Oral health is fundamental to companion animal welfare, with dental disease causing pain that is frequently overlooked.
Dental disease causes chronic pain that animals tolerate silently, making it one of the most common and preventable sources of ongoing suffering in companion animals. The smell of a pet's breath, redness along the gum line, reluctance to chew, or pawing at the face are signs that owners can learn to recognize. Prevention through regular homecare and professional cleaning, and prompt treatment of established disease, addresses a major hidden welfare burden.