Brushing Ferret Teeth

Manny getting his teeth brushed while I filmed how to do it.

 

 

Have a Chittering good Day,

 

Jo

National Dental and Heart Month.

 

Most pet parents know that February is National Dental month and that many vets give discounts for your pet to have their teeth cleaned. What many don’t realize is that it is also National Heart Month, granted it is more geared towards us humans but I believe that we should also have our pet’s hearts checked out as well since we are seeing increases in human diseases in our beloved fur babies.

Periodontal disease is very common in older ferrets over the age of 3 which is considered middle age. Cardiomyopathy is common in companion animals including ferrets when it is present in ferrets that are considered middle age to senior in age. “Cardiomyopathy comes from three Greek words that means disease of the Heart Muscle” 

 

A more in depth look at these topics to come.

 

Have a Chittering Good Day,

Jo

Pet teeth

All pets should have their teeth brushed to prevent many periodontal diseases that can cause other health issues such as Heart disease, Kidney problems, and digestive issues.

With preventative dental care given by both the pet owner and the pet’s vet these issues may be lessened or eliminated. The data about dental issues for ferrets is that 95% of them show some signs of periodontal disease.

Brushing your pet’s teeth may seem like an unnecessary chore because you are under the impression that the hard kibble you feed is cleaning your pet’s teeth. Think about all the things you eat throughout the day would you want to go a day without brushing your teeth at least once?

We as pet parents need to get past the outdated notion that we only have to worry about their teeth only when a problem shows up that can lead to unseen expense or issues that could have been prevented or have a better outcome.

Think about it this way we schedule yearly dental exams for our children and ourselves and some of us do the six-month check up. We brush our teeth anywhere from two to 3 times a day. If our teeth start to hurt, we make a dentist appointment immediately to get rid of the pain. So why should our pets be any different?

Our pets depend on us to know what to do for them beyond the scope of monitoring their bathroom, eating habits, and their medical needs.

One of the more serious dental issues for our pets is Stomotitis, which is the medical jargon for inflammation of the oral cavity and can lead to the removal of some teeth and in extreme cases all the teeth like our friend Mario da Cat

We as pet owners need to be aware of our pet’s mouth and by brushing their teeth weekly if not daily allows us to see any changes that we might miss if we only rely on the annual vet check up.

When was the last time you brushed your pet’s teeth?

How often do you look into your pet’s mouth?

Who was is considered the father of microbiology?

 

Have a Chittering Good Day,

Jo

Wordless Wednesday: Video

 

Have a Chittering Good Day,

Jo

And the Answer Is…

I asked on Friday what the one supplement do we all need. The answer is Taurine. For the most part humans and dogs can produce this amino acid naturally from the foods they eat but cats and ferrets are unable to produce it and need to have it added to their diets.

Taurine helps maintain healthy eyesight and studies are showing that it has an important role in keeping the heart healthy along with preventing tooth decay in cats and because there isn’t a lot of research published I can only conclude that the same may be true with ferrets.

 

Have a Chittering Good Day,
Jo

National Pet Dental and Heart Month

February highlights two very important health issues for both humans and their pets. We humans know that we need to take care of our teeth and hearts for various reasons but we don’t often think that we need to do the same for our beloved pets. There is research that shows there is a direct link between dental care and heart issues.

Dental care has been pushed in the last few years and now we can’t go a day without seeing an ad on television for products that help keep the tarter off our dog/cat’s teeth but they are not the only pets that need good dental care.

Heart health is just now starting to get some publicity but not though the traditional media. We are learning more about it from those we follow on twitter, Google +, Facebook, and many blogs and in some instances conferences, such as Blog Paws.

Again, the most focus is on dogs and cats but ferrets are also among those that get heart disease and what is surprising is that there seems to be a link between the lack of a specific supplement and heart disease that both cats and ferrets need. This link has been established in dogs as well but they produce the supplement naturally.

For the month of February, I will be writing about these things.

Without googling what supplement do you think cats and ferrets need?

What dental problems can pets have?

Do you brush your pet’s teeth?

Or do you have yearly dental cleanings performed at the vet’s office?

Brushing Manny’s Teeth: Video

 

 

I have to get better at placing the camera.

 

 

 

 

Have a Chittering Good Day,

Jo

Brushing Your Ferret’s Teeth

The top dental issues for ferrets are periodontal disease and fractured canine teeth. Periodontal disease is easily preventable with daily brushing. While I don’t brush my boy’s teeth daily I do brush them weekly.

Brushing is easier to do when you start doing it when your ferret is still very young. It can be done when you have an older ferret but you will have to offer a lot of praise and good for their teeth treats for letting you mess with their mouths.

You will need:
Pet toothpaste I am using and the tube will last me a long time.

A toothbrush that you and your ferret are comfortable with; I use a Colgate® Wisp that I have pried the mouthwash bead out of.

You will also need a container of water and some dental treats for a reward afterwards. I use Greenies® Feline Dental Treats.

I recommend that you let your ferret out for playtime and let they run out of energy. It will make the experience more pleasant for the both of you.

Set up the area where you will be brushing their teeth. Having a table that is the ideal height and a comfortable chair for you will beneficial while you are brushing your ferret’s teeth. Put a small amount of pet toothpaste on the brush and have it next to the container of water.

Once they have run most of their excess energy off you can pick your ferret and get ready to brush. First you should run your hand along their jaw to feel for any bumps or unusual feeling areas. By doing this often you will know what your ferret’s mouth should feel like.

Now it is time to brush their teeth.

Scruffing your ferret will let you see inside their mouth without hurting them or you getting bit. Scruffing does not hurt your ferret.

Pick up the prepared toothbrush dipping it into the water and then gently start brushing the back teeth with the same motions you use on your own teeth. Look to see if there are any discolored teeth that may need looked at by your vet.

Move to the canine teeth and check to see if they are chipped or have any evidence of fractures. Such as cracks, missing enamel, or even pieces missing. Don’t forget the tiny teeth in between the canines.

This picture isn’t the best but Marcuz was a jewel to let me brush his teeth that day.

By brushing your ferret’s teeth you help to eliminate bad breath and are more aware of what their mouth looks like and will notice if a problem arises sooner than if you didn’t. You will also surprise your vet as most ferret owners don’t brush their ferret’s teeth thinking that it isn’t needed.

Have a Chittering Good Day,

Jo

National Pet Dental Month

February is National Pet Dental Month. Until a couple of years ago I didn’t realize just how important it was to regularly have our pet’s teeth checked and to learn how to brush our pet’s teeth.    

Just like humans our pets are variable to the same types of mouth issues. Such as gingivitis, cavities, and some oral cancers.

The American Veterinary Dental College  (AVDC) recommends that we have annual dental check ups for our pets and do a minimum of brushing of once a week although daily is preferred.

Dogs and cats are mention on the site but other pets are not listed. When I found out about the recommendations I started brushing my ferrets: James and Lance at the time, teeth.

At first it was a real chore as they were older and there isn’t a toothbrush on the market for ferrets. But with continual trial and error we found what worked and while we couldn’t reverse some of the problems we did slow down others. 

Manny and Marcuz get their teeth brushed twice a week unless they have had something really sticky then they get their teeth brushed more often.

I surprised my vet because I do brush my boys teeth and am the only ferret owner he knows that does.

Because I do brush Manny and Marcuz’ teeth I know what their mouths look like and will know if something isn’t right before it becomes too big of an issue.

Disclosure: Picture of the ferret teeth is from a blog called teeth pictures.

Have a Chittering Good Day,

Jo