Feb. is Dental Health Month 3 of 4

Dental Cleanings: No your vet isn’t joking when they recommend one…pet’s teeth need love too!!!
Your vet tells you your pet needs a dental cleaning, and you think it’s a joke, right?  Well you may want to pay attention!!!  If you read our previous blogs, you are well aware that periodontal disease can have systemic effects on dogs.  This is why dental cleanings are so important to your pet’s health. 

Dental cleaning (also known as dental prophy) is routine cleaning of the teeth, just like we have performed at our dentist’s office. It involves that following steps:

• General exam prior to anesthesia
• Oral exam under anesthesia
• Calculus removal
• Subgingival (under the gum) scaling, root planning, and curettage if needed
• Tooth polishing
• Fluoride treatment
• Post dental exam
• Extractions or endodontic therapy if needed

Why does my dog have to be under anesthesia? This is an excellent question.  Anesthesia is vital to perform an adequate dental prophy.  The portion of the tooth we see is only the tip of an iceberg.  What lies under the gums is so much more important.  Anesthesia provides immobilization to clean under the gum, provide pain control, and allows us to place a tube into the trachea, so bacteria can not enter respiratory system.  Dental cleanings performed awake can cause more damage to the teeth than was present before the dog actually had a cleaning!!!  We all know anesthesia has its risks, but we take every precaution to minimize those risks.  Preanesthetic bloodwork is run to evaluate the vital organs, our licensed veterinary technicians monitor anesthesia during the procedure, IV fluids are run to maintain blood pressure and provide IV access. 
If you think about it logically, having a dental cleaning done once yearly will mean your dog is under anesthesia for shorter period of time, reduced risk of major extractions, and less cost associated with the procedure.  If you wait until the teeth are at a Stage 3-4, there is more likely going to be extractions, longer anesthesia time, and the cost will be substantially more.  I recommend starting dentals at 1 year of age….let’s keep them looking great!!! 

What is the cost of a dental cleaning?  Unfortunately, it is not possible to give an estimate until the animal is under anesthesia, and the teeth are individually evaluated.   We can give you an initial base price during exam.  Once we know if further treatment will be required, we will call you and discuss the associated costs. 

Bellows, Jan DVM, DipAVDC.  The Dental Care Series:  Toothbrushing and Dental Prophylaxis in Cats and Dogs.  2002.  www.vin.com.

Feb. is Dental Health Month 2 of 4

Staging of Periodontal Disease: Where Does Your Pet Stand??
There are four different stages of dental disease, and depending on what stage your pet is at, tooth loss can be a factor.

Stage 1: Gingivitis
Gums are red and swollen, with mild tartar starting to form. Dental cleaning and at home care can reverse the inflammation. Remember, we want the teeth and gums to never leave this stage.

Stage 2: Early Periodontitis
This is the early stage of periodontal disease, where gums are starting to recede (gingival recession). Bacteria are starting to form a layer of film on the teeth. Tartar and gingivitis will be present. You may also notice halitosis (bad breath). Dental cleaning and at home care can help to stop the progression, and are vital at this stage.

Stage 3: Moderate Periodontitis
Plaque is moderate to severe, gums are continuing to recede, and bone loss has increased to 25-50%. This is leaving sensitive parts of the tooth exposed. Halitosis will be strong, and you may notice blood on chew toys. A dental prophy is vital, and tooth extractions may be needed. Cleaning and at home care will help to save teeth that are left.

Stage 4: Advanced Periodontitis
Bone loss around the teeth is significant and greater than 50%. This can leave the jaw weak and more susceptible to fracture. The gums may bleed easily, and your pet’s mouth may become too painful to eat. Bacterial infection is severe, and has the potential to spread via the blood stream to vital organs. Halitosis will be very noticeable. Tooth extractions will be more likely, and higher in number. It is very important to not let your pet’s teeth reach this stage.

For questions on what stage your pet is at, schedule your free dental exam with our licensed veterinary technician at Hampton Cove Animal Hospital.

February is Pet Dental Health Month Part 1 of 4

Periodontal disease: The cause of stinky kisses from our furry friends.

What is periodontal disease?
Periodontal disease starts with plaque. Plaque is a layer of bacteria and yeast that colonize the teeth. The layer of bacteria (also called a biofilm) mixes with calcium, causing tartar. The tartar provides a rough surface for more plaque to accumulate. Calculus is what we can visually see building up on the teeth. The plaque on the gingiva will creep down under the gums (gingiva) forming pockets, which can break down the attachment of the tooth to the bone. This will cause the tooth to become mobile, bacteria can enter bloodstream, abscesses around the roots, and most importantly…pain. In summary, periodontal disease is inflammation of bone, gingiva, and ligaments attaching tooth to bone. Gingivitis is only inflammation of the gums, and proceeds periodontal disease. Periodontal disease can cause bacteria to enter the bloodstream.  There are proven associations between periodontal disease and systemic organ abnormalities.  Good oral health is beneficial in any treatment of systemic disease. Certain diseases and breeds can be predisposed to periodontal disease.  Examples include dogs or cats with FIV, feline leukemia virus, Cushing’s Disease, Hypothyroidism, and immune mediated diseases. Toy breeds (poodle, yorkies, Chihuahuas, etc) are more prone to periodontal disease. These animals may require multiple cleanings per year, and more aggressive at home care. As your pet’s dental disease advances anorexia, choric infections, and behavioral changes will be noticed. 

To find out where your pet stands with their dental issues, please schedule a dental exam.  Hampton Cove Animal Hospital is offering free dental exams with our licensed veterinary technicians.  Please schedule your appointment today.

How much should my pet eat?

When starting a healthy weight loss plan you first need to figure out how much your pet needs to lose.  This info can be obtained by asking your local veterinarian or licensed technician.  The second step is to decide how many calories  your pet needs and how much food/treats you can give each day.

So how do you determine how many calories a day your pet needs?

For a dog, the following formula can be a baseline for figuring out about how many calories a day your dog needs. Body weight in pounds divided by 2.2 (this will change pounds into kilograms) multiply by 30 then add 70 = the amount of calories needed daily for a healthy adult dog. 

For a cat, the formula is similar to dogs.  Body weight in pounds divided by 2.2 multiply by 30 = the amount of calories needed daily for a healthy adult cat.

After you find out about how many calories your pet needs per day, you can calculate how much to food to feed them based on the numbers on the back of your pets food bag.  Pet foods should list calorie content in the same way that human foods do.

When weight loss is the goal, remember to use your pet’s ideal weight rather than current weight when calculating calories needed each day.

For more information on food guidelines please contact us at 256-533-3385, info@covepets.com or leave a comment below.


Leptospirosis: Where’s it lurking?

Leptospirosis is a disease that can be life threatening and fatal to your pet…and you!  Leptospirosis is a disease caused by spiral shaped bacteria called leptospires.  Leptospires are spread through infected urine, which can be in water or soil especially floodwaters.   You and/or your pet become infected when the bacteria finds its way through skin, eyes, nose, and mouth.  Your pet may have been swimming, drinking, or walking through contaminated water.  Rats and wildlife can also serve as a source of infection to you or your pet.  Residential areas, including Hampton Cove, are being built on previous rural or swamp lands, which can harbor infected soil or animals.  The CDC has monitored occurrence in people, and 1/3 of cases come from contact with infected dogs, and another 1/3 come from contact with infected mice/rats, usually through field work. 

Clinical signs of leptospirosis can vary, and some pets do not have symptoms.  Common signs include fever, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, inappetance, weakness, lethargy, stiffness, and muscle pain.  If left untreated, the bacteria will settle in the kidneys causing kidney failure.  Blood testing is available if you believe your animal may have contacted this bacteria.

Leptospirosis can be treated, if caught early.  Treatment includes fluid therapy and antibiotics.  More importantly, there is a vaccine available to prevent or limit the severity of infection.  I highly recommend this vaccination to dogs who hunt or swim, and are exposed to wildlife, standing water, and rats.  This is not only to protect your four legged companion, but also to protect you and your family. 

Prevention is the key to not being infected with leptospirosis.  The following precautions are highly recommended:

• Get your pet vaccinated against leptospirosis.
• Always wash your hands after handling your pet, or anything with your pet’s urine on it.
• Wear gloves when cleaning urine if you have cuts, abrasions or are otherwise immunocompromised.
• Keep rodent problems under control.
• Clean surfaces that have come in contact with urine with antibacterial cleaning solution, or solution of 1 part bleach to 10 parts water.
• Wear gloves when gardening or handling soil.
• If you or your pet have cuts or skin abrasions, and are coming in contact with water, protect and cover the skin. 

Leptospirosis and Your Pet:  A CDC Fact Sheet. (Reviewed/Revised 2008). Retrieved       Jan 2012 from www.vin.com.  

Brooks, Wendy DVM, DipABVP.  (2011).  Leptospirosis.  Retrieved Jan 2012 from                     www.vin.com.            .