Local update: Maintain your pet's oral health

While everyone has probably heard the saying “a healthy mind equals a healthy body,” what you may not realize is that “a healthy mouth equals a healthy body.” Whether you own a large animal, such as a horse, or a small animal, like a dog or cat, maintaining good oral health is imperative to a long and happy life.

Because our pets can’t brush and floss every day, most animals will develop dental disease at some point in their lifetime. In small animals, bacteria from untreated dental disease can cause many serious health problems ranging from tooth decay to heart failure. In addition, horses tend to develop sharp edges on their back teeth due to the repeated grinding action of chewing their feed. If left untreated, these sharp tooth edges can lead to oral pain and open sores in the mouth, which usually result in lack of adequate nutrition and severe weight loss.

The good news is that common preventative treatments, such as annual veterinary teeth cleaning for small animals and teeth floating for horses, cannot only prevent these oral diseases and their results from occurring, but can also freshen you pet’s breath.

Dr. Zadina and his family own Tabby Road Animal Hospital in Wellington, Colorado, where he treats all animals, large and small. He can be reached at 970-568-7050.