Pet dental insurance – have you considered it? It may be worthwhile paying a higher pet insurance premium for dental care inclusion. Research shows that 80% of dogs over the age of three and between 50 and 90% of cats older than four suffer from some form of dental disease.
At PD, our Deluxe plan covers various dental treatments for your pet up to an annual limit. Proper dental treatment can help your dog or cat live a happier (and indeed, longer) life. In fact, it should be a part of your routine pet care – just like vaccinations and worming.
However, not all providers offer pet dental insurance. It’s important to look at the small print when you’re shopping around for a policy.
Let’s look at why it’s important cover…
In this article
What are common pet dental problems?
There are a variety of issues that can arise with your pet’s sparkly whites. Taking out quality pet dental insurance can provide a financial cushion for treatment, which can become expensive very quickly.
For instance, a dog or cat can easily bite down on something hard or end up in a dog or cat fight, resulting in a broken or lost tooth or worse damage.
Additionally, bacteria and toxins from diseased teeth can have a knock-on effect on the entire body. They can enter the bloodstream and cause problems with organs such as the liver, heart and brain. Find out about the link between dental health, heart disease and other illnesses – here.
Here are a few dental-related health conditions to be aware of:
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Gingivitis
Gingivitis is a very common gum disease that can cause irritation, redness and swelling around the base of the teeth. It can also be the cause of cat and dog bad breath. If untreated, it can progress into periodontal disease.
Periodontal disease
This is where pets experience infection and inflammation of the periodontium (the tissues surrounding the tooth). Periodontal disease starts as gingivitis.
Abscesses and tooth infection
These infected, pus-filled pockets are found in the mouth or the root of the teeth. They can be caused by infection, bite wounds, and more. For more information on abscesses, read our article on How Do You Treat a Tooth Abscess in Dogs?
Oral tumours
These can occur at any time and will be either benign or malignant.
Retained deciduous (milk) teeth
This is when the baby tooth remains even when the adult tooth has come through.
Feline tooth resorption
This condition affects over 50% of cats, where the body begins breaking down and absorbing teeth.
Feline ulcerative stomatitis
Although quite rate, this is a very severe and painful inflammatory condition that causes ulcers in the cat’s mouth and gums.
How to prevent dental disease in dogs and cats
In addition to pet dental insurance for unforeseen tooth troubles, prevention and a good oral routine is a key part of keeping your pet healthy. Here’s how:
Brush their teeth regularly
Use a soft bristled toothbrush and pet toothpaste. With regular use, toothpaste for dogs or cats helps reduce plaque and fights bad breath. We’ve got two handy guides for more on this:
Try water additives
Water additives are like mouthwash for animals and can be added to your pet’s water bowl to freshen their breath. Just make sure you choose a product specifically designed for dogs or cats.
Try a dental diet
A dental diet is a type of food made to help clean your pet’s teeth and keep their mouth healthy. Dental food has larger, crunchier pieces than normal pet food. When your dog or cat chews, the food scrapes away soft plaque, helping to keep teeth cleaner.
A dental diet might be used for a limited time if:
- It’s being combined with other treatments, like brushing, water additives, or dental chews.
- It’s part of recovery after a dental cleaning, just to get the teeth back on track.
- Your pet is trying it out to see if they’ll eat it or tolerate it.
- You’re managing another condition, and dental food is only a temporary solution until a long-term plan is set.
A dental diet is not for every pet, so speak to your vet first – especially if your pet has allergies, kidney disease, or other conditions.
Treats and chews
Nothing makes a pet happier than a good chew, aside from hugs and kisses. Cat and dog chews won’t keep their teeth completely clean and healthy by themselves, but when used as a supplement they can be very beneficial.
Tip: Cinnamon is a non-toxic ingredient that eliminates odour-causing bacteria. You can either buy cinnamon dog biscuits or bake cinnamon into your next batch of treats.
So, if you do take out insurance for your pet’s dental care, what can you expect it to cover? Read more below.
What does pet dental insurance cover?
If you’re looking for pet dental insurance for your cat or dog, you’ll be happy to hear this can be part of your pet health cover policy in Australia.
Accident-only policies usually won’t offer any dental cover, though it may be available as an add-on in some cases. These policies are usually cheaper, but don’t give you wide coverage. Given the incidence of dental disease in cats and dogs, you may prefer to part with a few extra dollars each month in return for dental cover for your pet.
The nitty gritty
We can’t speak for anyone else, but what we can say is that PD Insurance’s Deluxe dog insurance and cat insurance policy includes cover (up to the defined benefit limit) for:
- Abscesses
- Gingivitis
- Tooth removal where medically required, for:
– Cavities
– Tooth fracture
– Dental disease as a result of infection
– Retained deciduous teeth
Remember, pet dental insurance usually won’t provide cover for cosmetic procedures or routine cleaning. So, it’s a good idea to learn about getting your pet’s dental care right.
Choosing the right insurance policy
Dental problems in pets often go unnoticed until they’re fairly severe in nature. An annual dental check-up and regular cleaning can go a long way towards keeping your fur kid’s teeth healthy. But even when you’re proactive, unexpected health issues can arise, which is where pet dental insurance comes into play. And pet insurance in general, of course.
Why not take two minutes for a quick, free quote.