| |
| |
|
Pets Information |
|
|
|
Your Dog and the Dentist: Learn the Drill
While "late is better than never," sooner is better than later, at least when it comes to your dog's dental health. Dental disease gets worse over time, and the longer you wait, the more damage that will have to be taken care of and the more expensive your vet bill will be. Your dog probably won't need much work done on his teeth when he's still young... so your vet won't do much more than open his mouth and take a look at what's going on in there. But as he ages, dental disease can set in, especially if you don't brush his teeth (which you should be). So check him periodically for signs of mouth/tooth decay, bleeding gums, or abscesses. If you see or smell anything unusual, he'll need to go in for a cleaning and polishing, or "prophy," which is vetspeak for prophylaxis. Unfortunately, "spit," "rinse", and "open wide" are not part of your dog's limited vocabulary, and that spit sucker thing is likely to terrify him... so, for everyone's convenience and peace of mind, your veterinarian will anesthetize your dog before doing any complicated procedures on his teeth. Anesthesia is not without risks; therefore, your vet will require several precautionary tests before putting your dog under. This may seem rather tedious to you; but if you want to prolong your dog's life, you really should be taking care of his teeth. This may mean a few dental cleanings in his older years which DO require anesthesia to be conducted properly and safely. The good news is, the more you practice regular brushing and plaque control in the form of crunchy bones and such, the less cleanings and dental work your dog will require... so hopefully you can keep those vet bills down. Expect the vet to perform the following precautionary tests to determine if anesthesia is a safe option. - Basic blood tests including red and white blood cell count The above testing will require one or possibly more trips to the vet, as well as several days of waiting time before the lab results come back. Just like your family doctor, your dog's vet wants to give you as thorough an evaluation as possible so he can determine the correct diagnosis and proper and complete treatment for your dog's teeth and for his health in general. Assuming your dog passes his health exam and lab testing with flying colors, your next scheduled appointment will be for the cleaning and dental work itself. Time to tackle that tartar! The dental procedure may involve some if not all of the following: - Anesthetic administration The procedure may be as brief as 20 minutes, if your dog has mostly healthy teeth, but may take an hour or longer for more extensive work in the case of diseased teeth and other problems. If your vet detects slow recovery from the anesthesia, he may require an overnight stay. Your vet should keep you informed every step of the way during your dog's dental procedure, and alert you to any unexpected outcomes. You generally won't be expected to provide any special care after you take your pet home from his dental appointment, unless of course your dog has had major surgery and/or tooth extractions. In such a case, he may require the feeding of softer food or administering of antibiotics for a little while. Your dog's vet will inform you of what if any additional care if any is needed, and whether or not your pup will require a follow-up exam. Start taking care of your dog's teeth now, and you won't have to worry about costly extensive dental treatments down the road. A brief recap of how you can help: - Get into the habit of regularly brushing your dog's teeth while they're still in good condition. - Feed him hard, crunchy food and special snacks that will aid in plaque removal. - Examine his mouth regularly for signs of tooth problems or dental disease- redness, swelling, abnormal gumline, difficulty chewing. - Take your pup in for regular dental checkups and cleanings; typically, once a year if he's young, and bi-annually if he's a senior dog. - Make sure that any dental problems are treated promptly by a certified veterinarian. In short: take care of your dog's teeth, and ensure him a long and healthy life! Copyright 2005 Dina Giolitto. All rights reserved. Dina Giolitto is a copywriting consultant and ghostwriter with 10 years of experience writing corporate print materials and web content. Trust her with your next e-book, article series or web project, and make a lasting impression on your audience of information-hungry prospects. Visit http://www.wordfeeder.com for more information.
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Breeding Your Goldfish If you are keen on breeding Goldfish, you should know that it's not an easy task. It will take a lot of patience, a lot of space in the tank and quite a bit of money too. Dog Aggressive Training: Understand & Eliminate Your Dogs Aggressive Behavior Aggression behavior in a dog is a normal form of canine communication similar to human frustration or anger. Like human, aggressive behavior occurs in every dog. Tips on Hamster Breeding Hamster breeding can sometimes be confusing for a hamster owner. Fortunately, there are only a few basic things you need to know before you start hamster breeding. The Background and Use of Clicker Training For Dogs Presently, and throughout the 1990s a phenomena swept through the dog-lover's community. It was called "Clicker Training," and was implemented to teach dogs (along with horses and cats) that certain behaviors would be awarded, while others were not. The Cure To Stop A Horse From Kicking I get a lot of horse training questions about stopping a horse from kicking. The kicking habits of these horses range from the horse kicking at virtually anyone to kicking at only the husbands. Pet Bird Home Hazards - Keep Your Feathered Friend Safe Interacting with a pet bird outside of it's cage is one of the joys of living with a bird, but the home that is safe for us, may not be so safe for our feathered friends. The little day to day things that we take for granted can injure or kill a bird in the blink of an eye. How To Stop Your Horse From Rearing And What To Do If He Does It Unexpectedly There is a dangerous problem that horse owners should be very aware of. It's when a horse stands up on his back legs. Dealing With Canine Ringworm Ringworm is an annoying, highly contagious fungal disorder that is curable. The problem with this disorder is that there are 35 different species of ringworm that can affect cats, dogs and be transmitted to humans as well. My Fathers Daughter My dad was an avid animal lover. We grew up with all kinds of animals but especially dogs. Our Pets Behavior Behavior can be a huge iisue with our pets. If each dog and cat owner in the United States took the time to understand the root of their animals'behavioral issues, our animal shelters would be substantially less populated with strays. Horse Training Equipment: The 6th of 6 Keys To Developing A Partnership With Your Horse The 6 Keys To Building A Life Long Partnership With Your HorseToday I would like to talk with you about the equipment you will need and a little about these tools.Have you ever found your self in a situation where your not able to get your horse to do what it is you're asking of him or able to correct a problem your having with your horse? If you have then you may have found your self in the unfortunate situation of having to use severe aids (torture devices). Is Your Dog Fat? Obesity is one of the greatest health concerns facing dogs. You can and should do something about it. Horse Training Secrets For Busy Horse Owners Short On Time Picture this. You're late for work one day. Dog Rescue: Is it Right for You? Ever had a hankering for a certain breed of dog? Not an obsession, mind you - not the sort of longing that would send you rushing to a breeder, thousand-dollar-bill in your sweaty palm - but just a gentle appreciation for the virtues of the Poodle, Pug or Pyrenean Mastiff?Let's say you have -- but you thought buying a purebred pup was a less-than-ideal use of your family's resources. If that's the case, it might be time to look up your local Dog Rescue organization! Dog Rescues are organized by breed, so prospective parents can sign up to be notified when new poodles or pugs come in. 5 Ways to Pamper Your Parrot We are all busy these days and I know it's hard to meet all the demands in your life. But, it's time for a breather. 5 Tips For Choosing the Best Vet For Your Dog Find a vet, if possible, who specializes in small animals (as opposed to one who treats large and small - like horses, cows, cats and dogs.) Your community may only have vets that do a little bit of everything - and there's nothing wrong with that, if that's all that's available, but I'll remind you - you usually go to a specialist for your health issues, don't you?If you're new in the community, or haven't needed a vet before - word of mouth is a great way to start looking for a new vet. Social Robotic Dogs in Kennels Have you ever been to a dog kennel and listen to all the noise of the dog's barking, yapping and howling? The often do not seem like happy campers. Maybe they are, who knows; what I do know is if I were a dog I would not want to be put in a cage. Worms in Your Dog... Gross! Of all the parasites a dog can catch, worms take home first prize for Most Disgusting. Nobody wants to imagine little worms crawling around in their dog's digestive system, but it's a fairly common ailment that's easily passed from dog to dog. The Fun of Do It Yourself Snake and other Reptile Cages Are you nuts? You think banging your finger with a hammer is fun? No, I don't. But building your own snake and other reptile cages can be a fun and rewarding experience. Garbage-Raiding Dogs: One Simple Solution to the Problem Got a mischevious mutt on your hands? Then you may know this scenario. You walk in the door and your pal greets you with elated tail wagging, wiggling and sloppy doggy kisses.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2007 |
