Craigieburn Animal Hospital

Dog and Cat Dental Health

Dog and Cat Teeth 2 sets of tooth in dog and cat –Milk (temporary) teeth –Adult (permanent) teeth

Milk (Temporary) Teeth They are small and white. They erupt during the first few months of life: –3 to 8 weeks old in puppy –2 to 4 weeks old in kitten

Milk (Temporary) Teeth Puppy has 28 milk (temporary) teeth. Kitten has 26 milk (temporary) teeth.

Adult (Permanent) Teeth They replace milk teeth as dog and cat grow up: –4 to 7 months old in dog –By 6 months in cat They are large in size. They last for whole of adult life. They may show signs of wear as the dog and cat age.

Adult (Permanent) Teeth Dog has 42 adult (permanent) teeth. Cat has 30 adult (permanent) teeth.

Common Dental Diseases in Dog and Cat Periodontal disease –Disease of structure surrounding teeth. –Due to building up of dental plaque and calculus. Dental plaque is often seen on tooth surface and it contains salivary deposits, bacteria and food particles Calculus is mineralized, stone-like concretion of accumulated dental plaque.

Common Dental Diseases in Dog and Cat Dog and cat with periodontal disease may have: –Bad smell from mouth. –Bleeding and/or ulceration of gum. –Falling off tooth.

Common Dental Diseases in Dog and Cat Retained milk (temporary) teeth –Milk (temporary) teeth are seen together with adult (permanent) teeth. –Food materials and debris can be trapped between teeth. –Very soon leads to periodontal disease.

Dental Care Teeth of dog and cat must be cleaned daily to prevent the building up of dental plaque. Use especially designed tooth brush and tooth paste for dog and cat. Tooth paste for dog and cat is less foaming and it does not contain too much fluoride and sodium.

Dental Care Regular check up –Teeth of dog and cat must be checked by veterinarian once every 6 months. –Scaling to remove dental plaque and polishing to prevent building up of dental plaque are required to be conducted by veterinarian once every 6 months.

Dental Care Good nutrition –Dog and cat must be fed with suitable complete and balanced foods to keep their teeth in excellent condition. –Ask the veterinarian in Craigieburn Animal Hospital for the foods that best suit your dog and cat.

Healthy teeth= Good appetite = Healthy life