Dental disease is the most prevalent preventable condition in companion animals. A species-specific approach to prevention can dramatically reduce chronic pain in dogs, cats, and small mammals.
Dental disease causes chronic pain in companion animals across species, and its prevalence represents a systemic welfare failure in pet keeping. The problem is largely preventable with appropriate diet, enrichment, and routine veterinary dental care, but few companion animal owners engage in preventive dental care consistently. In rabbits and guinea pigs, dental disease is directly linked to diet: hay provides the essential abrasive and fiber needed for normal molar wear; pellet-dominant diets cause molar spurs that lacerate tongue and cheeks. In dogs and cats, daily tooth brushing begun in puppyhood and kittenhood dramatically reduces adult periodontal disease. The gap between available preventive interventions and actual owner practice represents an enormous welfare opportunity.