February is National Pet Dental Health Month

Wed, 02/05/2014 - 8:58am — Diane Dyer

Don't turn your nose to Fido's or Fluffy's bad breath! That odor might signify a serious health risk, with the potential to damage not only your pet's teeth and gums but its internal organs as well.
To address the significance of oral health care for pets, the AVMA and several veterinary groups are sponsoring National Pet Dental Health Month in February.
Click on the links below to learn more about National Pet Dental Health Month, and how you can improve the dental (and overall) health of your pets.
Watch
Dr. Sheldon Rubin gives easy, step-by-step instructions on how to teach a dog or cat to accept a http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wB3GIAgrTPE daily tooth brushing. He also describes healthy treats, and explains the true risks of periodontal disease in pets.
Periodontal disease is the most common clinical condition in cats and dogs even though it's completely preventable. Dr. Cindy Charlier explains what periodontal disease is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6gNkXpRZkE and how we can prevent our pets from getting it.
Listen
In this AVMA Animal Tracks podcast, http://www.avmamedia.org/manage/mediaimg/s544-dental.mp3, Dr. Jan Bellows talks about the importance of dental health for our pets.
View
Dog breath is nothing to smile about ... even for a cat. View the National Pet Dental Health Month ad https://www.avma.org/PracticeManagement/ClientMaterials/Documents/npdhm_... from the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association.
Share
Show us your pets' pearly whites! We're looking for photos of your pets' beautiful teeth — and we mean any kind of pets: dogs, cats, horses, bunnies, ferrets, goats, cows ... fuzzy, furred or finned, you name it. After all, pets need dental care, too. View and submit photos on our Flickr group: Pearly White Pets, on our Pet Dental Health Month Facebook event page, http://www.flickr.com/groups/pearlywhitepets or TwitPic your photos and use the hashtag #pearlywhitepets.
Read
View the AVMA's press release on National Pet Dental Health Month.https://www.avma.org/News/PressRoom/Pages/Pet-Dental-2013.aspx
Remember
While February is National Pet Dental Health Month, dental health should be a daily ritual for pet owners all year long.