Q: My veterinarian told me that my dog needs to come in for a dental. Really? A dental for a dog? That seems absurd. I realize people need to do that but we live a lot longer than our dogs. How necessary is it to get a dental for an animal? Besides I went in for what I thought was a urinary tract infection in my dog and came out of there with meds for that and an atrocious estimate for a Stage 3 dental … whatever that is. The vet said my dog may have to lose some teeth. How will she eat?

A: Cats and dogs do need to have regular dental care. Brushing every day will help keep your animal’s teeth clean, but just like with people, brushing doesn’t get everything. Plus, let’s face it. How many of us really brush our pets’ teeth every day? I know I’m guilty of not doing it regularly.

Your veterinarian will probably mention that your animal needs a dental when they see calcification on the teeth, red gums and especially loose teeth. The stages are similar to the numbers you may hear your own dentist mention when they are probing your gums and looking at bone loss. It allows the veterinarian to decide how many possible extractions may be needed and how long a procedure can take to give you an appropriate estimate and explain how crucial the dental may be for the overall health of your animal. Bad teeth can lead to infections. The mouth is full of bacteria … you’ve seen the wonderful stuff your pets eat!  Bacteria can get into the blood system and cause other problems with your animal if it is ignored.

Some people don’t think about other ways the bacteria from an unhealthy mouth affect their animals. Dogs and cats clean themselves with their mouths. Often when an animal ends up with a urinary tract infection, the vet may also say your animal needs a dental. This is not because they are trying to soak you for every dime you are worth (although I know it seems that way sometimes). The veterinarian is really looking at the overall health of your animal. If there is a lot of bacteria in the mouth and the animal uses that mouth to clean certain areas, that can then cause that bacteria to enter those areas—hence the connection between a urinary tract infection and the need for a dental cleaning.

Extracting teeth is often a necessity when dental disease has been left too long. The teeth may be loose or have lost so much bone it is causing infection and discomfort for your animal. Cats especially are good at hiding pain, so you may not even know that the animal’s mouth hurts. Any changes in behavior or eating are a good indication to have your animal’s mouth checked. Animals can learn to eat with a lot less teeth than they originally had. Most animals don’t take a whole lot of time to chew anyway. Depending on how many teeth are extracted, you may have to modify how you feed your animal. You can add water to regular dry kibble and let it sit for approximately ten minutes in order to soften it. This is always advisable right after any extractions for at least 10–14 days (be sure to follow any instructions from your veterinarian), but may need to be continue for longer depending on your animal’s needs.

February is dental month. Most veterinarians offer discounts for dentals during this month, and often offer free dental checks just to see if your animal is in serious danger if a dental isn’t performed soon. If you still can’t afford the dental needed, you may want to check out “Helping Hands” in Richmond where they give affordable dental care. I always prefer to use my own veterinarians for any care for my animals, because I know and trust them. However, a Stage 3 dental is not something you want to put off for very long. I hope everyone will take the time to learn about dental care during dental month and start brushing those critters’ teeth regularly. Here’s to happy and healthy smiles!