Dentistry

How important is it to worry about my pet's teeth?

At Trinity Veterinary Hospital, we're here to help your animals stay healthy, giving each of them individualized care to maintain their well-being. Dental disease is the most common clinical condition occurring in dogs and cats and can cause serious health risks including heart, lung, and liver disease. By three years of age, most dogs and cats have clinically significant levels of tartar or plaque. Unfortunately, many pets do not show pain or other clinical signs, other than bad breath, to alarm their owners of this dangerous disease process. Professional dental cleaning and periodontal therapy often comes too late to prevent extensive disease or to save teeth.
Dogs have 28 baby teeth and 42 permanent teeth.

DENTAL FACTS

Cats have 26 baby teeth and 30 permanent teeth.
Most adult teeth are in by 6 months of age.
Broken teeth are a common problem. Chewing on hard objects is a primary cause of broken teeth.
28% of cats develop at least one painful tooth lesion during their lifetime.
85% of all pets have some form of oral disease by age three.
Dental disease is more common in smaller breeds.