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Not only should we take care of our teeth but also our pets’ teeth and February is a great time to get started.
February is National Pet Dental Month and the OSU Veterinary Clinic is hosting a Pet Care Seminar Series at 7 p.m. on Tuesday in the McElroy Hall Auditorium. It is open to the public. It will feature free dental checkups for pets, and Dr. Lara Sypniewski, who will speak about diseases humans can catch from their pets.
Dr. Paul DeMars, a small-animal clinician who works at the OSU clinic, will host Tuesday’s Pet Care Seminar, along with Sypniewski.
“Cleaning our pets’ teeth is very important, and it takes no more than five minutes a day,” DeMars said.
Pets can have most dental procedures that humans do, including root canals and fillings, DeMars said.
According to the Web site www.petdental.com, bad breath, inflamed gums, and yellow and brown tartar build-up along the gum line are symptoms of gum disease for dogs. For cats, resorptive lesions are the most common tooth disease, which can be painful for them.
DeMars said dental disease is the No. 1 disease of a healthy pet.
It is important to take care of both smaller pets’ teeth as well as a larger pets’, like horses.
Dr. Lyndi Gilliam, equine clinician at the OSU Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, said it is recommended horses have an oral exam every six months until they are 10 years old and annually after that.
Horses’ teeth grow sharp points, and if they are not taken off, then they accumulate sores, Gilliam said.
“Horses can also have root canals, just like humans,” Gilliam said. “Losing weight, slobbering, and dropping food are some warning signs that horses need their teeth checked.”
“Now, dentistry in horses is everything from taking off the sharp points to root canals,” Gilliam said.
For the month of February, the Large Animal Hospital at OSU is offering discount packages for oral examinations. Taking the time to get your horses’ teeth examined is important.
“By taking care of their teeth, we can extend their life,” Gilliam said.
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