Mouth care
An injury such as a cut, swelling, ulcer or mass of the mouth.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Mouth injuries are often seen when the pet demonstrates pain when eating or blood is seen in saliva.
Common causes of a mouth problem:
- Trauma or wound such as stick-injury
- Infection
- Dental disease
- Cancer
- Ulcer
- Tongue injury
Common signs of a dental problem:
- Decreased appetite
- Unwillingness to eat hard food
- Drooling
- Bad breath
- Plaque or tartar build up on teeth
- Swollen, red or bleeding gums
- Missing or broken teeth
- Weight loss
- Pawing at mouth
TIPS
Tips to help prevent mouth injuries at home:
- Avoid playing with sticks that can cause penetrating injuries to the mouth
- Brush teeth regularly or use dental techniques to maintain health of teeth
- Have teeth regularly checked by veterinarian at annual visit
Tips that may help prevent dental disease:
- Daily rinsing and brushing of teeth
- Hard food as it is proven to leave less food particles on the teeth than soft food
- Dental chews such as soft raw hides
- Special foods e.g. prescription dental diets
- Annual veterinary dental checks to pick up early disease
- Veterinary dental cleaning as required
- Applying sealants: Usually applied professionally for first application and then at home weekly by owner
If your pet seems uncomfortable or goes off its food, seek veterinary attention.