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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (March 4, 2015)
14 Wednesday, March 4, 2015 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon Paw Prints Jodi Schneider McNamee Columnist The importance of dental health You just got back from a yearly routine exam for Fido, and your vet told you that it’s time to start brush- ing your 3-year-old collie’s teeth. To top it off he gave you a soft doggie toothbrush with special toothpaste just for dogs. He showed you the simple steps of how to brush your furry friend’s teeth, and explained to you how proper maintenance of Fido’s teeth could be a lifesaver in the long run. According to the American Veterinary Association, oral disease is the number-one health problem in dogs and cats, with 85 percent of dogs 5 years or older having peri- odontal disease. And it’s alarming when you realize that unhealthy teeth spread infection and disease to other parts of the body like the heart, and can cut a pet’s life- span by five years. Periodontal disease devel- ops when food particles and bacteria collect along the gum line and form soft deposits called plaque. Whenever your pooch eats, bits of food and bacteria collect around the gum line and form plaque. Over time, the plaque turns into rock-hard tartar. Tartar irritates the gums and results in inflammation, called gin- givitis. Your dog’s gums will turn from a healthy pink color to red, and you may notice some bad breath. If the tartar isn’t removed it will accumu- late under your dog’s gums, eventually pulling the gums away from the teeth and cre- ating small open spaces, or pockets, which are collection points for even more bacte- ria. If the problem progresses to this point, your pooch has developed irreversible periodontal disease. At this point, your dog can experi- ence severe pain, lose teeth, form abscesses in his mouth and could develop a bacte- rial infection that can spread through the bloodstream to the kidneys, liver, heart or brain. How quickly plaque, tartar and gum disease develop in your dog’s mouth depends on a number of factors including his age, overall health, diet, breed, genetics, and the care his teeth receive from both you and your veterinarian. Since periodontal disease is irreversible, now is a great time to get started on a regu- lar oral-care regimen for your pooch. So brushing your furry friend’s teeth isn’t just about fresh breath. It’s an essential part of good oral care, and good oral care is important to your dog’s overall health. If you start brushing your pet’s teeth as a puppy you Live Music at the Winery Thirsty Thursday with Reno & Cindy March 5 | 6-9 p.m. | $5 cover Fondue Friday with Heather & Tom Duo March 6 | 6-9 p.m. | $5 cover | $30 Fondue for Two 541-526-5075 70450 NW Lower Valley Dr. Terrebonne, Oregon faithhopeandcharityevents.com Relief Is Available For Your Auto, Sports & Workplace Injuries Do you suffer from... 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In the dogs with no periodontal dis- ease, about 0.01 percent were diagnosed with endocarditis, compared to 0.15 percent of the Stage 3 periodontal dis- ease dogs. While studies clearly show a significant link between periodontal disease and heart disease in both humans and dogs, exactly how one leads to the other isn’t yet well- understood. Researchers sus- pect, however, that the cul- prit is bacteria in the mouth which enters the bloodstream. Mouth tissue, known as oral mucosa, is rich with blood vessels which hasten the speed at which bacteria can enter your dog’s bloodstream and travel throughout his body. If your dog has periodon- tal disease, the surface of his gums is weakened and com- promised. The breakdown of gum tissue is the door through which mouth bacteria enters Year-round FIREWOOD SALES — Kindling — — — SISTERS FOREST PRODUCTS 541-410-4509 SistersForestProducts.com her bloodstream. And if your furry friend’s immune system doesn’t kill off the bacte- ria circulating in her blood, it can reach his heart and infect it. I t ’s i d e a l to brush your dog’s teeth daily, just like you brush your own. However, if your schedule doesn’t allow that, aim to brush his teeth at least several photo by JoDi schneiDer McnaMee times a week. a dog smile is something you have to work on. Of course the best time to start is when he is a puppy, it’s easier for him to than soft food, as soft food get used to having his teeth is more likely to stick to the brushed, but grown dogs can teeth and cause decay. There learn to become comfort- are many synthetic bones able with getting their teeth and chew toys that are spe- cially designed to strengthen cleaned also. You can get a doggie your dog’s gums and teeth. toothbrush and toothpaste at Giving your dog a good spe- any good pet-supply store. cially made bone to chew on Do NOT use regular human can help rid buildup and keep toothpaste for your pooch. teeth strong. Even with healthy teeth, Most human toothpastes include fluoride, which is just like you, your dog should extremely poisonous to have his teeth checked by dogs. And since dogs don’t your vet every six to 12 rinse, even without fluoride months. Dental care can be a pain the paste is not meant to be in the neck for humans and digested. With some dogs it may dogs, but proper maintenance not be so easy, and if the can be a money-saver in the tooth brushing ends in blood, long run, and even a lifesaver. sweat, or tears, there are still Letting it go can lead to costly choices you can make to and often painful vet visits help improve your dog’s oral down the road. Keep your health. Crunchy kibble is bet- dog’s mouth clean, and you’ll ter for our furry friend’s teeth both be smiling!