Periodontal Dental Disease for Puppies
Periodontal disease is one of the most common dental conditions among dogs. It affects the gums and bones around the teeth. Dogs usually get this disease when they are young. Early detection and treatment of canine teeth can help your dog avoid serious complications.
What is Periodontal Dental Disease for Puppies?
Periodontitis is a bacterial infection that affects the gums and bones around the teeth. Gum disease causes inflammation and bleeding in the gums. This leads to tooth loss and loss of bone.
Periodontal disease is caused by bacteria and dog food particles collecting along the gum line and being left behind after a normal tooth brushing. Plaque and tartar irritate and inflame the gum line and surrounding tissues.
What are the symptoms of periodontal disease in dogs?
There are some hallmark symptoms of dog periodontitis pet owners should watch for, including bleeding or inflamed gums, tooth decay, discolored teeth (brown), loose teeth, missing teeth, bad breath (halitosis), irritability, weight loss, bloody or ropey saliva, favoring one side of the mouth while chewing, excessive drooling, and drop in appetite.
Dogs suffer from periodontal disease when they get older. Their teeth start falling out because of this disease. This causes them to feel weak and tired. They try to protect themselves by staying away from people. Periodontal disease can also affect other parts of the body.
Why Do Dogs Get Periodontal Disease?
Bacteria cause gum disease in people and pets. Animals eat and then spit out plaque. Plaque is made up of bacteria and dog food particles that cover the tooth surface. The body recognizes plaque as foreign and sends white blood cells to destroy it. Gum disease leads to tooth loss and tooth pain.
Gum disease is much more common in dogs than in people. This is because dogs have acidic saliva, while humans have alkaline saliva. Plaque forms easily in dogs’ mouths, but it doesn’t stick as well as it does in human mouths. Most pet owners brush their dog’s teeth twice a week, but this isn’t enough to prevent gum disease. Pet parents should practice daily brushing.
What Are the Symptoms of Gum Disease in Dogs?
Periodontal disease in dogs is rare because most people don’t know what to look for. Most people never notice any signs of gum disease at all. When they do notice something wrong, it’s already too late. Dogs with gum disease suffer from chronic pain. They try to hide this by hiding their teeth.
Some symptoms of severe gum disease are bleeding or red gums, loss of teeth, blood in the water bowl or chewing toys, bad breath, talking or making noises when a doggy eats or yawns, bumps or lumps in the mouthes, bloody or ropey saliva, head shyness.
A dog who chews on one side of the face may be suffering from Periodontal disease. This could lead to serious problems if left untreated.