FEBRUARY IS NATIONAL PET DENTAL HEALTH MONTH

MOST CATS AND DOGS NEED PROFESSIONAL TEETH CLEANING BY AGE 4. CHECK-UPS AND

PREVENTIVE CARE ARE NECESSARY FOR YOUR PET'S OVERALL HEALTH. YOUR VETERINARIAN WILL CHECK YOUR PET'S TEETH DURING THE TWICE YEARLY EXAMS. IDEALLY, DENTAL CARE SHOULD ALSO BE A PART OF YOUR DAILY ROUTINE UR DOG AND YES, EVEN WITH YOUR CAT.

OPEN WIDE

SNIFF FOR "DOGGY" BREATH, EVEN IN CATS. BAD BREATH IS A SIGN THAT SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT.

EXAMINE THE GUMS. HEALTHY GUMS ARE PINK. RED, SWOLLEN OR BLEEDING GUMS NEED

ATTENTION.

NOTE ANY YELLOW OR BROWN STAINS. PLAQUE IS YELLOW AND CAN BE BRUSHED AWAY. PLAQUE TURNS INTO TARTAR WHICH IS BROWN AND CAN ONLY BE REMOVED BY PROFESSIONAL CLEANING. BOTH PLAQUE AND TARTAR TEND TO BE WORSE AROUND THE GUM LINE AND ON THE BACK TEETH.

LOOK FOR ANY CRACKED, LOOSE, MISSING OR LOOSE TEETH. GENTLY PRESS ON A TOOTH TO

DETERMINE IF IT IS LOOSE.

CHECK FOR LESIONS. CATS IN PARTICULAR ARE PRONE TO DEVELOPING PAINFUL EROSIONS WHICH CAN REACH THE PULP OF THE TOOTH.

*NOTE ANY PERSISTENT BEHAVIOR THAT INCLUDES: DROOLING, DIFFICULTy EATING OR CHEWING, LOSS OF APPETITE AND/OR WEIGHT LOSS, SWELLING AT JAW LINE OR CHEEKS AND PAWING AT MOUTH.*

PREVENTION STARTS AT HOME

BRUSH YOUR PET'S TEETH ON A REGULAR BASIS. USE A TOOTHBRUSH DESIGNED FOR PET USE

AND TOOTHPASTE THAT IS ESPECIALLY FORMULATED FOR ANIMAL USE. HUMAN TOOTHPASTE

CAN UPSET YOUR PET'S STOMACH. YOU CAN ALSO USE A FINGER BRUSH OR A WET WASH

CLOTH TO REMOVE PLAQUE.

GIVE YOUR PET APPROPRIATE CHEW TREATS. RAWHIDES ARE NEVER RECOMMENDED! ACCEPTABLE TREATS INCLUDE: GREENIES (CAT AND DOG), CET CHEWS, lAMS TARTAR CONTROL, NUTRISENTIALS FELINE TARTAR CONTROL TREATS, PURINA DENTAL CHEWS, SCIENCE DIET T/D (CAT AND DOG) AND VETRADENT CANINE CHEWS. LOOK FOR A VOHC (VETERINARY ORAL HEALTH COUNCIL) SEAL OF APPROVAL.

FEED HARD OR COARSE TEXTURED FOOD. FOODS PRODUCED BY lAMS AND EUKANUBA CONTAIN

DAILY DENTAL CARE, WHICH SLOWS TARTAR BUILD-UP. OTHER DENTAL DIETS INCLUDE THE SCIENCE DIET ORAL CARE AND THE ROYAL CANIN DENTAL DIET.

BREATHALYZER PLUS IS A WATER ADDITIVE FOR CATS AND DOGS. THIS PRODUCT HELPS

MAINTAIN ORAL HYGIENE AND DECREASES BAD BREATH. IT DOES NOT REPLACE THE NEED FOR

PROFESSIONAL CLEANINGS.

THE 10 PUREBRED DOGS AT HIGHEST RISK FOR PERIODONTAL DISEASE

TOY POODLE

SHETLAND SHEEPDOG

DACHSHUND

YORKSHIRE TERRIER

CAVALIER KING CHARLES SPANIEL MALTESE

MALTESE

PAPILLON

HAVANESE

POMERANIAN

DID YOU KNOW.............

DOGS HAVE 28 BABY TEETH WHICH START TO APPEAR AT ABOUT 4-5 WEEKS OF AGE AND ARE COMPLETELY IN BY 6-8 WEEKS?

PUPPIES BEGIN TO LOST THER BABY TEETH AT ABOUT 4 1/2 MONTHS OF AGE?

BY 6-7 MONTHS OF AGE, ALL PERMANENT TEETH ARE IN?

DOGS HAVE 42 PERMANENT TEETH?

CATS HAVE 26 BABY TEETH WHICH START TO APPEAR AT ABOUT 2 1/2 WEEKS OF AGE AND ARE IN BY 6 WEEKS OF AGE?

KITTENS BEGIN TO LOSE BABY TEETH AT 3 1/2 MONTHS?

BY 6 MONTHS OF AGE, ALL PERMANENT TEETH ARE IN?

CATS HAVE30 PERMANENT TEETH?