DENTAL CARE IS KEY TO KEEPING YOUR PET'S TEETH IN PLACE

Let me get this out of the way up front: Yes, I do brush my pets' teeth. I really do.

I believe the task is too important to ignore, and so, too, are regular veterinary dental examinations and cleanings as recommended under anesthesia. That's why one of my own older dogs went under recently, coming out of anesthesia safely with a couple fewer teeth, but healthier teeth and gums overall.

Does this make you feel guilty? That's not my intent. My goal is to show that I practice what I preach because I believe good dental care is essential not only to your pet's health, but also to his quality of life. Broken, rotting teeth and infected gums make pets miserable, and I can't tell you how many times I've opened a pet's mouth in an exam room to see gums so inflamed they look as if a blow-torch had been passed over them.

A situation like that is what should make someone feel guilty. But the problems -- and the guilt -- are easily avoided. Your veterinarian is ready to get you on the right track.

First thing to remember: Foul-smelling breath from your dog or cat is never normal. It's a symptom of disease that you need to heed.

Second thing: Brushing is easier than you think it will be. Approach the task with a positive attitude, take it slow and easy, and then follow with something the pet likes -- a play session or a food treat.

For kittens and puppies, the focus is on training and prevention, but adult pets will likely need veterinary attention before a preventive-care program can help. Your veterinarian should check your pet's mouth, teeth and gums as part of the regular examination, and make recommendations based on what he or she finds there. For many pets, the next step will be a complete dentistry under anesthesia. The procedure takes 45 minutes to an hour, and involves not only cleaning and polishing the teeth, but also checking for and treating broken or rotting teeth, cavities, abscesses and periodontal disease.

This is a medical procedure, not a cosmetic one, which is why it's absolutely not the same as those "no-anesthesia" cleanings offered by non-veterinarians. I recognize that people worry about anesthesia, but the benefits outweigh the risks. Today's anesthetics are dramatically safer than those of even a few years ago, making the dangers and pain of untreated dental problems the bigger risk to health, even with older pets like my own dog Quixote.

After the problems are treated, at-home care can keep things in good shape. Here are some tips:

-- Brush regularly. Use a toothpaste designed for dogs or cats a couple of times a week at least, although daily is better. If you absolutely cannot brush, ask your veterinarian about dental rinses that can help prevent dental problems. They're usually not as good as brushing, but they can and do help.

-- Discuss your pet's diet with your veterinarian. Some pet-food companies offer kibble with a mild abrasive texture to help keep teeth clean, or with ingredients that help keep plaque from forming.

-- Offer tooth-safe toys to help with oral health. Again, talk to your veterinarian. You'll want to avoid chews so hard they can break a tooth, and you may want to consider those impregnated with enzymes to help prevent plaque buildup.

Once your pet's teeth are in good shape, you'll notice an end to bad breath. The true benefits of dental care go far beyond a better-smelling mouth, however, making what seems like an aesthetic issue one that is in fact a cornerstone of a preventive-care program.

February is Pet Dental Health Month. During the month, your veterinarian may be able to provide special information on your pet's dental care or have special offers on services.

Q&A

'Dry nose' may mean

nothing much at all

Q: In one of your books you said a dry nose on a dog isn't a reliable sign of illness. I'd always thought it was. What changed? -- via Facebook.

A: The link between a dry nose and a fever never really was reliable, but that's not the whole story, because sometimes it can be. Confused? Let me explain.

Tears are constantly produced to lubricate the movement of the eyes. Because this lubrication is so critical to eye health, the dog's body routinely produces more tears than are needed. These excess tears flow through the nasolacrimal (literally "nose-tears") duct and out the base of the nose. (People also experience this when crying.)

As the tears drip down into the dog's face, the dog licks her nose, spreading the tear fluid over the nose, which wets it. Then, evaporation causes the nose to be cool. The moistened nose is better equipped to dissolve airborne chemicals, which contributes to a better sense of smell.

When a dog is sick, the body uses up more internal water in the process of fighting disease. This increased water use, especially with a fever, causes relative dehydration, even if the dog is drinking a normal amount of water. This dehydration results in decreased tear production, and hence a dry nose.

The same dry nose, however, could be because of fluid loss from panting on a hot day. And some dogs (such as poodles) are prone to blocked tear ducts, so there is less fluid flowing through the ducts to moisten the nose. The bottom line is that the dry nose may be an indicator of dehydration, but it indicates illness only if it's coupled with lethargy and other symptoms.

In other words, a sick dog may have a dry, warm nose, but a dry, warm nose can also be the result of something other than illness. -- Dr. Marty Becker

Do you have a pet question? Send it to petconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

Tomcats: The look we

don't really miss

-- The overwhelming majority (nearly 90 percent) of owned cats are spayed or neutered, which means that many people no longer recognize the look of a mature tomcat on the prowl for a mate. What biologists call "secondary sex characteristics" in unneutered male cats includes the development of heavy jowls (called "shields") and a heavier, more muscular build. It's a good thing we don't see it so often, since cats capable of breeding add to the burden of finding homes for the homeless.

-- Additional dog treats have been withdrawn from sale, as the Hartz Mountain Corp. cited concerns with the use of unapproved antibiotics in the Chinese-sourced chicken. China is not allowed to export chicken for human consumption in the United States, but the ban does not include chicken products intended for pets, according to DVM360.com. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has been unable to pinpoint any problem with the pet treats, even though pet owners have reported more than 3,000 sick dogs to the agency, with more than 500 deaths.

-- Four new veterinary schools are in the works -- two of them in Arizona. But the question of whether there will be enough jobs for these graduates is hotly debated in the veterinary community, according to VIN News (news.vin.com). While there's an acknowledged shortage of rural, large-animal veterinarians, most newly minted graduates prefer the hours and lifestyle of companion-animal veterinarians in more urban settings, and competition for these jobs is already keen. Not so keen? Relatively low salaries for these medical professionals, many of whom graduate with a crushing burden of student debt. -- Gina Spadafori

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 Gina Spadafori. The two are affiliated with Vetstreet.com and also the authors of many best-selling pet care books. Dr. Becker can also be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker.

FIVE VETERINARY PRODUCTS TO WATCH IN THE NEW YEAR

Every year, I go to as many veterinary conferences as I can. I have always loved to learn and I need to stay on the cutting edge for my work in the media.

Last year, several veterinary products caught my attention. They'll be worth watching as they roll into veterinary practices this year. In random order:

-- Zeuterin: A few years ago, I made the decision to return to practice. I missed it, so now I see pets and their people at two north Idaho veterinary hospitals whenever I can.

Recently, I was able to participate in the staff training for a product that will revolutionize the way we neuter dogs. Zeuterin is a U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved non-surgical product injected directly into the testicles. It's fast, it's easy on everyone and it has already proven its value in neutering overpopulations of dogs in third-world countries and in the abandoned area around the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan. (ArkSciences.com)

-- Kerdog by SophiaDog: I first saw this product last summer at the American Veterinary Medical Association's annual conference. It had quite the buzz on the trade-show floor, and with good reason. It's a wheeled cart for dogs that does more than support an animal undergoing rehabilitation. The product has pedals for the rear paws that teach the animal to use his legs while strengthening the muscles. Eventually, the pedals are removed and the dog walks with support from the cart, and then on his own. (SophiaDog.com)

-- OraStrip Quick Check: Your veterinarian can tell in minutes if your dog has periodontal disease with OraStrip Quick Check, a diagnostic strip that tests a pet's saliva and color when active disease is present. Treatment options can then be explored in time to reduce the suffering caused by this painful and harmful condition. (Orastrip.com)

-- IDEXX VetConnect Plus: I love my tablet computer, and I love seeing all the ways we're starting to use these in veterinary medicine. With this system from IDEXX, my patient's laboratory reports show an easy-to-read interactive format and can be viewed on a desktop, laptop or tablet. They're all in one place, and I can use my tablet to go over the Cloud-based results with the pet's owner. The company says more than 3,000 veterinary practices in the United States are already using the system since it was launched last July. (IDEXX.com/vetconnectplus)

-- Royal Canin Veterinary Diets' CALM: With proven links between illness and behavior problems to the increased levels of stress caused by anxiety, there's a need for food to soothe anxious pets. New from Royal Canin Veterinary Diets is CALM, the first product of its kind, available through veterinarians. CALM includes three proven ingredients to relieve stress and anxiety without the use of medication. (Royalcanin.us/calm)

These are the five products that really caught my attention last year, but I easily could have listed a couple dozen more. Changes and innovations are a constant in medicine, which is yet another reason to work with your veterinarian to stay on top of pet care breakthroughs. Your pet will benefit, and so will you.

Q&A

Abscess requires taking

cat to the veterinarian

Q: My cat got into a fight again and now he has an infection. I just can't afford another trip to the vet. What can I do at home? -- via Facebook

A: You need to take your cat to the veterinarian, since cat bites can be very serious indeed. After this issue is resolved, you can save money through prevention -- and that means keeping your cat inside. Why? Because this common feline health problem is often the result of a puncture wound, specifically a bite from another cat during a fight over territory or mates.

Nearly every free-roaming cat needs to see a veterinarian from time to time to have an abscess treated -- and by "treated," I mean surgically opened, flushed clean of debris, and sometimes temporarily held open by drains to let the wound heal with the help of time and some strong antibiotics.

A cat's mouth is a nasty mix of bacteria, and once that bacteria gets punched into another cat's body, the result will probably be an abscess. Think about it -- bacteria being injected with two bacteria-laden hypodermic needles (the cat's fang teeth) into a perfect incubator (another cat's 101-plus-degree body). The only possible outcome is infection.

The bacteria in a cat's mouth is also why even relatively minor cat bites can become serious medical issues for humans, leading to hospitalization in some cases. Anytime you're bitten or scratched by an animal, you should wash the area immediately with soap and water and have the wound checked out by your doctor. -- Dr. Marty Becker

Do you have a pet question? Send it to petconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

Landmark study looks

at dogs' health for life

-- A landmark study of a popular breed of dog is expected to produce information that will likely help set medical research priority in pets and people. The Golden Retriever Lifetime Study was developed by the Morris Animal Foundation, the Flint Animal Cancer Center at Colorado State University and the Golden Retriever Club of America, will track the health status of goldens as they age and the environment in which they live. This includes everything from food and exercise to exposure to pesticides to the water they drink. The study will also collect data on cancers, diabetes, arthritis and epilepsy, among other health issues common in pets and people both. Golden retrievers under the age of 2 are being sought, with more information available at caninelifetimehealth.org.

-- Search-and-rescue dogs don't need to be worrying about their jobs. Researchers at the University of Dortmund in Germany are working to determine reliable scent markers to help find people who are lost or caught in collapsed buildings after a disaster. The study identified 12 chemical compounds that could be identified by a machine for the purpose of finding someone. That's a long way from having a machine that works with the speed, agility and highly developed scenting ability of a dog under difficult and ever-changing conditions in the field.

-- Keeping dogs and cats continues to be very popular, according to the findings of the American Veterinarian Medical Association in its newly released "U.S. Pet Ownership & Demographics Sourcebook." The survey of 50,000 households puts the number of cats in the United States at 74.1 million and the number of dogs at 70 million -- both figures down slightly from the last survey five years ago. The most dramatic drop has been in the number of horses, down 2.4 million in the same period to 4.8 million in 2012. -- Gina Spadafori

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 Gina Spadafori. The two are affiliated with Vetstreet.com and also the authors of many best-selling pet care books. Dr. Becker can also be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker.

LET YOUR VET HELP KEEP YOUR PET HEALTHY, AND YOU'LL SAVE IN THE LONG RUN

If you're trying to save money -- and really, who isn't? -- it's important to understand a couple of key concepts when it comes to budgeting for pet care:

1. It's almost always less expensive to prevent health problems than to treat them.

2. Taking your pet's health care expert -- your veterinarian -- out of the picture is never going to be the best way to save money.

And, yes, they go hand in hand. Veterinarians know money is always an issue, and they're ready to offer wellness plans that will help you keep your pet healthy. A wellness check once or twice a year can catch little problems before they're big ones, and gives you access to cutting-edge care and advice that will help you save at home, too.

Some more tips for keeping costs down include:

-- Take the weight off your pet. Extra pounds increase the likelihood of serious health problems, such as arthritis, diabetes and cancer in pets just as they do in people. And yet few people recognize when their pet is overweight -- or even grossly obese!

If your pet is normal weight (you should be able to feel his ribs), measuring food, keeping treats to a minimum and working in a daily exercise session will keep him that way. If your pet is overweight, get your veterinarian's help to reduce weight slowly to avoid the health risks of sudden weight loss, especially in cats. 

-- Change your buying habits. You can save money buying the largest bags of food or litter, or get case discounts on canned goods. Split your dry food purchases with family or a friend, and store portions in an airtight container. (Do keep product info from the bag, though, in case there are questions or problems.)

Other purchases should be considered carefully. Replace things such as collars when wear first shows -- you don't want a collar to break and your dog to get loose in a dangerous situation. Buy quality, not silliness: One good collar is a better value than a lot of shoddy but cute ones.

Be careful when cutting down on toys, though: Good chew toys have saved many an expensive pair of shoes.

-- Get the do-it-yourself bug. Most people can learn to handle basic pet grooming at home, from bathing to nail trims. If nothing else, you can probably stretch out the time between professional grooming with some at-home care. Check your library for grooming guides and hone in on breed-specific tips with an Internet search.

-- Don't forget the value of bartering. Ask about trading goods and services for your pet's needs.

-- Poison-proof your home. Go through your home with an eye toward possible hazards. From food hazards such as raisins, Xylitol-sweetened goodies and chocolate to houseplants such as lilies, many poisoning risks can be prevented just by removing them. Both over-the-counter and prescription medications are also a danger, and these are best dealt with by putting them behind cupboard doors.

Don't be shy about asking your veterinarian to work with you on keeping costs down. For example, ask your veterinarian to give you prescriptions for medications to be filled elsewhere or to match prices. Comparison shopping for medications may offer considerable savings, especially if there are generic equivalents available.

We also recommend looking into pet health insurance, because no pet lover wants to say no to a pet who can be saved because the money isn't there for the care. Because plans differ, do your research before buying to make sure the most likely health problems of your pet are covered.

Talk to your veterinarian, and you'll get even more good advice.

Q&A

More scratching places

can save your furniture

Q: I got the cat a scratching post. But then I read that one isn't enough. How much stuff does a cat really need? He doesn't use the scratching post he has now, ruining my couch instead. -- via Facebook

A: I think you're looking at this wrong. Your cat needs and loves to scratch, and if you provide places that make him happy to do so -- and show him that this is where he should scratch -- your furniture is going to sustain less damage.

That's not the only advantage. Feline obesity is a serious and common problem, leading to chronic diseases such as diabetes. Whatever you can do to keep your cat active will help prevent him from packing on the pounds.

The reason you see advice for more litter boxes, more scratching posts (trees, trays and so on) and more toys is because many cats are living lives completely inside these days. And while that's good for them in many ways, it does require effort on our part to make up for the enriched (and dangerous) environment outside.

If you think about all the places cats can dig their claws into outside, you'll understand why one little scratching post isn't enough. Yes, your cat needs more.

Think variety as well as quantity. Some cats love to scratch horizontally. Some even like to scratch upside down, kicking at the roof of "scratching tunnels" with their hind paws, bunny-style. You'll find many choices that aren't very expensive. Check out "scratching trays" that offer the exposed ends of cardboard packed tightly into a compact unit that will fit almost anywhere in your house. Rub catnip into the places where you want your cat to scratch, if your cat's one who enjoys the herb (about half don't react to it). Place the scratchers in various locations, but you should especially place one near the damaged corner of that couch. Use double-sided tape on the damaged area to discourage your cat from digging claws in, and praise him for using the scratcher. Later, you can slowly move the post, tree or scratching tray to a preferred location, and your cat will happily follow it. -- Dr. Marty Becker

Do you have a pet question? Send it to petconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

New tax on equipment

may impact vet costs

-- A little-known provision in the Affordable Care Act has some veterinarians concerned that the costs of providing care will go up. DVM360.com reports that medical equipment used in both human and veterinary medicine is now subject to a sales tax of 2.3 percent -- an expense that industry experts say may end up being passed along to clients. The American Veterinary Medical Assoc. notes that it's "reasonable to believe" the costs will need to be passed along. The ACA does not specifically address veterinary medicine, but it is widely believed that the overlap in medications, supplies and equipment will likely affect the cost of care for animals as well as people.

-- Tethering a dog for a short while is fine, but it should never be a dog's 24/7 existence. Behaviorists say dogs who spend their lives on chains are more likely to become dangerous, biting anyone who comes onto their turf. That's because a dog who spends his life on a chain is isolated and frustrated, and he'll sometimes lash out to protect his limited bit of territory.

-- The Veterinary Information Network, a privately held online information, education and networking source for veterinarians, based in Davis, Calif., is collecting data on pet deaths attributed to jerky treats, some of which have been recalled. VIN says it will be working with veterinary pathologists to rule out unrelated causes of deaths in dogs suspected of being killed by the popular treats in order to focus on solving a mystery that has stumped state and federal public-health officials for years. VIN was also active in collecting verifiable data during the 2007 pet-food recall. Affected pet owners should work with their veterinarians to be considered for the study. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Gina Spadafori

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 Gina Spadafori. The two are affiliated with Vetstreet.com and also the authors of many best-selling pet care books. Dr. Becker can also be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker.