Pets Could Also Benefit from Brushing Twice a Day

Animal dentistry has become an increasingly popular service offered by veterinarians. Your pets, consumers of food and drink as they are, do the same or similar damage to their teeth as we humans do on a daily basis. The primary difference, of course, is that we get to brush our teeth (most of us) daily. Your dog has his teeth brushed once or twice a year? If you are looking for an expert in animal dentistry in Victoria, look no further than Victoria Veterinary Care. We can help with one of the most common plagues rampantly running through pets these days: periodontal disease.

Periodontal disease is the altered state of the periodontium, or, the structure surrounding the teeth. These structures include the gingiva, the periodontal ligament, and the bone which surrounds the tooth. The cause of periodontal disease is plaque. Plaque enhances the ability of bacteria growth on the tooth and gingiva. These bacteria unleash inflammation of the tissue which then prompts the burgeoning of gingivitis, the formation of pockets between the gingiva and the tooth, as well as bone loss around the tooth. Periodontal disease, if left untreated, will create bad breath and can enable potential loss of teeth, appetite loss and difficulties with eating. Organs like the heart, kidneys, liver and lungs all can be adversely affected by the bacteria and toxins found as a result of periodontal disease.

Periodontitis is the most common disease seen in dogs and cats. It has been estimated that periodontitis affects 80 percent of the dogs and 70 percent of the cats over 2 years of age across the country. The bulk of the emergence comes from a lack of animal dentistry treatment for pets, but also genetics. Some breeds of dogs and cats are more likely to have periodontal disease than others: Shi Tzu, Miniature Schnauzer, Lhasa Apso, Yorkshire terriers and Maltese dogs. The two most popular cat breeds plagued by periodontitis are Somali and Abyssinian.

Small breed dogs are more likely to have periodontal disease than large breed dogs, and older dogs are more likely to have periodontal disease than younger dogs.

The primary means you have with which to fight periodontal disease is to prevent it. This occurs with regular animal dentistry, primarily dental scaling and polishing. Home care like tooth brushing (aim for daily, realistically, three times a week would make a huge difference), oral rinses and dental treats are all important to help keep gum diseases at bay for your pets. Early intervention is key and will save your pet pain and tooth loss.

To learn more about animal dentistry in Victoria, call Victoria Veterinary Care at 952-443-3138 or you can Contact Us. 

Spaying and Neutering FAQs

We operate a spay and neuter clinic near Chanhassen, and we are always happy to answer questions about our clinic as well as what spaying and neutering a pet entails. We understand that even a routine procedure like this can cause both pets and their owners some stress and anxiety. Here are a few of the questions we get the most often and our usual responses to them.

Q: Why should I have my pet spayed or neutered? What are some of the benefits?

A: Dog and cat populations are surging, and they have been for many years. One of the best ways to help mitigate this is by spaying or neutering your pet. A visit to our spay and neuter clinic can also help you and your pets in other ways. Once spayed, your female pet will not go into heat, which means you will not have to deal with the annoyance and mess of a heat cycle. And for male pets, neutering helps with undesirable behaviors like aggression and urine marking.

Q: Should my pet go into heat at least once or have a litter before I have the pet spayed or neutered?

A: No. Spaying your female pet before a heat cycle can help reduce her risk of breast cancer as well as uterine infections and cancer. Neutering your male pet before his first heat cycle can help prevent testicular cancer and an enlarged prostate gland, and it can also help reduce the risk for perianal tumors.

Q: How old should my dog or cat be or how much should they weigh before you will spay or neuter them?

A: Your pet should be at least 8 weeks old and weigh at least 2 pounds before you schedule an appointment at our spay and neuter clinic.

Q: I’ve heard my pet will gain a lot of weight after it’s spayed or neutered. Is that true?

A: No. This is a myth about spaying and neutering pets. Dogs and cats get fat for the same reasons most people gain weight: too much food and not enough exercise. Your pet will enjoy far more health advantages than disadvantages after a visit to our spay and neuter clinic.

These are just a few of the questions we get at our spay and neuter clinic. If you have any questions that are not on this list, please feel free to call us.

If you would like to learn more about our spay and neuter clinic near Chanhassen, call Victoria Veterinary Clinic at 952-443-3138, or you can Contact Us.

Common Misconceptions about Pet Vaccinations

When it comes to your pet’s health and well being, pet vaccinations are one of the best ways to prevent illnesses and other health-related problems. As an animal hospital that offers pet vaccinations in Victoria, we have heard many myths about vaccinating animals over the years. Here are a few of the ones we hear the most often.  

Misconception #1: My pet already got all of its vaccinations from the breeder or rescue that I got him from.

Truth: Not all cats or dogs that come from a breeder or rescue has all of its shots. As a matter of fact, if you adopted your pet before it was 16 weeks old, chances are it did not get all of its pet vaccinations. Ask the breeder or rescue about your pet’s vaccination history to make sure your new furry friend has all of the right vaccines.

Misconception #2: When it comes to pet vaccinations, they are incredibly expensive and not all that effective.

Truth: These days, pet vaccinations are affordable and they are a necessity. They don’t just protect your pet from illnesses like rabies: they also protect you and other human beings from getting illnesses and viruses that can be passed from animal to human. It also helps protect other pets in your area too. If your pet is vaccinated, that means he or she cannot spread these illnesses and viruses to other animals.

Misconception #3: My dog or cat needs yearly pet vaccinations.

Truth: This is not always the case. Your pet’s vaccination schedule will depend on a few different factors. Our animal hospital can guide you and help determine what vaccinations your pet needs and when. Most vaccines are needed every few years, not once a year.

Misconception #4: If my puppy or kitten was nursed by its mother, it does not need to be vaccinated.

Truth: While a mother’s breast milk will offer protection by way of antibodies and other necessary protections like that, those antibodies wear off over time and are no substitute for pet vaccinations. Plus, there is no way of knowing how long those antibodies will last.

Misconception #5: Pet vaccinations are not safe for my pet.

Truth: Pet vaccines are very safe, and usually any side effects are very rare.

Do you want to learn more about pet vaccinations in Victoria? Call Victoria Veterinary Care at 952-443-3138 or you can Contact Us.

Welcome to Our Blogger!

Welcome to Victoria Veterinary Care's new Blogger! We are a veterinary clinic and animal hospital in Victoria MN, and we provide pet care services to dogs, cats, gerbils, hamsters and many more furry friends.

Keep checking this Blogger to get more information about our pet care services, our veterinary staff, our animal hospital, industry news and much more.

And when you need a veterinary clinic and animal hospital in Victoria MN, call Victoria Veterinary Care at 952-4433138 or Contact Us.