Dental checkups a key to keeping felines healthy
I consider my feline's good dental health as a gateway to good health in general, absent any other physical or organ impairments. Since this is Feline Dental Month, I hope you have made your feline's appointment for a dental check or cleaning.
After a proper cleaning, you will more than likely be supplied with a home kit to keep your feline's teeth free of plaque and tarter, which will help prevent gum disease, infections and bacteria in your feline's system, which can cause a host of problems, including organ failure.
Your kit will probably contain some combination of water additives, feline tooth paste and a finger-type tooth brush. Daily brushing is what is normally advised. My motto is, "catch them when you can!"
You might also be asking for other reasons we are so concerned about our feline's dental health when they do not get cavities like we do. The pH in their saliva acts as a natural defense. Our felines can suffer from tooth resorption, which is the process when a feline's body starts to eat away its own teeth.
Resorption begins at the gum line where the whites hit the pink. You will see a small indention. What you don't see may be a source of pain for your feline. Under the gum line, the tooth is resorbing at the same rate. This can cause the tooth to break off at the gum line.
This resorption process can start at any age. Early onset would mean you will have a toothless feline by middle age. The good news with resorption is that, in most cases, the gum will heal over, grow tougher and a diet change from dry to wet will not be necessary.
The concern about resorption is that in some felines the process can be very painful. When this occurs the proper choice is to extract the offending teeth. A full dental with anesthesia and follow-up pain management care at home will be required.
During this after care time, a change to can food may be needed until the gums heal over. Most felines eat normally, without pain, once the resorbing tooth or teeth are removed. A totally toothless feline will be in less pain. The surgery will probably upset you more than it does your feline.
Upcoming:
"'Grease' Buddy is the Word," the Buddy Foundation's 24th birthday bash, will be from 5-8 p.m. Thursday Feb. 28, at Chandler's Chophouse at the Schaumburg Golf Course, 401 N. Roselle Road, Schaumburg.
The $40 donation, $45 at the door includes a buffet, two drink tickets and dessert.
Reserve your tickets by calling (847) 290-5806 or stopping by Buddy's shelter, 65 W. Seegers Road, Arlington Heights. The evening also includes auctions, prizes and raffles. Proceeds from the event will benefit Buddy's animals.
• The Buddy Foundation, 65 W. Seegers Road, Arlington Heights, is an all-volunteer, nonprofit 501(c) 3 organization dedicated to the rescue of stray, abused and abandoned animals. Call (847) 290-5806 or visit www.thebuddyfoundation.org.