At Beach Park Animal Clinic, a veterinary hospital in Tampa / South Tampa Florida, one of the regular areas that we examine is your pet’s mouth. This is one of the most overlooked areas of pet care in my opinion. Oral health is ultimately one of the most important things that should be maintained to keep your pet healthy.
During your pet’s exam, our veterinarians will inspect for gingivitis, tartar accumulation, tooth fractures and make recommendations to help keep your pet healthy. These could include increased home dental care or a dental cleaning. Our goal it to help eliminate the bacterial count in the oral cavity before it can cause problems within your pet’s body. Some of the diseases that have been linked to poor oral health are kidney disease, heart disease and tooth root / bone infections.
The interval between dental cleanings for dog and cats is variable, but on average what I see at our animal hospital it is generally needed every 12 – 18 months. Home care (ie tooth brushing) also plays a major factor in how often a dental cleaning is recommended. I personally believe that dry food does not make much of a difference over canned food.
As always, if you have any questions for our veterinarians in Tampa / South Tampa, please call us at 813-289-3925 or email at [email protected]
