Ten Reasons Why You Should Take Care of Your Pet’s Teeth

October may not be National Pet Dental Health Month (which is actually in February) but that doesn’t mean the time isn’t right to review the topic and make it relevant for every month of the year! Chances are you’ve encountered really scary pet breath sometime as a pet parent. Tooth decay may be to blame, and if it is, should be addressed as soon as possible for the health of your pet.

Here are Pet Health Network’s top reasons why dental care is really important!

1. A pet with healthy teeth equals a pet with better breath!

2. Dental disease can actually lead to problems with your pet’s organs, such as the heart.

3. Retained baby teeth can cause problems in pets too! Did you know that full grown dogs have 42 teeth and full grown cats have 30 teeth? Before their adult teeth grow in, though, their baby teeth have to fall out. Sometimes, not all of the baby teeth want to come out. This can lead to problems like gum irritation and tartar buildup.

4. Caring for your pet’s teeth can prevent other health problems, saving you tons of money over the long term!

5. You need regular dental care and you brush your teeth everyday – why wouldn’t your pets? Your veterinarian and these handy videos can help you learn to brush your dog’s teeth found here at  <http://www.pethealthnetwork.com/video/why-and-how-care-your-dogs-teeth>http://www.pethealthnetwork.com/dog-health/dog-checkups-preventive-care/why-and-how-care-your-dogs-teeth and your cat’s teeth found here at <http://www.pethealthnetwork.com/video/how-brush-your-cats-teeth>http://www.pethealthnetwork.com/cat-health/cat-grooming/how-brush-your-cats-teeth..

6. Did you know that 4 out of 5 dogs over the age of 3 years have some sort of periodontal disease? It can be caused by the buildup of plaque, so it’s important to go in for regular dental checkups and cleanings. Learn more about the importance of removing plaque from your cat’s teeth in Pet Health Network’s video Why Is it Important to Remove Plaque on My Cat’s Teeth at http://www.pethealthnetwork.com/cat-health/cat-checkups-preventive-care/why-it-important-remove-plaque-my-cats-teeth.

7. Pets that don’t get dental care can painfully lose their teeth – this can be terribly painful and cause serious health problems.

8. Your dog and cat are very good at hiding pain – you might never know that your pet has a serious dental problem until it’s very advanced. This is yet another reason it’s important to take your pet in for regular dental checkups.

9. Teeth wear out! Your pets are tough on their teeth. Learn the symptoms to keep your pet from experiencing the pain of severely worn teeth <http://www.pethealthnetwork.com/cat-health/worn-teeth-cats>.

10. Learn more about the importance of dental care by visiting (Pet Health Network’s) dog dental-care centers <http://www.pethealthnetwork.com/video/why-and-how-care-your-dogs-teeth> at http://www.pethealthnetwork.com/dog-health/dog-checkups-preventive-care/why-and-how-care-your-dogs-teeth and cat dental-care centers <http://www.pethealthnetwork.com/video/why-it-important-remove-plaque-my-cats-teeth> at http://www.pethealthnetwork.com/cat-health/cat-checkups-preventive-care/why-it-important-remove-plaque-my-cats-teeth.

Additionally, if you have canine behavioral questions or concerns be sure to reach out to your local NYC, Manhattan, LI, Westchester, Bronx and Brooklyn Offleash K9 Training professional. He or she has the expertise to address such topics as canine obedience, canine food aggression, dog aggression and canine potty-training issues!