Column: Lake Tails

Most of our New Year's resolutions revolve around living a healthy lifestyle. Eating right, exercising and limiting life stresses are all important areas we concentrate on to ensure we stay fit and healthy.

One area that is equally important but receives much less attention is dental care. It is something we notice every day as we smile in the mirror or are greeted with "morning breath" by a family member, but most of us tend to ignore or fail to realize the importance it has to our overall health.

The same applies to our pets. With the exception of chasing them around to take away something they are not supposed to have, I bet most dogs and cats spend their entire lives without an owner ever looking in their mouths. Whether it is a fear of getting bit or because it is so difficult since most pets hate us in their mouths, very few of us actually see the amount of tartar and infection present.

Most owners probably notice there is a problem occurring by the odor coming from their pets' mouths. Sometimes it is so bad, we can even smell it as we walk into a room, but most owners ignore it by saying it is just dog- or cat-breath.

The problem with ignoring oral health in our pets is that it affects how they feel. From the pain caused by a rotten tooth to the mouth infection affecting how their kidneys or other internal organs work, dental disease directly impacts both their quality of daily life and how long they live.

There are a few things to watch out for in addition to bad breath that indicate mouth infection. Eating slower, not as interested in eating dry food, or moving their heads to avoid chewing on painful teeth are subtle signs that we can see if we pay close attention to them as they eat.

We may also notice that when our pets have tooth pain, they become less interactive with us and lay around more. It is easy to blame age, but older cats will not play with toys as much and dogs may stop chewing on treats when they are not feeling well due to dental disease.

The cause of dental disease in our pets is lack of daily preventative care. Most of us brush our teeth at least twice a day to remove the daily formation of plaque and tartar. Imagine what our teeth and gums would be like, let alone the breath we would have, after just a week of not brushing. Multiply that by years and it is easy to see why most of our pets have such foul-smelling kisses.

To get started toward a healthy mouth, it is a good idea to have your veterinarian perform an oral examination to see what stage of dental disease is present and what is the best course of treatment for your pet.

As is true with most health issues, prevention is the key. There are many good products available at pet stores to help limit tartar formation and your veterinarian can advise which ones are safe for your individual loved one. Remember to think of your own safety and be careful if you are thinking of brushing your pet's teeth.

Different breeds of dogs have different tendencies to tartar formation. Large breeds that drool and chew a lot (retrievers and Saint Bernards, for example) often require little work on their teeth. Give them chew toys or dental treats on a daily basis and most do great.

However, most small dog breeds have poor chewing habits, crooked teeth and minimal saliva which quickly leads to plaque and tartar formation. Most of these pets will need a teeth cleaning at some point in their lives. Yoda, my five year old Shih Tzu, is getting ready to have his third dental cleaning.

Cats, as usual, are unique in their own way. Oriental breeds develop tartar at a young age which requires dental cleanings early and often. Some cats are extremely sensitive and suffer from very painful gingivitis with just a small amount of tartar, while many cats are slow to develop dental tartar and have little accumulation or problems until 6 to 8 years of age. A yearly check-up by your veterinarian will include an oral examination and ideas on what needs to be done to keep your pet's mouth healthy and pain-free.

February is national pet dental month. It is the perfect month to raise awareness of dental issues as it is the coldest month, which causes us to be stuck inside having to endure the sometimes awful breath from our pets. While we love to snuggle with our pets to keep warm, we can not open windows to dilute the odor.

So while you're trying to stick to your New Year's resolutions, consider adding dental health as another daily step to a long, healthy life.

Dr. Brian Weitzman practices at Smith Mountain Lake Animal Hospital. He can be reached at smlahospital@aol.com or 297-9188.