Ask the vet's pets: February is National Pet Dental Health Month

Dear Christopher Cat: My cat was diagnosed with periodontal disease and needs to have her teeth cleaned. What exactly is periodontal disease?

Christopher responds:

By age 2, 70 percent of cats have periodontal disease. It is the most commonly diagnosed and most undertreated medical problem we cats face.

Periodontal disease occurs in two stages: gingivitis and periodontitis.

Gingivitis, the initial stage, is characterized by reddened and sometimes swollen gums. It is reversible through dental prophylaxis (cleaning and polishing), followed by home care.

Without treatment, gingivitis progresses to periodontitis, an inflammation of the tooth's supporting structures, including the connective tissue, periodontal ligament, the cementum covering the root and the bone that forms the tooth socket. Periodontitis is irreversible but still responds to treatment.

Periodontal disease begins when oral bacteria adhere to teeth, forming plaque. Daily brushing removes plaque before minerals in the saliva can harden it into calculus, or tartar.

Plaque bacteria secrete toxins that destroy dental structures, leading to recession of the gums with root exposure, pocket formation and bone loss.

Worse, these oral bacteria circulate in the blood to distant organs, causing kidney, liver and heart disease. So treatment of periodontal disease is an essential part of keeping your cat healthy.

February is National Pet Dental Health Month, the ideal time to have your veterinarian address your pet's oral health.

Dear Daisy Dog: Lulu, my 12-year-old Yorkshire terrier, broke one of her lower canine teeth. Does the tooth need to be repaired, or will she be OK without treatment?

Daisy responds: Treatment is probably necessary, or infection may invade the pulp cavity and give Lulu a nasty toothache.

Your veterinarian can examine her and advise you about treatment options. Be prepared for your vet to recommend a root canal and refer you to a veterinary dentist.

The other treatment option is to extract the tooth, which carries some risks.

First, our canine teeth, which look like long fangs, have equally long roots that stabilize the jaw and provide much of the lower jaw's strength, especially in a small-breed dog with a tiny jaw. Removing a lower canine tooth weakens the jaw, predisposing it to fracture either during the extraction or later, when chewing hard food or a toy.

Also, without a lower canine tooth, the tongue hangs out, and most dogs drool.

If Lulu's lower canine tooth does need to be extracted because of severe periodontal disease or a tooth root abscess, many veterinary dentists will graft bone into the jaw to reduce the risk of fracture associated with chewing.

Ask the Vet's Pets appears Friday in the print edition of the Reading Eagle. The animal authors of the column live with Lee Pickett, V.M.D., who practices companion animal medicine at Bernville Veterinary Clinic. Contact them at www.askthevetspets.com, 610-488-0166 or P.O. Box 302, Bernville, PA 19506-0302.

Source: http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=448427

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