CHECKING YOUR PET'S MOUTH REGULARLY IS ESSENTIAL FOR ORAL HEALTH
A couple of years ago, I had a pet owner bring in an adult cat because it was meowing differently. That's not much to go on, but I did a complete physical exam and found nothing. Subsequent blood work also came back normal. Then I recommended sedation, so that we could get radiographs. Again, we found nothing abnormal, so I suggested that we keep the cat and do medical rounds with the rest of the staff.
When the three veterinarians and a couple of vet techs gathered and went over the history, we decided to start at the tip of the cat's nose and proceed with another detailed exam. This time, I took a pair of hemostats and gently tapped the cat's teeth, starting in the front.
When I got to the cat's left upper fang and barely touched it, the cat just about shot up into orbit. We could find nothing else wrong on the repeat exam. We then did digital dental radiographs and saw that the root of the tooth was abscessed. After we surgically removed the infected tooth, the cat acted as if it had been relieved of incredible pain.
What started out as a different meow turned out to be a serious problem that was only relieved after a lot of detective work. Oral problems in dogs and cats aren't always visible at first glance.
Pets don't have any way of telling us that something is wrong, and it's natural for them to hide signs of weakness or pain so they don't become targets of predators. It's up to us as owners and veterinarians to be aware of changes in behavior that could signal pain or illness and to look beneath the surface for potential causes of problems. Here are some obvious and not-so-obvious signs that your cat or dog has a painful mouth, and some of the conditions that might be causing the problem:
-- Inflamed gums or tartar buildup on the teeth. Your pet may have gingivitis -- inflammation of the gums -- or periodontal disease. Left untreated, gingivitis progresses to periodontal disease, which causes teeth to become infected and loose.
-- Bad breath or a bad smell in the mouth area. Repeat after me: It's not normal for pets to have bad breath or any other bad odors. In the mouth area, it can signal dental disease or an infection of the lip folds in heavy-lipped breeds such as basset hounds, cocker spaniels or Saint Bernards. Bad breath can also be associated with kidney disease.
-- Drooling. This is another sign of periodontal disease, as well as of mouth infections and foreign bodies, such as splinters or burrs stuck in the mouth. Bad breath and drooling can also be signs of oral cancer.
-- Change in eating habits. If your dog or cat is reluctant to eat or picks up pieces of food and then drops them, there's a good chance that his mouth hurts. He may have a broken tooth or a sore mouth from a type of inflammation called stomatitis.
-- Swelling. A tooth with an abscessed root is filled with pus that can cause swelling beneath the eye or a nasty condition called an oral-nasal fistula, which occurs when an abscessed tooth breaks into the nasal cavity, allowing food and water to move from the mouth into the nose and come back out through the nose. Yuck!
Don't let your dog or cat get down in the mouth! Examine his mouth monthly for signs of problems, such as redness, loose teeth and painful areas. You may need to put your money where his mouth is to avoid future problems.
Q&A
Spay technique offers
option for dog owners
Q: I heard about a new way of spaying dogs that's supposed to be easier on them than the traditional surgery. Can you tell me more about it? -- via email
A: Spay surgery -- known technically as an ovariohysterectomy -- is the removal of the ovaries and uterus through an abdominal incision. It's usually done when puppies are 6 to 9 months old, although it can be done as early as 8 weeks of age or at any time in adulthood.
The procedure you ask about is called an ovariectomy, and it involves removing only the ovaries. It's done laparoscopically, meaning the surgeon makes two tiny incisions: one for placement of a small camera so the organs can be seen, and one for inserting instruments to remove the ovaries.
Called a "lap spay" for short, the technique is associated with less pain and a more rapid recovery time than traditional spay surgery. If you've had laparoscopic surgery yourself, you probably know how quickly you feel better afterward. The lap spay doesn't require as much manipulation of the organs, so it is easier to perform. It's well-suited to young dogs because they are usually healthy and not overweight.
The drawback is that lap spays aren't yet widely available and can be more expensive than traditional spays. Veterinarians who perform the procedure must first undergo advanced training and obtain specialized equipment.
Before scheduling your dog for one, ask how many lap spays the veterinarian has performed and what the success rates were. If you have pet health insurance for your dog, the plan won't cover the surgery itself, but it may cover the price difference, since lap spays usually have fewer complications. It can't hurt to ask. -- Kim Campbell Thornton and Dr. Marty Becker
THE BUZZ
Researchers identify key gene
in canine, human diseases
-- A researcher at the University of California, Davis' School of Veterinary Medicine has identified the gene that causes a condition in Weimaraners known as spinal dysraphism. It's an inherited neural tube defect that causes the dogs to "bunny hop" with their back legs instead of moving normally. Dr. Noa Safra, whose findings were published in July 2013 in the journal PLoS Genetics, says the disease could be eliminated in the breed once a DNA test for the mutation is developed. The discovery also has benefits for human medicine. University of Iowa pediatricians who collaborated in the study found the same gene to be mutated in children with spina bifida.
-- Dalmatian puppies look white when they are born. Their spots, which can be black or liver-colored (ranging from a light reddish-brown to a dark chocolate brown), don't start to appear until they are approximately 2 weeks old.
-- Call us old-fashioned, but we still think books are great gifts. If you are looking for presents for pet lovers, here are some suggestions:
"Beautiful Old Dogs," edited by David Tabatsky with photographs by the late Garry Gross, is a collection of essays, poems and images celebrating our senior best friends.
Booklist calls "Chaser: Unlocking the Genius of the Dog Who Knows a Thousand Words," written by John W. Pilley Jr., Ph.D., a marvelous blend of good science and heartwarming dog story.
Children ages 8 to 12 will enjoy "Anton and Cecil: Cats at Sea," by Lisa Martin and Valerie Martin, illustrated by Kelly Murphy. The New York Times Book Review calls it remarkable for its delicate use of language and watertight descriptions of seafaring and says the story is engrossing and unpredictable. -- Kim Campbell Thornton and Dr. Marty Becker
ABOUT PET CONNECTION
Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "Good Morning America" and "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. They are joined by professional dog trainer and behavior consultant Mikkel Becker. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.