More and more pet owners are understanding the need to care for their pets’ teeth. But not enough. Over the last few years, almost every dog that has entered our home through Laber of Love has had dental problems. Rotten teeth, nasal fistulas, broken canines, no teeth at all. These poor babies are in pain and they have health problems caused by horrible dental issues. Heaven has scar tissue growing in and around her mouth due to the fact that her teeth were removed at a young age (she is only 9), and the vet who removed them left the canines broken off in her gums. Nevaeh has no teeth left at the age of 10, her heart damage is probably due to bacteria from her teeth that entered her bloodstream. She also has nasal fistulas which are holes from her mouth up into her nasal cavity – the vet that removed her canines either didn’t properly close the incisions or there wasn’t follow-up care. Unfortunately, we can’t fix that issue due to her other medical conditions. Poor Forrest’s mouth was such a rotten mess that his dental cleaning cost $800, and he was in so much pain afterward due to the Vet having to pull so many teeth. Ray’s dental disease was a factor in his kidney disease. Can you imagine how painful that must be for all of them and for us to watch? Virtually all of this could have been avoided by regular dental cleaning at the Vet and a few simples things that pet owners can do at home. Please take the time to take care of your pets’ dental health. It’s not a minor part of their overall wellness – it is a major factor that can help or hurt their overall health from how well they eat to their heart, kidneys, and liver functions. It also keeps them happy. Imagine how you feel when you have a toothache, and multiply that times 42 because that is how many teeth a dog has. If interested in helping your pet’s dental health, take a look at this article for more information: https://www.stfrancisvh.com/blog/7-reasons-why-dental-care-for-dogs-is-important/
Nicole Laber, Fospice Mom and Board Treasurer