Tips For Recognizing Dental Disease In Dogs And Cats
Dogs and cats may express dental pain and disease in many ways. Below are a list of common signs
and behaviors seen with diseases of the teeth and gums. Dental disease is not simply suffering from
"bad breath" -- infections of the gums, teeth, and oral cavity can spread via the bloodstream to the
heart and liver, possibly causing additional health problems.
Diseased teeth and gums are also often painful and may limit your pet's appetite because it is too
painful to eat. These tips are signs to watch for in your pet.
Please note: any time your pet is not eating, is listless, or just "not himself" (or herself), a visit with
your veterinarian is in order.
Your pet may or may not show obvious signs of pain with dental disease. Therefore, it is important to
be aware of these possible signs to get your pet the medical attention he or she deserves.
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Malodorous (bad) breath*
Drooling, often with foul-smelling saliva
Appearance of dental plaque and tartar
Reluctance to eat or reduced appetite
Teeth that "chatter", especially in cats
Tooth loss (other than normal baby tooth loss of young animals)