Nutrition and oral health

Oral health is ignored by pet owners all too often, and this has a significant impact on pet well-being. Even though daily brushing is the best way to prevent dental disease, owners are reluctant to do it.  They also often fail to understand the negative impact of dental disease on overall health, primarily because it doesn’t usually cause obvious signs of pain or stress. This is even more relevant for cats who, in addition to being underserved by veterinary healthcare in general, have evolved to be quite stoic and often show no symptoms even with severe disease. Dental disease in most pets is “out of sight and out of mind”.

Virtual care is an excellent complement to in-person care, particularly for traditionally underserved aspects of veterinary care like oral health. Vetster appointments are also a great fit because they take place in the client’s home, and at-home dental care is critical for preventing periodontal disease.

Building relationships with clients over the course of their pets’ lives in both acute care and wellness settings is one of the best ways to grow your virtual practice, and Vetster has a wealth of resources at your fingertips to support you. Preventing dental disease in dogs and cats requires multimodal strategies, so Vetster wants to make it easy for you to access the tools you need to address this important health concern during your virtual appointments. Our platform provides you with easy access to:

• Client education articles
• OTC oral hygiene products like toothbrushes and toothpaste
• OTC dental chews, wipes, and oral rinses
• Therapeutic and wellness diets, including dental diets

To search VesterRx for dental care items, simply type “dental” into the search field.  If you want to filter your search results, click the “Nutrition”, “OTC”, or “Prescription” tabs. Even though daily brushing is the foundation of home dental care, many clients struggle with it and are looking for options. Dental diets have been shown to significantly reduce plaque in dogs.

As virtual care providers, you are ideally positioned to make an impact on pet health and well-being by being a source of accurate information and health care for pet owners. Their perspectives on the importance of oral health in the lives of their pets stand to benefit from your expertise, time, and ability to assess their pets in the home setting.

We encourage you to be proactive about addressing client misconceptions about dental care and eagerly engage in these highly valued conversations. Show clients how to examine their pet’s teeth and explain what healthy teeth look like (many clients think tartar and doggy breath are normal). Remember also to bring up therapeutic solutions like special diets, dental treats, and oral rinses and chews whenever appropriate. Your clients value your opinion when navigating choices about which products have evidence showing they are safe and effective for preventing/treating dental disease.

Here at Vetster, our #1 priority is to provide a space where pet parents and veterinarians can connect to help pets and people enjoy long and happy lives together, and dental care plays a huge role in that.

Still hungry for more information on nutrition and oral health? Check out these great resources curated by our medical director, Dr. Matt Spiegle:

• Hamp, E., Olsson, E., Farsø-Madsen, K., Viklands, P., & Fornell, J. (1984). A Macroscopic and Radiologic Investigation of Dental Diseases of the Dog. Veterinary Radiology, 25(2), 86-92.
• Enlund, K. B., Brunius, C., Hanson, J., Hagman, R., Höglund, O. V., Gustås, P., & Pettersson, A. (2020). Dog Owners' Perspectives on Canine Dental Health—A Questionnaire Study in Sweden. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 7.
• Kortegaard HE, Eriksen T, Baelum V. Periodontal disease in research beagle dogs--an epidemiological study. J Small Anim Pract. 2008 Dec;49(12):610-6. doi: 10.1111/j.1748-5827.2008.00609.x. Epub 2008 Sep 12. PMID: 18793256.
• Fernandes NA, Borges APB, Reis ECC, Sepúlveda RV, Pontes KCDS. Prevalence of periodontal disease in dogs and owners' level of awareness - a prospective clinical trial. Revista Ceres. (2012) 59:446–51.
• Stella JL, Bauer AE, Croney CC. A cross-sectional study to estimate prevalence of periodontal disease in a population of dogs (Canis familiaris) in commercial breeding facilities in Indiana and Illinois. PLoS One. 2018 Jan 18;13(1):e0191395. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0191395. PMID: 29346448; PMCID: PMC5773197.
• Logan EI, Finney O, Hefferren JJ. Effects of a dental food on plaque accumulation and gingival health in dogs. Journal of Veterinary Dentistry. 2002;19:15–18.

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