A
mighty mouthful of shiny white teeth is the ideal in any dog. These are, after
all natural predators, and we even take the name of our own frontal fangs – the
canines – from the scientific name for the dog family. It might, then, be easy
to imagine that dogs’ teeth look after themselves, but unfortunately this isn't
the case, and dental disease is very common, especially in older dogs. In fact,
over three-quarters of dogs over the age of three show signs of periodontal
disease, a chronic infection of the gums which affects the teeth, and may even
cause their loss.
Prevention,
as always, is the best cure, and the best prevention for this and other dental
problems is regular cleaning. It’s a
good idea to train a dog to accept regular tooth brushing, which will be a
major help in keeping its mouth healthy. The training is best done while the
dog is still a puppy, but you can often train an older dog to accept – and even
enjoy – having its teeth brushed. Fortunately there are also lots of toys,
treats and foods specially designed to keep teeth clean, even if your dog won’t
accept a toothbrush. It’s always worth asking a vet for advice on the best
approach.
Vets North Somerset: Another Dog Problem is Dermatitis
Dogs
can suffer from all sorts of skin problems – after all, under that lovely shiny
coat they have skin just like us, and just like us it is susceptible to all
sorts of problems. A major cause of skin issues in dogs is what is known as
atopic dermatitis. All dogs get a few itches, and a well-placed paw usually
hits the spot. But if your dog is forever scratching itself, and if you can see
physical signs on the skin, then there may be an allergy-based problem, causing
atopic dermatitis.
Dogs,
like people, can suffer from all sorts of allergies leading to skin problems,
from a reaction to flea bites and particular infections, to sensitivities to
pollen, dust mites or even certain types of food. If such allergies are causing
severe itching then you might notice redness, acne-like spots, or hair loss.
Above all, your dog won’t be very happy!
A
vet will often run tests to rule out other causes of skin problems – many of
which can be treated with straightforward medication. If allergies are
identified as the source of the problem then as well as medication to ease the
symptoms, there are possible means of dealing with the allergy itself. As with
humans, steroids and antihistamines can provide relief, but these can lead to
side effects of their own. It may, however, be possible to tackle an allergy
through allergen-specific immunotherapy, gradually exposing a dog to increasing
amounts of the allergen responsible for its itchy reaction to the point where
it builds up a tolerance.
