Here at Family Vets Athlone we feel very strongly about the importance of your pet’s dental hygiene.

Dental hygiene in pets is often overlooked especially when they are young but its importance cannot be overstated.

In fact some studies have shown that over 80% of dogs and 70% of cats over 2 years old have some degree of dental diseases.

Dental disease can lead to a number of other issues including gingivitis (gum disease), stomatitis(mouth infection), tooth decay and mouth pain.

In older patients, decayed teeth can act as pockets of infection which can spread to other parts of the body in extreme circumstances.

Pets probably suffer from dental disease as commonly as humans do, but often do not show us how much discomfort they are in.  This is especially true with cats. Therefore it is not until the pain associated with a decayed tooth or gum disease is extremely severe that your pet may show signs that you will recognise as mouth pain.

Regular check ups will reduce the chances of this happening.

At your pets yearly health check we always carry out a full clinical examination which includes examination of your pets teeth and gums.