Brushing Your Pet's Teeth Can be as Easy as A-B-C, 1-2-3

When you schedule the kids for a back-to-school visit to the dentist, make an appointment for your other child as well-your pet. More and more Americans view their pets as children, and just like children, cats and dogs can have gum disease, cavities, and plaque build-up. Yet with regular exams and proper home care, Fido and Fluffy need not be afraid of a visit to the dentist's chair.

Too often we overlook the need for dental care for our pets. Untreated teeth can cause serious problems in the pet's overall health.

Periodontal disease is the number one dental problem in dogs and cats, often develop defects below the gumline which may be hard to detect. As in humans, abscessed teeth or periodontal disease can affect other parts of the body. In dogs and cats, they can cause heart and kidney disease.

A regular veterinary dental checkup can help prevent serious problems and keep your pet healthy. Pet teeth cleaning includes use of a short-lasting anesthetic that allows for gumline probes, removal of tartar and tooth polishing. A good way to remember to schedule a dental exam is to combine it with your pet's annual booster vaccinations.

Equally important to annual dental exams is home dental care, such as brushing your pet's teeth at least three times per week. Brushing your pets teeth is recommended for both younger and older animals, although it's easier to start brushing when the pet is young.

Home care can be improved by feeding your pet an unmoistened dry pet food and offering hard biscuits after each meal. Both dry food and hard biscuits produce abrasion to help keep plaque to a minimum on the crown of each tooth.

Pet owners are encourage to regularly examine their pet's teeth for signs of periodontal disease, such as brownish colored teeth; swollen, red, or bleeding gums; persistent bad breath; loose teeth or loss of teeth; pus between the gums and teeth; broken teeth; and any unusual growth in the mouth. Reluctance to eat, play with chew toys, or drink cold water are warning signs of periodontal or gum disease."

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Neutering Your Pet: Your role as a responsible pet owner

We know that your pet is very important to you. A companion, a friend, and in a real sense a member of your family. In order to reduce the number of animals ending up in shelters or being euthanized. Animal Care Centers' encourages you to discuss neutering your pet with either of the veterinarians on staff. Together you can work as a team to help reduce the number of unwanted and abandoned animals..

Both male and female dogs and cats are mature enough to reproduce between the ages of six to nine months.

Female dogs generally go through an estrus or heat cycle every six months. This is accompanied by a proestrus or bleeding cycle prior to her true heat cycle in which she is very receptive to the advances of male dogs. This heat cycle may last for several days or up to three or four weeks. Often female dogs will experience some personality changes during heat cycles such as becoming short-tempered or anxious.

Female cats come into heat cycles every three to four weeks during certain times of the year. Many female cats will become nervous during these heat cycles and exhibit unusual behaviors such as rolling on the floor, furtively hiding, or wanting constant attention. Female cats often become quite vocal, too, meowing plaintively through their cycle.

Surgical neutering of female dogs and cats called ovariohysterectomy, completely eliminates all heat cycles and the accompanying unwanted bleeding cycle, nervousness, and desire to mate. Neutering your female dog or cat will also protect your pet from uterine infections and other diseases as well as difficult or dangerous pregnancies. Studies show that by neutering your female dog before her first heat cycle, you can greatly reduce her chances of developing mammary cancer later in life. The surgery includes the removal of the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and uterus.

Most male dogs and cats are ready and willing to reproduce by the time they are six to 12 months of age. There are able to breed consistently throughout the year or whenever they are exposed to a receptive female. Both male dogs and cats are prone to wander in search of romance and find themselves exposed to fighting with another animals or dangers such as cars. In addition, male cats are well-known to mark their territories by spraying ordorous urine on furniture, walls, shrubs, etc. Male dogs are sometimes equally anxious to mark their territories.

Surgical neutering of male dogs and cats, called orchiectomy, eliminated any reproductive behavior and reduces urine odor and the desire to spray. Your male dog or cat will continue to have his own unique personality. He will be less likely to roam and enjoy staying at home more. The surgery removes the testicles.

Deciding when is the best time to neuter your pet is a decision you should discuss with your veterinarian

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Caring For Your Pet Bird

Advances in the domestic breeding and rearing of birds has led to an improved availability of healthy, tame, young birds. This increased availability has dramatically increased the popularity of birds as pets. For many people, the company of beautiful, unique, and possible talking pets can make keeping birds an attractive alternative to other pets.

Selection
The personalities, housing, and dietary needs of the different types of birds must be considered by the prospective bird owner. To select a healthy bird, look for these characteristics:

Shivering, ruffled feathers, shut eyes, and inactivity often mean a health problem. All new pet birds should be checked by your veterinarian, if possible, before the sale is final.

Cages: The type and size of the cage should be carefully matched for each bird. If a cage is too small or the bars too widely spaced, the bird's wings may be injured or the pet may escape. The cage must be made of nontoxic materials that can withstand the abuse of heavy chewing. It also must be secured so that it is not easily knocked over.

Food dishes: Within the cage, food and water cups must be anchored. Dishes also should be kept clean and free of any droppings.

Perches: Perches of the proper size, material, and position are essential. Using a variety of perch diameters keeps the feet and legs in good condition. Sand paper perch covers can cause sores and are best avoided.

Bedding: Newspapers (not colored), paper towels, or brown paper are the preferred bedding materials. These materials are inexpensive and allow droppings to be easily observed for problems. To minimize the bird's exposure to bacteria and fungi, the bedding should be changed daily.

Cleaning: The cage and all of its contents should be cleaned regularly with mild soap followed by thorough rinsing. Stronger disinfectants approved by your veterinarian may be used periodically.

Temperatures: Healthy birds can adapt to any comfortable room temperature. However, sudden, dramatic changes in temperature can cause chilling.

Poisons: Many common household items can be poisonous to birds. Some of these items include fumes from overheated Teflon cookware, tobacco smoke, paints that contain lead, chemical cleaners, insecticides, many aerosol products, and certain houseplants.

Veterinary care: Birds hide illness quite well. Often, owners don't even realize that a bird is sick until it's almost too late. By the time a bird shows symptoms, it may have been sick for a long time. Owners should be aware of any subtle change in the bird's behavior. Slight decreases in appetite or activity may signal an illness requiring medical care. It is always best to catch problems early, and as with most pets, bird benefit from an annual physical examination by your veterinarian.

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Pet Dental Care is Important

Meat Toothpaste: Dental care can add as much as five years to your pet's life.
Chloe, a five-year-old cocker spaniel, has a happy smile---but it wasn't always that way. When her owner, Brenda, noticed Chloe's lack of energy and an odor coming from her mouth, she took her to see Dr. Kandra Jones at Mandarin Veterinary Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. Dr. Jones discovered a severe case of tartar buildup which, through a series of events, turned into a gum infection. The gum infection led to a bone infection, which resulted in tumor-like swelling. Through a combination of laser and traditional surgery, Dr. Jones was able to remove the infected cells, and with a regimen of antibiotics, ensured the infection did not return. Chloe's mouth has been pronounced healthy and clean, and Brenda agrees. "Chloe's teeth are in great shape, now. She's really just a different dog. She has so much energy." But the surgeries could have been avoided with just a little dental care.

Dental care is a little known yet absolutely necessary component of caring for your pets. By the age of three, some 80 percent of all dogs and 70 percent of all cats show signs of dental disease, which can lead to the more serious problems of heart, lung, and kidney disease. Fido's dog breath and Tabby's tuna breath aren't something to be ignored---they are probably indicative of an oral problem, and the sooner you have it treated by your veterinarian (and learn to care for it yourself), the sooner you and your pet can smile proudly.

The stages and faces of oral disease
Periodontal disease---an infection of the tissue surrounding the teeth---takes hold in progressive stages. Plaque and tartar form naturally when food remains in the cracks and crevices of the teeth, especially at the gum line. (Because canned food tends to stick more easily to the surfaces of the teeth, it is somewhat more likely to cause plaque than dry food. But any food will cause problems if the teeth are never cleaned.) At this stage the plaque is still soft, and brushing or chewing hard food and toys can dislodge it. If left to spread, plaque can lead to gingivitis---an inflammation of the gums---causing them to become red and swollen and to bleed easily.

Plaque soon hardens into tartar that forms a wedge separating the tooth from the gum. At this point plaque can grow below the gum line, causing more damage, and professional cleaning is needed to help manage it. If the plaque and tartar buildup continue unchecked, pus can form at the root of the tooth and the tooth becomes impacted. In the final stages of periodontal disease, the tissues surrounding the tooth are killed, the bony socket holding the tooth in erodes, and the tooth falls out. This is a very painful process for your four-legged friend, but the problems can be averted before they even start.

Put my fingers where?
Your veterinarian should perform a dental exam along with a puppy or kitten's routine booster vaccines at two, three, and four months old, and annually thereafter. In between exams, you are responsible for maintaining your pet's dental health---but the process is not as scary as it may seem. By starting slowly and gradually introducing your pet to the concept of teeth cleaning, the two of you can even learn to enjoy your sessions together.

The first step is to determine your pet's current state of mouth cleanliness (see "Identifying dental disease"). A healthy mouth will have clean, smooth, white teeth surrounded by firm, pink gum tissue. Can't stand the smell to get close enough to look? You may want to take Tabby to your veterinarian for a thorough cleaning---starting with a clean slate, so to speak, can make your daily cleanings a bit easier.

Brush-a, brush-a, brush-a
Try to clean your pet's teeth and gums once a day, if possible, and preferably after he eats. The most important area to focus on is the gum line, where bacteria and food mix to form plaque. To customize a fearful Fido or timid Tabby to the idea of dental care, start slowly and gradually. Dip a finger into beef bouillon (for Fido) or tuna water (for Tabby), and gently rub along the gums and teeth. Focusing on the gum line, start at the front of the mouth, then move to the back upper and lower teeth and gum areas. Once your pet is okay with a little bit of touching, gradually introduce gauze over your finger, and rub the teeth and gums in a circular fashion.

When your four-legged friend can handle that, try it with a toothbrush specially designed for pets, or a very soft, ultra-sensitive toothbrush designed for people. Gradually add special dog/cat toothpaste (flavored with meat or fish), but never use people toothpaste or baking soda, as both will upset your pet's stomach. The entire process should only take a minute or two. If Fido or Tabby continue to resist, try gently wrapping them in a large bath towel with only the head out. Above all, avoid overstraining and keep sessions short and positive. With plenty of praise and reassurance, your dental sessions can bring the two of you closer---a closeness that won't be marred by the perils of dog breath.

Cleaning the inside surfaces of the teeth

Identifying dental disease (without opening the mouth!)
If pet jerks away or seems to be in pain, consider having your veterinarian perform the exam.

Signs of periodontal disease