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Graphic provided by the American Veterinary Dental Society

By Arden Moore

Is your cat leaving tiny pieces of kibble scattered on the kitchen floor? Has your dog stopped pestering you to play tug with his favorite toy? Is your pet acting a bit cranky when you try to give him a hug? Have you started to turn your head and hold your breath when your dog tries to kiss you?
The cause may be a dental issue. Far too many pets suffer in silence from pain caused by bleeding gums, broken teeth, thick tartar buildup, gum ulcers and a host of other issues popping up inside their mouths.
The dreaded doggy breath in dogs and cats could also be due to gastrointestinal upset or even diabetes or kidney disease.
With February being heralded as National Pet Dental Health Month, I reached out to Palm Beach County’s top pet dental expert — Dr. Michael Wiegand, DVM, DAVDC. He is the only board-certified veterinary dentist in our entire county.
Florida has just eight such veterinary specialists, according to the American Veterinary Dental College (https://avdc.org).
“One of the best habits to get into is to regularly flip the lip of your pet and check inside and yes, take a sniff,” says Wiegand, who operates the Florida Animal Dentistry and Oral Surgery Center in West Palm Beach and Stuart (https://floridaanimaldentistry.com).
He says to closely inspect your cat’s mouth as cats tend to hide pain more than dogs.
“Lift the lip and look for redness, bleeding, gums growing up the side of the tooth — that means there is a hole in the tooth,” he explains. “If your cat or dog is dropping food a lot, losing weight, having halitosis, drooling excessively or bleeding from the gums, please alert your veterinarian.”
Wiegand is a major cheerleader of daily teeth brushing and says to read the label to make sure the toothpaste is specifically made for cats or dogs, not humans. We can rinse and spit out fluoride, but pets cannot.
“Daily brushing will improve your pet’s oral health,” he says. “Brushing every other day will maintain his oral health, but brushing just once in a while or not at all will do nothing to help your pet’s oral health.”
He follows his own advice by daily brushing the teeth of Mojo, the 12-year-old mixed breed he adopted from a local animal shelter at age 2. Mojo sports a tartar-free smile that would make many Hollywood stars jealous.
“Mojo does have beautiful teeth,” says Wiegand.
As you begin to get your pet used to having you handle his mouth, consider starting by wrapping a gauze around your index finger and rubbing inside the cheek surfaces. Then advance to a finger brush or toothbrush sized for pets. Always finish with a grade-A treat so your pet sees this as a rewarding experience.
I admit I need to step up and brush my pets’ teeth every day. I do smell their breaths and examine their gums and teeth to catch any early signs of trouble. And, I squirt a veterinarian-approved dental additive into their cleaned water bowls daily. Sadly, by age 3, about 80% of dogs and about 70% of cats develop some degree of periodontal disease. Adult dogs sport 42 teeth, but it is harder for a Pomeranian than a long-muzzled Doberman to stave off dental issues.
“The smaller the muzzle, the more prone to periodontal disease,” says Wiegand. “Small toy breeds have 42 teeth jammed in a smaller space than big-dog mouths and food can get stuck in between the teeth.”
Wiegand’s advice:
• Hard toys — bones, hard plastic or nylon chews and ice cubes — are tough on teeth. “Instead, treat them to bendable chew toys like stuffed Kongs,” he says.
Veterinarians suggest you do what is known as the “knee test.” If you hit your dog’s chew against your knee and it hurts, it is not a good idea to give it to your dog to chew on. Chews should be pliable and have some give.
• Do not give human toothpaste to your pet.
• Look for dental products, chews and treats that are approved by veterinary dentists. They will sport the Veterinary Oral Health Council seal of approval. A list of VOHC-approved products is available at http://www.vohc.org.
• Book wellness appointments. Make sure your pet is treated to a thorough veterinary exam at least once a year, ideally every six months so that dental issues can be detected early and treated quickly and for less bite to your wallet.
A five-minute video guide on brushing your pet’s teeth and conditioning him to welcome hygiene sessions is available from the American Veterinary Medical Association at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wB3GIAgrTPE.

Arden Moore, founder of FourLeggedLife.com, is an animal behavior consultant, author, speaker and master certified pet first-aid instructor. She hosts Oh Behave! weekly on PetLifeRadio.com. Learn more at www.ardenmoore.com.