February is National Pet Dental Month!

Some of the most common but least treated diseases that cause discomfort and potentially serious health concerns in pets are periodontal diseases like gingivitis and periodontitis. Unlike many other diseases that animals are only prone to based on their genetics, environment, or other circumstances, periodontal diseases (AKA dental diseases) will, with total certainty, eventually affect any animal who is not treated preventatively. This is because such diseases are usually nothing more than the result of teeth that are not regularly cleaned.

When plaque is allowed to build up on an animal’s teeth, it eventually hardens and turns into tartar, which can’t be removed by a simple brushing of the teeth. The bacteria that live in this stubborn substance (and there are a lot of them…over 1 trillion bacteria in a single milligram of plaque!) release toxins that eat away at the surface of the tooth, eventually making their way into the pulp and root, and consequently causing infections and entering the bloodstream. Possible results of this bacterial free-for-all include abscessed teeth, from advanced bacterial infection of the tooth itself; tooth loss, from the bacteria compromising a tooth’s root; or even a fractured jaw, when the bacteria begin to eat away at the bone, thus weakening it. Plus, bacteria that make their way into the bloodstream can cause irreparable damage to an animal’s internal organs, leading to heart disease, lung damage, and decay to the tissue of the kidneys and liver.

Veterinary dental treatment, as with human dental treatment, tends to get more expensive as the issue is neglected for longer periods of time. Therefore, Linwood Animal Clinic encourages its clients to brush their pets’ teeth as often as possible. (It’s actually a lot easier than you’d think if you take your time getting your pet used to it…just ask us next time you’re here!) But, if you’ve never been told the dangers of dental disease and your nine-year-old pet has never had its teeth cleaned or examined, it’s possible that a dental procedure could be costly.

Luckily, February is National Pet Dental Health Month, and Linwood Animal Clinic is offering 10% off of all dental procedures for the whole month! As an added incentive to take charge of your pet’s dental health, if you schedule the procedure before the first of the month, dental X-rays (normally one of the heftier charges associated with tooth cleaning) will be free! If you’re not sure about the state of your pet’s teeth, you can schedule a dental exam, and the $32.95 cost of that visit will be subtracted from the cost of your (already-discounted) dental in February! Call us today at 503-774-3363!