Trying to ensure that your pets live a fulfilling life that is as painless and loving as possible is the priority for most owners of cats, dogs, and all other types of animals that you will find in American homes. Most owners are very good about keeping up to date with their pets scheduled visits to the vet and will take them early if they think they could be sick or injured. What some are less adept at is identifying when their pet has dental issues. Pet dental care is very important as it can affect how much they eat, their grooming, and their attitude in general, so here are a few warning signs you should not ignore when it comes to your pet's teeth.
Refusal To Be Pet Near Mouth
One of the biggest tell-tale signs that your pet is having issues with their teeth is if they refuse to even let you put a hand near it. Most of the time, cats and dogs don't mind being stroked underneath their jaw, or anywhere on their body. When they recoil from your hands without an obvious reason why (such as your hand being exceptionally dirty), then you should immediately be suspicious as to why. If they do have dental issues, then they could simply not want to feel any pain that might come from even a loving rub of their jaw, and that should make you investigate further.
Noticeable Whimpering While Eating
If your pet can still eat then they will definitely try to, but you may hear quite a bit of whimpering over their meal. Do not mistake this as them complaining about the food, as a pet's most common response to food they don't like is to simply not eat it, not to make audible sounds. Pet dental care services can investigate and run a thorough series of tests on your pet's mouth to find out whether it is their teeth, gums, or perhaps an abscess in the roof of their mouth that is causing this issue.
More Aggressive Behaviour
All animals become more defensively minded when they are covering up an injury of some kind. If you are unlucky enough to try and pet them, cuddle them or interact with them in any meaningful way while they are in pain, they may snap at you. This should be very concerning if your pet has never done that before, and you must understand that this is really not their true nature, but rather a response to pain. Make sure you take them to a specialist vet who offers pet dental care soon to make them feel better.
For more information on pet dental care, contact a professional near you.