Periodontal Disease.

Does your dogs breathe smell?

Are the gums red or swollen?

Is there a lot of plaque build up?

Are any wobbly or even missing?

Has your dog lost its appetite or struggling more to chew bones?

If you answered yes to any of these, then they could have the start of or a serious case of periodontal disease.

So what is periodontal disease?

It’s a disease that can cause a bacterial infection in the mouth, causing gum or bone loss. Any mouth infection can be life threatening if left as it can get into the blood stream and can affect the organs.

There is typically 4 stages:

- Mild to severe plaque build up

- Mild to severe gum inflammation (Gingivitis)

- Mild periodontal disease

- Severe periodontal disease leading to gum/tooth/bone loss.

Ways to prevent periodontal disease:

- brush the dogs teeth often (our emmi-pet ultrasonic toothbrush is specially designed to remove bacteria within one session, however it takes longer to break down the plaque/tartar). You can use specific toothpaste designed for dogs as well, which most shops sell. However the ultrasound from the emmi-pet will get any bacteria that a standard brush can’t get to.

- Use specific canine products with enzymes in to help reduce plaque build up (we will be getting some highly recommended products soon!)

- Raw feeding for dogs more prone to dental disease can help as most raw foods have enzymes in which help reduce the bacteria build up, also almost all kibbles are filled with carbohydrates and sugars which can cause plaque build up. Bones are also a great natural way of dogs breaking the plaque off of their teeth while chewing on them. (I will cover raw feeding & bones in another blog soon).

What breeds are more prone to dental disease?

While it’s possible for all breeds to get dental disease, Most small breeds are more at risk due to overcrowding of teeth. Boxers, labradors, greyhounds and collies seem to also be more at risk.

What do I do if I think my dog has periodontal disease?

If you think your dog may have it, then it is best to seek veterinary treatment! They will most likely give antibiotics and then sedate them for surgical teeth cleaning operation or extraction (tooth removal) if needed.

Most pet insurance will not cover teeth cleaning or removal, as it is seen as something that can be avoided.

You can speak to us about regular teeth cleaning sessions as a preventative for periodontal disease, or reversal, if it is only in the first stage (plaque build up).