Is your pet's bad breath spoiling those beloved close up cuddles?  The cause is likely due to build up of plaque and tartar on the teeth.
August is national Pet Dental Health Month and at Lamington Terrace Veterinary Clinic in Nambour, we want to help you to keep your pet's teeth healthy.  There is a lot of information in the Dentistry section of our Advice Centre on this site.  The following link shows the stages of dental disease http://www.lamingtonvet.com.au/dental-stages.pdf
Dental disease doesn’t just affect the mouth.  There are several ways it can interfere with your pet’s overall health and quality of life.  Dental disease can lead to problems in the heart, liver, kidneys or other organs.  So it's really important to look after teeth!
So what can you do? To start, we recommend a thorough medical and dental check up to ensure there are no other problems that could cause the bad breath.  Your pet may then require a dental scale and polish procedure - just like you would have at the dentist!  Once the teeth are clean, you are then faced with the dilemma on deciding which product to use to keep them clean.  There is a huge choice of dental care products for pets.  Some work and many do not.  How do you know if you are spending your money wisely?
Firstly, ask us!  Our knowledge and expertise means we can quickly advise if the product you are considering will be useful.  We highly recommend daily brushing but we understand that sometimes we forget or don't have enough time so we like to combine brushing with use of a quality plaque reduction product.  You may find it difficult to imagine brushing your pet’s teeth, but daily brushing is the very best way to help your pet avoid dental disease. Ask us to show you how to brush your pet’s teeth and check out the video demonstration on our home page.
Secondly, look for the VOHC (Veterinary Oral Health Council) stamp of approval on the product.  To gain this stamp, the product must undergo strict testing to ensure its effectiveness.  There is a link to the VOHC list of approved products on our home page in the links section.
Thirdly, remember that dental care needs to be an ongoing daily routine part of your pet's care.  Just as we need to brush out teeth twice daily, so our pets need daily dental care to keep them clean.
During August, our qualified veterinary nurses are offering FREE DENTAL HEALTH CHECKS so if you are unsure about the state of your pet’s teeth, please phone for an appointment. The nurses can advise if any treatment is required and can show you a range of options for preventative dental care at home.
All pets who have a free dental check with one of our nurses and who then go on to have a dental scale and polish during August will receive 15% off the cost of the procedure.
Also, all dental home care products are on special at 15% off.  These great offers are only valid during August so call us now on 5441 3333 to make an appointment.