Healthy teeth and gums lead to healthy pets

Did you know that 80% of dogs and 70% of cats over the age of 3 have periodontal or gum disease? It has been called the "silent killer" of pets since the bacteria can get into the bloodstream, leading to infection and damage to the kidneys, lungs, heart or liver. Proper care of your pet’s teeth and gums can actually extend their life by 2 to 5 years. If you notice "doggy breath" in your dog, this is a sign he is suffering from periodontal disease—it is not normal for healthy dogs to have bad breath, despite the many jokes about this.

How can you prevent gum disease in your pet? Just as with people, daily tooth brushing and regular professional cleaning are key. Small dogs in particular are prone to teeth and gum problems because they have too many teeth for the size of their mouth.  They usually need professional cleaning at least every 6 months.  Larger dogs need cleaning every 6 months to a year, depending on how fast their teeth build up tartar. Most vets will put pets under general anesthesia to clean their teeth.  Not all pet owners are comfortable with this, preferring to avoid anesthesia. Also, if you have an older pet or a pet with chronic kidney, liver or heart disease, they might not be a good candidate for general anesthesia. 

Now there is a solution to this dilemma—anesthesia-free teeth cleaning for dogs and cats. Cindy Lloyd of Natural Pet, LLC was trained by human dental hygienists at Canine Care in California to provide anesthesia-free teeth cleaning for your pets.  The plaque and tartar is removed by thoroughly cleaning the inner and outer surfaces of the teeth with hand tools, just like when you go to the dentist for teeth cleaning.  Cindy is professionally trained to clean thoroughly both above and below the gum line.

Pet owners always wonder how Cindy can clean teeth on a pet that is stressed and squirming around. Your pet sits in her lap while she reassures and comforts them with continual praise. She is trained in a variety of proprietary holds to maintain control while keeping the pet calm and comfortable. Cats and small dogs are wrapped in a towel to help them feel secure. Pets are never forced or bullied into submission. As she works patiently and builds trust, almost every dog and cat will allow use of the exact same tools used in traditional veterinary dentistry. Due to her expertise in handling pets, only a small percentage of dogs or cats cannot be cleaned in this way.

Can Cindy perform this type of cleaning on every pet? No. While the vast majority of dogs and cats will benefit greatly from non-anesthetic dentals, there are some for who it is not appropriate. Examples of pets who are poor candidates are pets with severe gingivitis, caries, or fractured teeth. Whenever she discovers loose or fractured teeth, gum disease, tumors, abscesses or any other condition that necessitates a doctor’s care, you are referred back to the veterinarian to take care of these conditions. Once these conditions are taken care of, then Cindy may be able to provide maintenance cleanings after that.

What does Cindy do if a pet is completely uncooperative, overly fearful, or demonstrates highly aggressive behavior? She can usually tell within a few minutes whether the patient’s temperament will allow for a successful procedure. In some cases, she can calm fearful pets enough to allow for a full cleaning. Other times, though, she will determine that the patient’s temperament simply is not conducive to anesthesia-free treatment and will recommend an alternative treatment approach. There is no charge if she is unable to clean your pet’s teeth.

In Colorado, teeth cleaning must be done under veterinary supervision, so Cindy provides this at local veterinary clinics in Denver metro area as well as traveling with a mobile vet.  She also offers maintenance cleanings on a monthly basis for people who just don’t like to brush their pet’s teeth or have difficulty getting their pet to tolerate tooth brushing. Clients who have difficulty brushing their pet’s teeth are often amazed at the ease with which Cindy is able to calm their pets and clean their teeth. 

Contact Cindy today to schedule teeth cleaning for your pet, to ensure they live a long, healthy life free of the health problems that plague pets with dirty teeth and infected gums. For more information on anesthesia-free teeth cleaning, see www.naturalpetproducts.net or to make an appointment call Cindy at 303.514.0076.