2 min read

Periodontal Disease in Cats and Dogs

Periodontal disease is easily preventable and yet it’s one of the most common problems that vets diagnose. More importantly, if it goes untreated, it can lead to other serious health problems such as infections in the kidney, heart and liver.

In its early stages, it’s a disease that is reversible. However, it can also go undetected for years, despite causing pain and discomfort. Clinical signs of periodontal disease include:

Bad breath
Swollen or easily bleeding gums
Broken teeth
Reluctance to eat harder foods
Drooling
Pus near the gums
Tartar build up

To provide optimal health and quality of life for your pet, good oral care is necessary. Conducting an oral exam during your pet’s routine annual check-up can help to identify any emerging dental health issues.

However, when a pet opens its mouth, only some parts of the gum and teeth are visible. This makes dental disease difficult to detect which is why your vet might recommend investigating your pet’s dental health further, under general anaesthesia. This allows for a thorough dental investigation of every single tooth, above and below the gum line, and it may also include dental x-rays if necessary. Talk to your vet today about your pet’s dental health and keep your pet smiling.