|
Q. How many teeth do dogs have?
A. Puppies develop 28 temporary teeth at 2 weeks of age. Their 42 permanent teeth begin emerging at 3 months.
Q. How many teeth do cats have?
A. Kittens have 26 permanent teeth at 2 to 3 weeks of age. Their 30 permanent teeth begin erupting at 3 months.
Q. What will happen if I don't take care of my pets teeth?
A. Painful gum disease that lead may lead to other serious illness such as heart and kidney disease can occur if you neglect to take care of you pets teeth and gums. The good news is that gum disease can be prevented. By simply beginning early in a pets life to care for its teeth you can avoid gum disease later in your pets life.
Q. Can pets get cavities?
A. Although relatively rare, pets, like their owners, can get cavities. Veterinary dentists have noticed a mild rise in the incidence of cavities among pets fed sugary treats. For the most part, however, cavities are still relatively rare in pets because diets generally aren't high in decay-causing sugars. You can avoid cavities in pets by feeding them non- sugary treats.
Q. What causes broken teeth in dogs?
A. Aggressive chewing on hard objects, such as commercially available cow hooves or other hard toys is a primary cause of broken teeth in dogs. You may help prevent tooth breakage by watching how your dog chews on any new toys. For example, if your dog is aggressively biting down on a new toy trying to crack it take the toy away from it. Replace it with a toy that it can't get its mouth around. Try giving you dog rawhide or other chews that soften as the dog chews on it.
Q. I have always thought that bad breath is natural in pets. Am I right?
A. No, bad breath in pets is most often caused by bacteria that form when plaque and tartar are not removed from the teeth. This build up of tartar and plaque can lead to serious gum disease.
Q. Will a professional dental cleaning by a veterinarian help my pet?
A. Absolutely. A professional cleaning will remove plaque, stain and tartar encrusted above and below the gum line. The will remove the bacteria that can cause gum disease and restore you pets teeth to a clean and polished condition.
Q. I recently noticed a big, swollen bump on my cat's gum. What is the cause of this?
A. The swelling you describe may be an indication of a couple of problems. Cervical line lesion or an abscessed tooth. In either case, immediate veterinary care is needed. Left untreated, cervical line lesions are very painful and can lead to tooth loss in your cat.
|
|
