SOUTHBRIDGE, Mass. - Second Chance Animal Services says, just like humans, dental health is a key part of pet’s overall health. Their goal this month is to encourage pet owners to prioritize dental care.

What You Need To Know

  • Second Chance Animal Services is highlighting the importance of pet dental health during National Pet Dental Health Month 
  • Medical director Ashley Raymond said some proactive steps pet owners can take include regular brushing, dental chews, balanced diet and routine veterinary check-ups

  • The Veterinary Oral Health Council reviews products by their standards for effective plaque and tartar control in animals and grants the VOHC Seal of Approval

  • The American Veterinary Medical Association recommends pet’s teeth and gums to be checked at least once a year by a veterinarian

“Typically, I like to start back here at her molars," Second Chance veterinary technician Sara Foster said, while demonstrating brushing a dog's teeth. "Usually it is the hardest spot to get because they like to lick and chew at the toothbrush.”

It takes a lot of training and practice for pets to get used to the routine, but Second Chance's medical director Dr. Ashley Raymond recommends brushing their teeth twice daily, or at least once a day.

“A lot of people might bring their pet to the groomer and say, ‘Oh, when I bring them to the groomer, I have their teeth brushed,'" Raymond said. "But really, we want to be doing it more frequently than that. It really only takes 24, 48 hours for that plaque buildup on the teeth to start to turn into tartar.”

Raymond said dental issues can often go unnoticed in pets. Some symptoms to look out for include bad breath, difficulty eating or pawing at their mouths.

“Any pet you want to keep an eye out on, young dogs, they can have things like broken teeth from chewing on hard bones, for example, or just playing," Raymond said. "Older pets often get dental disease. Cats can be a little bit harder to tell if they're in discomfort. So really, any animal you want to check at least yearly to make sure that they're not having any discomfort or problems in their mouth.”

When dental problems become too severe, Raymond said many pets end up needing surgery. But there’s plenty of ways to prevent dental issues, just make sure they’re pet friendly.

“Human toothpaste can contain some like sugar free artificial sweeteners like xylitol, which can be toxic to pets," Raymond said. "So, definitely only pet toothpaste. And aside from teeth brushing, there are dental chews, there's water additives, there's dental prescription diets; there's all kinds of things that we can use to help keep the teeth clean and healthy.”

Raymond said to keep an eye out for the VOHC Seal of Acceptance on pet dental products. The Veterinary Oral Health Council has set standards for effective plaque and tartar control in animals.