Owners Reminded That Pets Need Dental Care, Too

National Pet Dental Health Month Campaign Urges Pet Owners to Fight Plaque at
Home

TOPEKA, Kan., Jan. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc. helps
sponsor the 14th annual Pets Need Dental Care, Too(TM) program, part of
February's National Pet Dental Health Month.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080108/AQTU200 )
The Pet's Need Dental Care, Too campaign fosters dental health for pets by
encouraging pet owners to work with their veterinary health care teams to
schedule regular dental appointments for their pets and establish an at-home
dental care routine.
"Oral disease is the most frequently diagnosed health problem for pets and
ensuring proper oral care requires a yearlong commitment from pet owners,"
said Janet Donlin, D.V.M., Chief of Veterinary Business Channel at Hill's.
"Through an at home regimen of daily maintenance owners can help ensure a
better quality of life for their canine and feline companions."
Emerging science is showing that the mouth is a window into the health of
the human body which can show signs of nutritional deficiencies or general
infection. For example, systemic diseases -- those that affect the entire
body -- may first become apparent as a part of periodontal disease.(1) To
address this, the American Dental Association recommends adult men and women
brush twice a day, eat balanced meals and schedule routine dental visits for
professional cleanings and oral exams. This protocol for a healthy mouth
doesn't simply apply to humans. Many pet owners don't realize the steps dental
health maintenance should also be applied to their canine and feline
companions, and effective plaque control can prevent a large percentage of pet
periodontitis cases.
Hill's Pet Nutrition Inc., maker of Prescription Diet(R) and Science
Diet(R) brand pet foods, is cosponsoring the Pets Need Dental Care, Too
campaign and through it seeks to help educate pet owners and remind veterinary
health care team members of the importance of routine pet dental check-ups and
home care maintenance options such as frequent brushing, routinely checking a
pet's teeth and gums, and feeding specialized daily nutrition like Hill's(R)
Prescription Diet(R) t/d(R) Canine and Feline pet foods.
"Effective oral home care coupled with regular professional dental care
provides the pet with an optimal combination for maintaining a healthy mouth,"
said Linda J. DeBowes, D.V.M., MS. "This combination not only decreases plaque
accumulation, but also provides an opportunity to identify oral problems
earlier than what might otherwise have been found."
According to the American Veterinary Dental Society (AVDS), it is
estimated that more than 80 percent of dogs and cats over the age of four show
signs of oral disease, often indicated by bad breath, a change in eating or
chewing habits, pawing at the face and mouth and depression. If inflammation
of the gum is left untreated, the bone around the roots of teeth can begin to
deteriorate, and as the bone tissue is destroyed, teeth may become loose or
fall out. Eventually, the infection can cause receding gums and tooth loss and
may enter the bloodstream, potentially affecting the heart, liver and kidneys.
"Every visit to the veterinarian should include dialogue regarding your
pet's dental health," said Kara M. Burns, MS, MEd, LVT, veterinary technician
specialist at Hill's. "Preventing and treating periodontal disease through
home-care protocols tailored to each patient and client is important to the
pet's overall health."
National Pet Dental Health Month's Pets Need Dental Care, Too campaign is
made possible through a partnership between American Veterinary Medical
Association, AVDS, Academy of Veterinary Dentistry, American Veterinary Dental
College, Academy of Veterinary Dental Technicians and Hill's Pet Nutrition
Inc.
For more information on proper pet dental care, contact your veterinarian
and visit http://www.PetDental.com.
(1) Healthy mouth, healthy body. Journal American Dental Association,
April 2006;137:563.
SOURCE Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc.

Jason Eberly, jeberly@geoffhowe.us, or Marc Vasquez, mvasquez@geoffhowe.us,
both of Geoff Howe Marketing Communications, +1-816-842-8656, for Hill's Pet
Nutrition Inc