Clients just don't "get it". They don't understand that dogs and cats are not supposed to have 3 inches of tartar on their teeth or that their breath isn't supposed to clear out a room. Even if they don't want to dedicate time to brushing them (heck, I forget to brush my own dog's teeth, and forget about even trying to brush my cats'!!), then they at least need to consider getting a dental. And there are products emerging on the market (oral sprays) that are actually pretty effective (most stuff OTC is just a waste of money). Some clients don't want to put their pets under anesthesia... but the risk of anesthesia is far outweighed by complications from a bad mouth (rotting teeth, sepsis, and in severe cases, heart problems!!) if left untreated. YES, even in older pets, anesthesia is still the lesser risk!!!
They don't "get it" that just because their pet isn't acting like its in pain doesn't mean that its not. There are more than a handful of clients that weren't entirely convinced that their pet needed a dental, because the pet was "acting fine", but did it anyway (usually the wife wanted to do it and the husband wasn't convinced it was necessary). One week after the dental we would call to check on the pet, and the client would tell us that they are acting like a brand new dog or cat!! It's amazing how they will act once they aren't in pain anymore!!!
And the REAL kicker... how would these owners feel if THEIR mouth looked or smelled like that? They would be in immense pain and would rush to their dentist. But they don't understand that it's very similar for their pets.
So... my clinic now is an AAHA clinic and we offer 20% off dental procedures for Jan, Feb, AND March. Dental health is VERY important. Again, even if you can't dedicate time to brushing your pet's teeth... please listen to your vet if he or she suggests a dental procedure and take a look at your pet's mouth and think, if that were YOUR mouth, what would you do? Because your pets have no say in the matter. Do what's best for THEM!
Bookmarks