When it comes to senior pet health, there are many ways to influence both daily well-being and long-term vitality. From nutrition to enrichment, exercise to disease prevention, the choices that pet owners make every day have the potential to profoundly change an aging pet’s life. Senior pet dental care is one of those elements with an enormous impact on longevity and quality of life.
Preventing Periodontal Disease
The good news is that it’s never too late to get started on a pet’s dental care routine. The bad news is that the majority of pets over age three have at least some damage to the teeth and gums from periodontal disease. Because dental disease can lead to serious health conditions, including heart disease, kidney failure, infection, and pain, regular dental care is essential to the health of senior pets.
The Heart of the Matter
While the best approach to dental care is regular tooth brushing at home and annual professional cleanings from an early age, it is okay if you’re just getting started now. A part of every routine wellness exam, an assessment of the teeth and gums can tell us a lot. Even a quick glance inside the mouth can reveal the yellow-brown accumulation of tartar on the gumline of the molars. But to truly know what’s going on with a pet’s teeth and gums, we require digital X-rays.
Health Complications
Professional cleanings, scaling, extractions, and X-rays are all conducted under general anesthesia. Because many of our senior patients are dealing with other health challenges like arthritis and/or weakened immune systems, we must approach dental procedures carefully. Before pets can safely undergo anesthesia, pre-surgical bloodwork must show that they can withstand the medication and procedure.
Senior Dental Care
Even though there can be challenges related to a senior pet’s health, there are ways to provide dental care at home and with us.
Once they reach a certain age, senior pets should be examined twice a year. A thorough dental exam can help us detect dental issues as early as possible and provide effective treatment. Regular dental cleanings will remove tartar and plaque and a full set of digital X-rays will help us understand the extent of periodontal disease. Depending on the procedure, owners of senior pets may need pain medication and antibiotics afterwards. We will also share the signs of possible complications and discomfort, and how to help them.
At home dental care consists of regular brushing, water rinses, healthy dental chews, and even prescription dental diets. We can customize an approach for your specific senior pet’s needs, and make changes as they continue to age.
Special Care for Senior Pets
By prioritizing dental wellness, we have the ability to impact lifelong health and vitality. Please call us at (951) 461-4100. Our staff at Sky Canyon Animal Hospital is happy to answer any questions about dental care, or address concerns regarding senior health.