5 Consequences of Neglecting Your Dog’s Teeth

Neglecting your dog’s dental care has many consequences. Dental hygiene is a critical part to keeping dogs healthy. In this article, you'll learn what these consequences are and how severe they can get. 

 

Weakened Immune System

Neglecting care for your dog's teeth leads to an abnormal bacteria buildup in their mouth. When the bacteria gets too much, your dog will have an infection and inflamed gums. Your dog is at an increased risk of getting sick while its body devotes resources to fighting off the bacterial infection in its mouth. Furthermore, the bacteria can actually enter the bloodstream and cause even worse problems when their gums swell up.

 

Heart Diseases

Dogs suffering from periodontal issues have an increased risk of heart disease in the future. This is because the bacteria found in their mouth makes its way to their heart through their inflamed gums. At that point, it's too late for vets to clean the bacteria out of their mouths through sedation, making the task nearly impossible. If you want your dog to remain healthy, the best thing you can do is schedule yearly cleaning for them so that vets can manage the bacterial buildup in their teeth.

 

Pain

You may think it’s tedious and unnecessary to clean your dog’s teeth, but know that neglecting to do so will put them in a lot of pain in the future. Dental diseases are not fun; more often than not, they are severely painful and debilitating. You won’t even know how badly your dog is suffering by just having a look at its teeth. Vets need to get a good look under their gum line to know the severity of their periodontal issues. 

 

Loss of Appetite

The pain from dental diseases can be so debilitating that it makes your dog lose its appetite and undergo rapid weight loss. Too much plaque buildup will rot your dog’s teeth and swell up their gums, making it painful to even place light pressure on them. To avoid this, you should brush their teeth regularly to eliminate the bacteria from causing damage. 

 

Increased Risk of Jaw Injury

Smaller dog breeds have jaws and teeth so small that dental diseases can break them easily. The decay of their teeth weakens their jaw bones and muscles to a point where even a tiny jump can fracture them. It’s recommended that you have routine visits with your veterinarian so that they can treat any existing issues and prevent anything in the future. 

 

Convenient Doggie Dental Care With Kings Crossing Animal Hospital

Kings Crossing Animal Hospital is a state-of-the-art veterinary medical center your dog can trust. Our facility fosters a caring family environment that offers nothing but the best care for our patients. Dental hygiene is extremely important for your dog; contact us and schedule an appointment to stay ahead of your dog’s oral hygiene!