Rise in Canine Dental Disease Reported
PDSA health checks of more than 13,000 dogs across the UK in 2007 and 2009, show a worrying 5% rise in the number of dogs suffering from dental disease, with the figure now standing at 24%. When this figure is applied to the entire UK dog population (around 8.3 million) it means nearly 2 million dogs could be suffering from dental disease.
PDSA’s data, which has been gathered by PDSA offering free health checks to dog owners nationwide via its three PetCheck vehicles, reveals that the UK’s current worst canine cavity hotspots are Northern Ireland and Wales which jointly top the table with one in three dogs (30%) suffering from dental disease. Northern Ireland also saw the largest overall rise with doubling of dental problems in two years (15% to 30%).
There is some good news though; dog owners in London and Scotland have obviously been brushing up on their dental skills. London saw a 7% decrease in dog dental disease (30% in 2007 to 23% in 2009) and Scotland has scaled down the problem by 6% (21% in 2007 to 15% in 2009).
Cats don’t fare much better either. In 2009, PDSA vets carried out nearly 8,000 dental procedures in cats – that means a staggering 8% of cats seen by the charity needed some form of dental surgery.
Pet owners can access free pet health information on a range of topics, including pet dental care, on PDSA’s website. To watch the charity’s pet heath videos or download free pet care leaflets on topics such as dental care click here.
Two independent vets have launched a podcast to help owners strengthen their bond with pets. Dr Maggie Roberts and Dr Vanessa Howie, who have worked in both veterinary practice and major charities, are keen to use their experience to enable people to give pets a better life.
