Healthy Mouth, Healthy Mutts!
By Dr. Ian Kupkee
If you're anything like me, you probably grew up hearing people say that a dog's mouth is cleaner than a human's. It brought me great joy when the dogs I grew up with slathered my face with kisses. That "doggie breath" smell just came with the territory. It's perfectly normal, right?
Wrong.
Veterinarians now know that dental health is an essential part of the overall health and well-being of our patients. Here are some of the serious health problems you can avoid by keeping your pet's teeth clean and bright.
Heart Disease
When bacteria build up on the teeth and gums, they go straight into the blood stream and ends up in the chambers of the heart where they infect the heart valves. Over time, this can cause the heart valves to not close properly, causing the heart to weaken as it works harder than it should to do its job. This process can lead to congestive heart failure, or CHF, which can be expensive to treat. Pets with CHF usually need medications and monitoring for their entire lives. While these medications can prolong their lives, they do not cure the condition. Pets with CHF usually only survive for a few years after they are diagnosed.
Kidney Failure
The same organisms that cause plaque and gingivitis eventually make their way into the kidneys where they will cause infections leading to urinary tract disease and kidney failure. . While there are treatments that can prolong the lives of pets in kidney failure, the prognosis is generally poor. As is the case with CHF, even the limited treatments that are available can be costly with uncertain outcomes. Kidney failure is particularly common in cats.
Urinary Tract Infections
Chronic bacterial gum infections caused by plaque and periodontal diease will also lead to chronic infections of the bladder and urinary tract. While seldom life threatening, these infections can cause our pets pain and discomfort. Pets with recurring urinary tract infections tend to lose control of their bladders, making them difficult to live with.
Upper Respiratory Infections
When bacteria take over our pets' mouths, they inhale germs with every breath. This can lead to infections in the lungs and upper airways, that if left untreated, can progress to pneumonia. Like urinary tract infections, these are not usually life threatening, but require medical treatments that can become costly. Often the first sign of an upper respiratory infection is a chronic cough.
Mood Changes
If you've ever had a toothache that just won't go away, you've probably gotten grouchy after a few days. Pets that are in pain due to dental disease may lose interest in playing with toys, interacting with family members, or being around children. Worse yet, pain can lead to a shorter temper, which means your pet may be more likely to bite. Sadly, the most common victims of dog and cat bites tend to be children.
How Do I Know If My Pet Has Dental Disease?
A healthy mouth should contain pink gums and white teeth. While some staining of the teeth is normal, they should not look dull. If you see crusty, dark colored debris, blood, or pus along the gum line, it's time for a dental cleaning. Pay close attention to the back teeth, as they tend to accumulate tarter faster. Because of the location of these teeth, tartar buildup often goes unnoticed. Watch for any changes in eating habits. Pets that lose interest in food, especially dry food, are probably not being fussy or finicky. They are trying to tell us that it hurts to chew. This is especially true of cats. If all else fails, the nose knows. The next time Fido licks your face, have a sniff. Bad breath means it's time for a cleaning!
If you think your pet may need a dental cleaning, please give us a call at 305-595-1450 to schedule an appointment. You can also log onto http://www.sabalchaseanimalclinic.com and click on the "coupons" link for great deals on dental cleanings and first time visits.
Once Fido's teeth are clean and white, our staff can teach you how to keep them that way! You can also "like" us on Facebook to stay up to date on special offers, promotions, and fun, pet-friendly social events. We look forward to hearing from you soon!
Sabal Chase Animal Clinic
Click here for our web site!
Showing posts with label dog dentistry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dog dentistry. Show all posts
Friday, April 20, 2012
Friday, March 2, 2012
Senior Wellness – why is this important?
Senior Wellness – why is this important?
Last Friday, Sabal Chase Animal Clinic hosted Yappy Hour in honor of Grendel's eighth birthday. She is now officially a canine senior citizen. But thanks to modern diagnostics that emphasize early detection and prevention of disease, "senior" is the new forty!
My keen, young employees are often baffled by the number of reminders that pop up on the Kupkee family's cell phones: mammogram, cholesterol screening, PSA check, stress test, blood pressure check, and the daily chirps and chimes that remind us to take our multivitamins and calcium supplements. Someday they too will turn forty, and will be told by their doctors that good health is now a decision, as opposed to a given. The same is true of our pets.
Dogs and cats are considered senior citizens at eight years of age. For giant dog breeds such as Mastiffs and Saint Bernards, Senior Wellness is recommended at age six. As our pets age, their bodies undergo subtle changes that often go unnoticed by their owners. Our new Senior Wellness Screening uses a combination of blood and urine testing to check the health of our pets' internal organs. Many chronic diseases such as diabetes, Cushing's Syndrome, kidney disease and hypo/hyperthyroidism are easier and far less expensive to treat when they are detected early. In many cases, simply adding a supplement or changing your pet's diet can manage their clinic signs, slow or stop the progression of the disease, and add many healthy, happy years to their lives. A quick look at our pet's triglycerides can tell us if they are eating more protein than their changing bodies can safely process. But as my own physician is fond of telling me, early detection is everything.
By negotiating with our local laboratory, we have been able to permanently reduce the price of this annual screening from $406 to $179 for dogs, and from $365 to $129 for cats. We are thrilled to be able to provide this crucial component of senior pet care at this price! This screening is especially vital for cats, as our feline friends are masters at hiding clinic signs of disease. So if your pet is "of a certain age", please call our office to schedule a Senior Wellness visit. And thanks again to everyone who joined us for Yappy Hour and made Grendel's entry into senior status memorable and fun!
My keen, young employees are often baffled by the number of reminders that pop up on the Kupkee family's cell phones: mammogram, cholesterol screening, PSA check, stress test, blood pressure check, and the daily chirps and chimes that remind us to take our multivitamins and calcium supplements. Someday they too will turn forty, and will be told by their doctors that good health is now a decision, as opposed to a given. The same is true of our pets.
Dogs and cats are considered senior citizens at eight years of age. For giant dog breeds such as Mastiffs and Saint Bernards, Senior Wellness is recommended at age six. As our pets age, their bodies undergo subtle changes that often go unnoticed by their owners. Our new Senior Wellness Screening uses a combination of blood and urine testing to check the health of our pets' internal organs. Many chronic diseases such as diabetes, Cushing's Syndrome, kidney disease and hypo/hyperthyroidism are easier and far less expensive to treat when they are detected early. In many cases, simply adding a supplement or changing your pet's diet can manage their clinic signs, slow or stop the progression of the disease, and add many healthy, happy years to their lives. A quick look at our pet's triglycerides can tell us if they are eating more protein than their changing bodies can safely process. But as my own physician is fond of telling me, early detection is everything.
By negotiating with our local laboratory, we have been able to permanently reduce the price of this annual screening from $406 to $179 for dogs, and from $365 to $129 for cats. We are thrilled to be able to provide this crucial component of senior pet care at this price! This screening is especially vital for cats, as our feline friends are masters at hiding clinic signs of disease. So if your pet is "of a certain age", please call our office to schedule a Senior Wellness visit. And thanks again to everyone who joined us for Yappy Hour and made Grendel's entry into senior status memorable and fun!
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
News from Sabal Chase Animal Clinic: Pet Insurance Paradigm Shift!
NEWS FROM SABAL CHASE ANIMAL CLINIC
Pet Insurance Paradigm Shift
from Lynn
Those of you who have known me for a long time know that I have never been a big fan of pet insurance. My previous career had been as a life insurance agent, and I knew all too well, that many people feel “insurance poor”, nickel and dimed by premiums paid to insurance companies who seem to do everything in their power to avoid paying claims. Perhaps you’ve heard me lecture from the front desk about how insurance policies exist for the purpose of protecting the insured against “catastrophic loss”. Generally speaking, insurance “must haves” are life, health, disability, liability, and property/casualty. I have never recommended dental or vision insurance. Pet insurance? Please. (Cue eye roll here).
Last week, I bought Grendel an insurance policy.
Those of you who have known me for a long time know that I have never been a big fan of pet insurance. My previous career had been as a life insurance agent, and I knew all too well, that many people feel “insurance poor”, nickel and dimed by premiums paid to insurance companies who seem to do everything in their power to avoid paying claims. Perhaps you’ve heard me lecture from the front desk about how insurance policies exist for the purpose of protecting the insured against “catastrophic loss”. Generally speaking, insurance “must haves” are life, health, disability, liability, and property/casualty. I have never recommended dental or vision insurance. Pet insurance? Please. (Cue eye roll here).
Last week, I bought Grendel an insurance policy.
So why the paradigm shift? We recently started working with a company called Trupanion. Trupanion’s approach is different than that of other pet insurance companies, in that they only cover illness, injury, accidents, surgery, and well...catastrophic loss. Most other pet insurance companies cover a certain level of both wellness and critical care, but tend to reject claims related to congenital or breed specific disorders. For example, many pets are prone to urinary tract infections caused by developmental anomolies of the bladder or genitals. These problems can be fixed surgically, but because they are congenital disorders, they are not covered by most pet insurance policies. Problems related to the breed tend to be excluded as well. Dr. Kupkee suspects that Grendel will someday need surgery on her back. The procedure can only be done by a specialist, and generally costs between $4500-$6000! Unlike many of their competitors, Trupanion covers the costs of treating these very expensive conditions. Their philosophy, like mine, is that insurance is not needed for planned expenses such as vaccines, spays, dental cleanings and wellness. We can budget for these things. We cannot budget for cancer. Should Grendel be diagnosed with cancer, we will now have the option of consulting the top specialists in veterinary oncology, regardless of the cost.
Cost is another reason for the paradigm shift. On August 11th, CNNMoney published an article titled “Most Americans Can’t Afford a $1000 Emergency Expense”. The article cited a recent study by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling where 64% of the Americans surveyed reported not having the ability to handle an unexpected $1000 expense. Last summer, a play date gone wrong sent Grendel to Miami Veterinary Specialists for an orthopedic surgery. It was an unexpected expense, and a shot across our bow that accidents happen, and when the dust clears, there is a bill to pay. Once upon a time, the average American family would just pull out a credit card, juggle a few priorities, and make it happen. Now we (and our pets) need all the help we can get.
The question I am most often asked is how much Grendel’s Trupanion policy costs. The monthly premium for a $500 deductible is $36.00 per month. For a $1000 deductible, the premium is $28.00 per month. In the spirit of catastrophic loss protection, we chose the higher deductible with the lower premium. It’s rare that a gal fromJersey changes her mind, but Trupanion has made me a true believer!
Cost is another reason for the paradigm shift. On August 11th, CNNMoney published an article titled “Most Americans Can’t Afford a $1000 Emergency Expense”. The article cited a recent study by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling where 64% of the Americans surveyed reported not having the ability to handle an unexpected $1000 expense. Last summer, a play date gone wrong sent Grendel to Miami Veterinary Specialists for an orthopedic surgery. It was an unexpected expense, and a shot across our bow that accidents happen, and when the dust clears, there is a bill to pay. Once upon a time, the average American family would just pull out a credit card, juggle a few priorities, and make it happen. Now we (and our pets) need all the help we can get.
The question I am most often asked is how much Grendel’s Trupanion policy costs. The monthly premium for a $500 deductible is $36.00 per month. For a $1000 deductible, the premium is $28.00 per month. In the spirit of catastrophic loss protection, we chose the higher deductible with the lower premium. It’s rare that a gal from
Sabal Chase Animal Clinic
10710 SW 113th Place
305-595-1450
www.facebook.com/sabalchaseanimalclinic
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)