Horse Owners
Dental problems are common in dogs and cats. They are also common in rabbits
and guinea pigs. It is important to know a bit about what is normal in your
pets mouth to be able to assess the abnormal.
Dogs and Cats
Dogs have a total of 42 permanent teeth consisting of:
3 upper and 3 lower incisors, 1 upper and 1 lower canine, 4 upper and 4
lower premolars and 2 upper and 3 lower molars (Incisors: 3/3, Canines:
1/1, Premolars: 4/4, Molars: 2/3) on each side.
Cats have a total of 30 permanent teeth consisting of:
3 upper and 3 lower incisors, 1 upper and 1 lower canine, 3 upper and 2
lower premolars and 1 upper and 1 lower molar (Incisors: 3/3, Canines: 1/1,
Premolars: 3/2, Molars: 1/1) on each side.
The teeth should be a creamy/white colour with no build up of dental deposits,
and the gums should be pink (or they may be pigmented).
The deciduous (milk) teeth should fall out and the permanent teeth start
to erupt at around 3 months of age.
Problems
Some of the more common problems you may come across that our specialist
veterinary surgeons (on the referral list) will be
able to help you with are:
Periodontal disease.
a) Gingivitis; this is a reversible condition where the gums
become inflamed and bleed when touched. The teeth usually have plaque
and some calculus deposits on them and the animal usually has halitosis.
b) Periodontitis; this condition is irreversible. The gums receed
and usually some of the alveolar bone as well. The gums bleed profusely
when touched. Some of the teeth will be loose and they will be covered
(in most cases) with plaque and calculus. The animal will have severe
halitosis, and may appear a bit 'down'.
Periodontal disease is a potentially very painful condition.
Tooth fractures.
Dogs and cats can fracture their teeth on the most unlikely objects.
If a fracture of a tooth exposes the pulp it can be very painful.
If you notice a fractured tooth it is advisable to get it treated
as soon as you can. You can ask your vet for a referral to a specialist
veterinary dentist (see our referral list) for
possible endodontic treatment of the affected tooth, or the tooth
may be extracted. The tooth should never just be left as an abscess
may form potentially causing some severe problems.
Malocclusions.
A malocclusion is when the teeth are not in the correct position,
or if the animal has too many or too few teeth. Another problem can
be if the deciduous (milk) teeth remain in the mouth at the same time
as the permanent teeth are trying to erupt. Some malocclusions can
cause (severe) discomfort. It is possible to treat some malocclusions
with minor surgery, or no surgery at all. Some may be best treated
by extracting one or more teeth. Others may need more extensive work
and should be discussed with a specialist veterinary surgeon before
any decisions are made.
Jaw Fractures.
Animals with jaw fractures will be in severe pain and it will usually
be as a result of some sort of traumatic injury (e.g Road Traffic
Accident). This animal will need to be referred in an emergency situation.
Treatment for jaw fractures varies and will be discussed with you
at the time of appointment.
Dental decay (caries).
Dental decay is uncommon in dogs and rarely seen in cats. It is mainly
caused by the build up of food usually on the grinding surfaces of
the molar teeth. It can be a painful condition in advanced cases.
Teeth with caries can be treated successfully without the need to
extract them.
Feline Odontoclastic Resorptive Lesions.
These are dental lesions seen commonly in cats. As yet no-one knows
why cats get these lesions. They often appear as 'erosions' on the
tooth surface where the tooth and gum meet. Advanced lesions can cause
the complete loss of the crown of a tooth. These lesions can cause
extreme pain in the affected animal and treatment is extraction.
Oral tumors.
Oral tumors will be referred to a specialist and treated accordingly.
Other Dental Problems.
Many other dental problems can also be treated by a specialist veterinary
dentist (please see our referral list).
Home Care
Dental treatment can be considered useless if the treatment is not carried
on at home. Plaque is present on the tooth surfaces within 24 hours of a
professional scale and polish. Tooth brushing has been shown to be the most
affective way of keeping dental deposits from building up on the tooth surfaces.
You will need a (soft) toothbrush and a tooth paste formulated for pets.
You must use a pet tooth paste as the human tooth pastes have a high fluoride
content which can be toxic to cats and dogs. Start the process gradually,
brush one tooth a day at the beginning. Move up to a couple of teeth per
day and soon you will be doing one side per day. Then eventually the whole
mouth. The technique is really the same as for humans; a circular movement
around the area where the tooth meets the gum. If some bleeding occurs try
to persist, it will soon stop as you keep the area free of plaque and the
gums heal.
The pictures above are of a working assistance dog named Caesar. He belongs to Wendy Morrell, who has kindly supplied the photos. Caesar has his teeth brushed everyday, and even has his own website! Click on any of Caesar's photos above to pay his site a visit now!
Rabbits and Guinea Pigs
Rabbits have a total of 28 teeth consisting of:
2 upper and 1 lower incisor(s), no canine teeth at all, 3 upper and 2 lower premolars and 3 upper and 3 lower molars (Incisors: 2/1, Canines: 0/0, Premolars: 3/2 and Molars 3/3) on each side.
Guinea Pigs have a total of 20 teeth consisting of:
1 upper and 1 lower incisor, no canine teeth at all, 1 upper and 1 lower premolar, 3 upper and 3 lower molars (Incisors: 1/1, Canines: 0/0, Premolars: 1/1, Molars 3/3) on each side.
These animals have continuously growing teeth, which can cause a number of problems if they are not kept and fed properly.
Problems
The most common problem seen in these animals is the overgrowth of the teeth. You may notice the incisor teeth looking longer than normal, and not occluding with the upper (or lower) teeth. The animal may be salivating and the eyes may become red and weepy. He will also be off his food.
If you notice problems of the incisor teeth it is usually indicative of more severe problems at the back of the mouth. The molars can also become overgrown and fail to occlude correctly. This can lead to enamel 'spikes' being created which can cause lacerations of the tongue and cheeks. In extremely severe cases abscesses can form resulting in a poor prognosis.
This animal will be in pain and therefore it is important to watch for early signs of this problem and get them treated as soon as you notice them.
Treatment
It is impossible to examine and treat these animals without giving a general anaesthetic. A normal occlusion should be created using a dental drill. The 'spikes' at the back of the mouth will be removed and the teeth brought down to the correct level.
It is thought that one of the main causes of this problem in these animals is feeding an incorrect diet. Rabbits and Guinea Pigs must have a diet consisting mainly of grass and hay. This should keep the back teeth level and does not allow them to become overgrown. It is usually because the back teeth are overgrown that the incisors become overgrown. Animals that are not fed the correct diet to assure that the teeth do not overgrow, may face constant problems with their teeth, some may need treatment on a regular basis to keep them free from pain and discomfort.
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