Myth #2- A little tartar really isn’t a big deal and doesn’t cause problems.

Think about this for a minute. Do you think your dentist would be okay with you having “a little bit of tartar?” Certainly not. We are supposed to have our own teeth cleaned every six months, even if we’re brushing and flossing appropriately, in order to prevent periodontal disease. Tartar of any amount is unwanted and begins the process that can lead to periodontal disease. Additionally, much tartar is below the gum line where we can’t easily see it on an exam, so “mild” tartar may actually be more of a problem than it initially appears. We also don’t want to go from tartar and gingivitis to periodontal disease because of more serious health risks.

You can find more information on tartar and gingivitis on banfield.com.

Check back next week when I discuss another common pet dental myth, or view previous posts from this series.

Question: I just got a 10 week old puppy that I bought from a breeder. She was vaccinated at 6 and 9 weeks, and de wormed at 6, 8, 10 weeks. Today I noticed a thin short worm in her stools. Does this mean the de worming didn’t work? Should she be de wormed again?

Answer: You may be describing a tapeworm segment, which is typically seen on the surface of the stool or dried in the hair around the anus, as opposed to the longer worms that tend to be within the stool. Tapeworms come from having fleas, and the common puppy de wormers don’t have action against them.

I would recommend you make an appointment with your veterinarian for a general health examination, a review of the vaccinations and de-worming she has received, and make sure you are doing everything you need to be in terms of preventive care (including flea control). The doctor can de worm your puppy for tapeworms either with an injection or an oral de wormer that has action against tapeworms. If what you are seeing is a tapeworm, understand this is only a section of the worm (the sections are shed as the worm grows). I hope this is helpful to you.

If you have a non-emergency question about your pet’s health, you can submit it on our website. You can also view our archive to read answers to questions asked by other pet owners.

We talked about amputating his limb but our client was hesitant. I explained that cats and dogs can do extremely well on three limbs, especially if the hind limb is the limb that needs to be amputated. Following an in-depth discussion regarding the surgery and post-operative care, the client agreed to go ahead with the procedure. Harry’s hind limb was removed and he went home the next day on antibiotics and pain medication.

The amputation proved to be the best option for the young cat as he was walking around on his other hind limb within 12 hours of the surgery as if nothing ever happened. We rechecked Harry each week for the next four weeks following surgery confirmed that he was doing very well at home, running around on his three legs and has since become quite adept at chasing his fellow four-legged feline companions around the house until they give up!