Guest Blog Regarding Your Dog's Teeth #1

Guest Blogger-Stephen Riback, DVM , Associate Staff-Dept. of Dentistry at the Animal Medical Center

As pet owners, we rarely consider the health of our pets’ mouths, however, their function and disease states can often times be very similar to human teeth.  We have a few common misconceptions regarding our pets’ teeth, yet when common sense ultimately prevails we realize that many times our pets are crying out for dental care and we do not have the ability to recognize their pain.

 Is doggy breath normal?

I grew up hearing that doggy breath or halitosis is normal in dogs.  In fact, it is about as abnormal in dogs as in humans and the most common cause of halitosis in dogs is periodontal disease.  Since periodontal disease affects about 80% of dogs over the age of three, it is quite common, even if not normal.  Periodontal disease is a reaction of the gums and bone to the plaque bacteria, causing the tissues to separate from the roots of the teeth ,creating a space under the gum line called a “pocket.”  These pockets provide an environment where we see a shift from the normal bacteria to the “bad” bacteria that perpetuate the disease process.  In the awake patient, I use the amount of halitosis as my prognostic indicator of how much disease I will find once I take dental xrays under general anesthesia.  The worse the breath, the more disease is present.   If your dog is experiencing bad breath, consider discussing this with your primary care veterinarian or ask for a referral to a practice that specializes in veterinary dental care.

I hope you enjoyed this guest blog. , Dr. Michael Krochak

drk@nycsmilespa.com

NYC Smile Spa

30 E. 60th St., Rm 1201

New York, NY 10022