Tooth about dogs: Pooches get dental hygiene treatment at Beaumont Sainsbury Animal Hospital

Published: 14 April 2011
by JOSIE HINTON

SITTING in the dentist’s chair provokes fear in all but the bravest people – but what about their pets?

That is the question posed by a group of veterinary students in Camden Town who have launched a campaign to improve dental hygiene among our four-legged friends. They say even the most pampered pooches and coddled cats are being neglected as their owners are failing to brush their teeth.

The six students have been training at the Beaumont Sainsbury Animal Hospital in Royal College Street which has just unveiled a dedicated dental suite exclusively for animals.

And they have been challenged by staff to come up with innovative ways to encourage pet owners to swap treats for toothpaste.

“Eighty per cent of dogs over three years old and 70 per cent of cats of the same age have some form of dental disease,” said Cerrie Perrett, one of the fourth-year students at the Royal Veterinary College, which is next door to the hospital. 

“This can lead to liver disease, heart disease, kidney disease and diabetes.”

The group have created a series of posters and a “how-to” video showing a tooth-brushing demonstration – starring rescue dog Finnigan. Jade Searle, Finnigan’s owner, said: “At first he was a bit suspicious of having his teeth brushed but after a while he loved it.”