February is Pet Dental Health Month

This February, during Pet Dental Health Month, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) is reminding all pet owners to care for their pets’ teeth like they do their own.

“One of the biggest hurdles in pet dental health in this country is the realization that problems exist in dog and cats’ mouths,” explains Dr. Jan Bellows, a veterinary dentist from Weston, Fla., and incoming president of the American Veterinary Dental College. “Many pet owners simply don’t know they should be doing more to prevent periodontal disease. Not only is periodontal disease a common problem in people, it is the most commonly diagnosed problem in dogs and cats.  If untreated can develop into more serious, medical conditions.”

The AVMA, a sponsor of Pet Dental Health Month, offers an informative video giving step-by-step instructions on how to brush your pet’s teeth, and Dr. Bellows is featured in an AVMA podcast on periodontal disease. The Pet Dental Month website, www.petdental.com, includes tips from veterinary experts on pet dental health.

“It’s estimated that by the age of two 80 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats have some form of periodontal disease,” explains Dr. Larry Kornegay, president of the AVMA. “Periodontal infections have been linked to diabetes, heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease and other life threatening disorders. During Pet Dental Health Month, the AVMA is encouraging all dog and cat owners to take steps to control plaque on their pet's teeth and see their veterinarian for dental checkups.”

For more information, please visit www.avma.org, and to show off your pet’s pearly whites upload their photos to the AVMA Flickr site Pearly White Pets.