Humans are not the only ones who could use a little help keeping their mouth and teeth healthy. Animal dentistry can be just as important, and University Veterinary Hospital has the knowledge and equipment to supply it. Our veterinarian Dr. Jas Mattu offers regular dental checkups and cleanings for your pet, as well as advanced dentistry procedures when necessary. We can help keep your pets’ teeth healthy with procedures at our office, and you can supplement their oral care with dental tips you can use at home.

At-Home Pet Dental Tips for Optimum Oral Health 

Your first order of business is to give your pet’s mouth a visual checkup at least once a week. This allows you to check for any obvious problems that could merit a trip to our animal hospital. Signs of potential problems include gums that are swollen, contain growths, or are red or white rather than a healthy pink. Teeth should be white and firmly rooted, not loose or discolored. Also looks for other signs of oral disease such as excessive drooling, bad breath, and cysts beneath the tongue.

Regularly brushing your pets’ teeth can greatly enhance their oral health between cleanings from our veterinarian. You can use a piece of soft gauze or purchase a specific tooth brushing kit designed for pets. Baking soda and water can work as a paste, or you can also purchase a specific tooth paste made for pets. Small, gentle circles are typically an effective technique. Introducing your pets to the process before you begin can also help.

Two more ways to help keep dental issues at bay is with your pets’ food and chew toys. Hard food helps eliminate plaque and bacteria buildup, and our veterinarian can recommend a diet that provides proper nutrients as it helps maintain good oral health. Chew toys can also assist with keeping your pets’ teeth clean, especially those specifically designed to strengthen their teeth.

What steps do you take to keep your pet’s teeth healthy?

When your pet gets sick or is not quite acting himself, you probably visit the veterinarian for a diagnosis and treatment. However, some illnesses have few or no definable symptoms at all, many of which can cause harm to your pet's long term health, or even become potentially fatal. Here at University Veterinary Hospital, Berkeley veterinarian, Dr. Mattu, is trained to identify these "silent killers," many of which are manageable or curable with early detection.

One of the most common silent killers is parasites. A parasite is an organism that survives by leaching important nutrients from a host. Parasites are often found in the gastrointestinal tract and heart, and are easily killed or prevented with intestinal worm or heart worm medications.

Other "silent killers" include Addison's Disease, Cushing's Disease, thyroid disease and pet diabetes. All of these diseases are potentially fatal, but also completely manageable using the advancements in veterinary medicine. However, in order to detect an underlying health problem before it gets out of hand, you must bring your pet to our animal hospital for regular physical examinations and check-ups.

Our animal hospital is also experienced in diagnosing and treating pet skin allergies. Like humans, pets can develop aversions to allergens in foods and environmental components. The most common allergies are triggered by diet and seasonal inhalants, such as mold, pollen and weeds. However, pets may also develop allergies to certain shampoos, fragrances or household cleaners. Often, the skin will develop rashes, bumps or unusual textures, which may itch, hurt or cause excessive shedding.

Our pet dermatology services involve detecting the source of a pet's allergies by process of elimination. In some cases, formal allergy testing is needed, after which time our veterinarian will recommend reducing or eliminating your pet's exposure to the source. If reduced exposure is not possible, your pet may need medications to help regulate symptoms.

Do easily identify behavior changes in your pet as signs they're not feeling well?

Choosing to spay and neuter your pets is a good idea for many different reasons. Whether you have a male or female animal, both you and your pet will benefit in a variety of ways when you make the decision to spay or neuter.

University Veterinary Hospital's Five Reasons to Spay and Neuter Your Pets

Better Health. Female cats and dogs are less likely to develop several forms of cancer when they are spayed early in life. Our veterinarian in Berkeley recommends spaying your female pets as early spaying will prevent uterine infections and some cancers later in life. 

Better Behavior. Male animals that are neutered are less likely to get into trouble; your dog or cat will be less likely to get into fights if he is neutered. This one time animal surgery can reward you with a lifetime of improved behavior from your male dog or cat and fewer veterinary bills caused by aggressive or destructive behavior. 

Less Wandering. Make an appointment with our office in Berkeley today if you have an escape artist or a wanderer. Neutered males are more likely to stay home, and less likely to roam around looking for female companionship elsewhere.

Less Nuisance. If your unspayed female cat or dog goes into heat, she may attract unwelcome gentleman callers from all over the neighborhood. Not only can this be a noise problem, but the unneutered cats could spray your home as well.

Lower Vet Bills: From improved health and longevity to a lower risk of injury from aggressive behavior, spaying and neutering your pet can greatly reduce the amount of money you spend per year on animal vet clinic bills for your pet.

Call our Berkeley animal vet clinic today to set up an appointment to spay or neuter your dog or cat and begin reaping the rewards of better health and behavior.