Pet Dental Care Eliminates Bad Breath and Improves Overall Health

Pet dental care is often overlooked, but not at Hunt Valley Animal Hospital. The skilled veterinarians at our animal vet clinic want to educate pet owners about the importance of pet teeth cleaning to prevent periodontal disease. Pet owners should heed the statistics compiled by the American Veterinary Dental Society, which reports that 80 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats display evidence of oral disease by age three.

Unfortunately, the American Animal Hospital Association also found that around 66 percent of pet owners ignore the dental care recommended by veterinarians. Many owners do not understand that their pet's bad breath can be much more than an annoyance; it is often an indication of a developing oral health problem. Pet owners should be aware that oral and periodontal disease can result in much more than tooth extractions. These issues can lead to heart, lung and kidney disease in the future.

Pet Teeth Cleaning Keeps Pets Smiling

At our clinic, a periodic pet teeth cleaning removes the first problem, the bacterial film called plaque, that quickly forms on your pet's teeth. If left unchecked, plaque becomes calcified into tartar, which is much more difficult to remove. Periodontal disease will follow if plaque and tartar are not treated. Your pet's gums will become inflamed and the disease begins to destroy the tissue around the teeth.

Veterinary dental care includes two important components. Thorough oral exams and dental cleanings will prevent most occurrences of periodontal disease. While veterinarians can perform quick, visual oral exams on pets that are awake and alert, most dental examinations and cleanings require a mild, short-term anesthetic. Your dog or cat is typically not the most patient "patient," as you probably know.

Avoiding red, swollen and bleeding gums makes your pet--and you--feel better. Our clinic can help you prevent pet periodontal disease. To keep your pet's teeth and gums healthy--and avoid more serious future health problems—be sure to schedule regular oral exams and teeth cleaning by the trained professionals at our animal vet clinic.

How do you stay on top of your pet’s oral health?

Pet Acupuncture: We Can Help!

Here at Hunt Valley Animal Hospital, we are happy to provide comprehensive veterinary care for your pet. We have been caring for pets since 1984, and we remain just as devoted to delivering quality, loving care, and total client satisfaction today as we have been over the last 27 years! Our pet parents have been asking us about pet acupuncture, so we have decided to make this method of holistic pet care the focus of today's blog.

Holistic Help for Pain Management and Pain Relief

Acupuncture is a method of holistic care, meaning that it is an all-natural method of treatment that does not use medication or surgery. When we treat your pet with acupuncture, we will use ultra-fine needles that are inserted into certain pressure points on your pet's body. Different pressure points correspond to certain areas of your pet's body that may be experiencing pain, discomfort, or other problems.

When the acupuncture needles are inserted gently into your pet's pressure points — this is typically a painless process for your pet — the pain and pressure buildup causing pain can be relieved. Acupuncture is used for many different veterinary needs, including pain relief, arthritis, skin allergies, digestive problems, spinal pain, back injury, behavioral problems, and for general good health and well-being.

Acupuncture is safe for pets of any age, from young puppies and kittens to adult dogs, and it can be an integral part of a senior pet care plan. It can also be used before and after veterinary orthopedic surgery as a method of pain relief, and, in fact, can be just as helpful, or more effective than traditional medications in some situations. With acupuncture for pain relief, your pet can experience better mobility, flexibility and overall improved quality of life.

We are here to answer any questions you have. What would you like to know about pet acupuncture?  Please visit our alternative medicine webpage, or contact Dr. Gary Brooks for more information about our veterinary acupuncture and holistic care.

Check out this funny link!  Merry Christmas!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRzhd3eUyO8&feature=share

HUNT VALLEY ANIMAL HOSPITAL IS NOW WORKING WITH MID-ATLANTIC POODLE RESCUE!

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