By Dr. Lars Rahmquist features@algarveresident.com
Lars Rahmquist studied veterinary surgery at Sydney University, graduating in 1996 with first class honours. He has worked in a number of fields in veterinary practice, including dairy medicine, equine practice, wildlife work in Nepal and small animal clinics in four different countries. Lars is a practising VIP partner in Lagos.
As I was sitting in the dentist’s chair for two hours this morning, I got to thinking it would be a good idea to write an article on dental health in small animals.
I am not completely versed in human dental science (hence my two fillings this morning, I guess), but I will set out the concepts of canine and feline oral hygiene in this article.
Historically, cats and dogs hunted (and some still do) for their food. It is the action of chewing raw, hard bones that keeps the teeth of wild carnivores clean.
It is a twofold attack on plaque build up. Firstly, the action of breaking the bones physically scales and scrapes foreign matter from the enamel surface of the teeth.
Secondly, the extended chewing involved stimulates an increase in the saliva release into the oral cavity. Saliva is not only pH buffered but it contains enzymes like amylase which act to break down proteinaceous bacterial build up in the mouth.
But those of you who have seen the ads on the telly for chewing gum already know about this.
Domesticating pets also means modifying their diet. Tinned, soft foods offer no abrasive cleaning action to your pet’s teeth and the chewing time is negligible.
Animals eating solely tinned foods are guaranteed of developing dental/gum disease. Hard foods are better than soft foods in this regard but are still not enough to stop your pet getting some degree of dental disease… to what degree will depend on the food itself and the individual.
In the consulting room, I can always tell which cats hunt birds and mice because they have pristine pearly white teeth…unless they leave their prey uneaten, of course.
To ensure your pet has healthy gums and teeth, you need to supplement their diet. You can do this in different ways.
You can get some raw, meaty bones from your butcher and giving it to them once a week. Get the size of bone appropriate for your pet.
For example, chicken wings and chicken necks are perfect for a cat or a Yorkshire terrier and a lamb shank is more appropriate for a border collie. Like Norm (my dog).
Make sure you don’t let your pet eat cooked bones, as they are brittle and prone to splintering in their throat or intestines.
Norm loves his bones when he gets them, but not all pets do. Other alternatives to bones are chews.
Most supermarket chews, however, are a waste of your money. Royal Canin and Greenies make chews that demand a lot of chewing and also contain enzymes which help break down plaque in your pet’s mouth.
This action does make them superior to bones in dental hygiene. Research has shown (and I have seen it myself) that feeding such a chew every day to two days actually decreases plaque on animals’ teeth.
Royal Canin also make a dental diet which is a food complete in nutrition but also designed to increase abrasion and cleaning of teeth as they bite through the granules, whilst containing the enzymes mentioned in their chews.
One last point to make is that when there is plaque or tartar on teeth, there are literally billions of bacteria harbouring underneath it. As you know, gums bleed easily when there is even mild gingivitis. Thus when gums bleed in diseased mouths, there is a massive load of bacteria absorbed into the blood stream. If there is compromise to an organ, these bacteria can and will set up ‘micro-abscesses’ in these organs leading to far ranging diseases.
Even if not clinical, pretty well all older animals have some degree of organ compromise. This means that oral hygiene is particularly important in older animals.
You can book a free appointment with our nurse, Emma, to check the status of your pet’s dental health. She can advise you of oral hygiene and if your pet needs dental surgery.
As I found out all too well this morning, it’s best to address dental health head on rather than bury your head about it.
So a big white healthy smile to you all from us at VIP.
Lars Rahmquist (BVSc, Hons . MRCVS) from VIP Veterinary Surgery can be contacted on 282 782 282. Alternatively, please visit the VIP Vets website by clicking the link on the right of this page.
