-free is critical in
determining how many years you will
have together. We now know that pets
with healthy teeth and gums will
live 3-5 years longer than those
without a healthy mouth. To put that
in perspective consider the
following:
You
visit your doctor and he or she
mentions that a great discovery has
been made that may add 20 to 30
years to your life. All you have to
do is brush your teeth weekly and
get your teeth cleaned on a regular
basis. Would you consider doing it?
Your pet is dependent on you to give
them at least one minute of brushing
per week, as well as following
through on providing regular dental
cleanings. If you give them that,
your pet will have several extra
years to greet you with a smile and
a warm heart.
More Dental Facts
*Domestic dogs and cats are
dependent on us humans to care for
their teeth as opposed to those in
the wild. Wild dogs and cats are
classified as prehensile eaters.
These animals grab their food, bite
down once or twice to tear it loose,
rip back and swallow it. Carnivores
will chew the meat left on the bones
and in the process rub their teeth
and gums, which helps to keep them
clean. These wild dogs and cats do
not eat the left-over bones;
therefore we should not encourage
our pets to eat them.
*Waste products made from the
bacteria that live in the mouth can
cause damage to your pet’s organs.
Theses microbes also cause odor to
linger on your pet’s breath. The
bacteria, when mixed with plaque,
cause the gums to become inflamed
and bleed. This allows the germs to
enter the blood stream and attack
the kidneys, liver and heart. The
damage caused to these organs can
result in a shorter life span.
Spending one minute per week
brushing your pet’s teeth will help
reduce the number of bacteria
present in their mouth.
*Pay
attention to your pet’s gums while
cleaning their teeth. Our pet’s
teeth and gums should be as clean
and healthy as our own. If the gums
are red and inflamed or bleeding, or
if bad breath is present, it is time
to make an appointment for
professional dental care. Advances
in sedation and anesthesia allow the
dental cleaning procedure to be done
(in most cases) on an outpatient
basis.
During the month of November we will
provide up to $136.71 off the cost
of any dental procedure we perform.
We do this as a part of our
contribution to maintaining your
pet’s health through prevention.
Call 503-684-3132 to set up an
appointment. |
The Doctor's Corner ...
Sensitive Stomachs 
