Proper dental care for pets is a must for every responsible owner. Maintaining a regular dental care routine is crucial to your pet’s health and well-being. Make sure you do what has to be done to keep your pet’s teeth healthy.
It’s likely common knowledge that if you don’t clean your pet’s teeth, they can get periodontal disease, leading to bleeding gums, foul breath, and the loss of teeth. But did you know that a pet’s poor oral hygiene can cause other health problems? Pets are masters at disguising their distress, so you may not notice anything wrong with them.
How can dental issues affect a pet’s health?
Even though it’s easy to see when your pet’s oral health is declining, a careless owner might not. This results in worsening dental disorders, which can have a devastating effect on your pet’s overall health. The following is a list of concerning outcomes that can result from neglecting your pet’s oral health.
1. Immune System Deterioration
An impaired immune system is one of the effects of dental disease in dogs. Gum and tooth infections can enter a dog’s bloodstream as they spread. Constant inflammation weakens their immune system, making it more challenging for white blood cells to attack infections. This means that the dog’s body will have to work hard to fight off the illness.
Although the inflammatory reaction eliminates bacteria, it can also damage healthy cells. The loss of tissue, discomfort, and infection in the area around the wound is just the beginning of the potential consequences caused by this. You can subject your pet to pet vaccinations to help boost the immune system and avoid serious ailments.
2. Pain and Discomfort
Dogs rarely display discomfort, yet dental illness can cause severe distress. It’s common for dogs to avoid chewing on the painful side of their mouth or to choose softer, liquid foods over crunchier, drier kibble.
When the problem becomes painful, additional infections are more likely to arise and further worsen the situation. A damaged tooth or foreign object stuck between the molars are two examples of the abrupt problems that might bring on this kind of pain. Your dog may be able to disguise a condition, but it’s still affecting their quality of life and may lead to subtle behavioral changes like aggression or despair. You can contact a reputable facility like Spinnaker Veterinary Clinic to correct the disorder and book an appointment immediately.
3. Increased Risk for Chronic Diseases
Researchers have found a relationship between periodontal disease and cardiac conditions, including endocarditis. Dogs with severe gum disease are at up to six times greater risk of developing endocarditis than healthy dogs.
Often, canine diabetes and periodontal problems occur together. The dog’s risks of having diabetes go worse and increase in tandem with the state of its teeth. Poor oral hygiene can lead to inflammation, affecting insulin levels and resulting in insulin sensitivity or resistance in dogs.
4. Jaw Fracture
Dental illness leads to a surprisingly high number of canine jaw fractures, which may sound extreme. Smaller dog breeds like Chihuahuas, Maltese, and Shih Tzus are especially prone to this problem since their teeth are disproportionately large.
Abscessed teeth and periodontal (gum) disease can weaken a dog’s jawbone over time, making it more susceptible to injury from even minor traumas like jumping off the couch or chewing on a piece of crunchy kibble. You can consult a dog dentist to assess your pet’s problem.
5. Rapid Weight Loss
If your pet’s dental problem worsens, it may stop eating altogether because chewing causes discomfort. Rapid weight loss is problematic for several reasons; if they aren’t eating enough, they won’t be able to meet their body’s nutritional needs. Your pet’s immune system will deteriorate if the condition isn’t treated, leaving it vulnerable to infection and other ailments.
