Spot, the greyhound, was adopted as a retired racing dog. This much loved pet came to see the vet with a very sore mouth. Spot’s family did not know that looking after his teeth was important.

Greyhounds are prone to periodontal (gum) disease. They have a genetic predisposition which means they have less resistance to bacterial plaque and a more extreme immune reaction to it. The practical upshot is that Greyhounds develop gum disease very early in their life.

Spot’s teeth were in bad shape. You can see the build up of calculus and the red, swollen and bleeding gums.  Spot was also suffering from a painful condition called a furcation exposure.  His immune response to the plaque bacteria had been so great that his jaw bone had started to breakdown  and his gums hd shrunk back so that there was a hole between the roots of his teeth.

Spot’s owners  were horrified to learn that untreated dental disease is an animal welfare issue and could have been avoided with proper care. Spot’s teeth were in terrible shape.

The talented vet cleaned all the teeth to have a good look. He had to remove three teeth that were almost falling out. He was able to repair the furcation defects by using a bone graft to repair the bone and the hole was covered by moving the gums back up the tooth to where they belong.

Spot’s owners now use Maxiguard oral spray each day which stops plaque bacteria from multiplying. By stopping the bacteria there is nothing for Spot’s immune system to fight and so the cause of his gum disease is removed.

Untreated dental disease is common in New Zealand with almost 90% of dogs and cats over the age of three suffering from painful periodontal disease like Spot. The disease is avoidable with proper care of your pet’s teeth. It is easy to spray some Maxiguard in your pet’s mouth to keep the plaque bacteria under control.

Check your own pets’ mouths and your friend’s and family’s as well. If you see red or swollen gums, the pet will be in pain even if they do not show it. Don’t wait until they have a mouth like Spot’s. Start using Maxiguard to control plaque bacteria. If your pet’s teeth are yellow, brown or they have bad breath take them to your vet to get their teeth cleaned as well.