-According to the American Veterinary Dental Society (AVDS) an astounding 80 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats show signs of oral disease by age 3. 

-Periodontal disease is a common problem in dogs, particularly smaller breeds.

-Cats can develop painful resorptive lesions. Studies show that about 28 percent of domestic cats develop at least one of these painful lesions during their lifetime.

-Oral disease begins with a buildup of bacteria in the pet´s mouth 

-Periodontal disease causes red, swollen and tender gums, receding gums, bleeding, pain and bad breath. If left untreated, periodontitis can lead to tooth loss.

 -The inflammation and infection associated with periodontal disease may damage other organs such as the heart, liver, and kidneys, or lead to other serious health problems.

The first step in preventing oral disease is a routine physical examination including a dental exam.  

Why take precautions? Because 10,000 people will get roundworms this year.¹  Children are at high risk because they have a tendency to put dirty fingers and objects in their mouths.

Most of us consider our pets to be one of "the family" - they sleep, eat, play, travel and pretty much do everything with us.  We all want to protect our family members from unnessesary exposure to things such as internal parasites (worms) and external parasites (fleas and ticks).  Some pets have parasites that can be transmitted from themselves to you, their owners - these parasites are called zoonotic.

So you ask, how can I have my four-legged family members with my human children without putting my children at risk?  The best way to prevent your children from becoming infected is to make sure your pet is on year-round parasite prevention.  Also, be sure to bring us a stool sample in to our office every 6 months to have your pet's stool sample checked and treated for any external and internal parasites that might be present. To see more tips please visit http://www.petsandparasites.org

1The Center for Food Security & Public Health.
  "Roundworm Infection, Toxocariasis." Fast Facts.
http://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/fastfacts/pdfs/

(accessed September 26, 2008).
2www.cdc.gov
3A. caninum