Periodontal disease affects over 80% of dogs over three years old and is among the most common yet undertreated sources of chronic pain in companion animals, with significant welfare implications.
Dental disease represents a silent epidemic of chronic pain in the dog population. The behavioral masking of dental pain - dogs rarely refuse food or cry despite significant oral discomfort - means owners and sometimes veterinarians underestimate the suffering involved. Extractions of severely affected teeth consistently improve quality-of-life indicators: dogs become more playful, active, and interactive post-dentistry, revealing the chronic pain burden they had been carrying. The reluctance of many owners to pursue anesthetic dentistry due to cost or anesthesia concern creates a welfare gap that compounds as disease progresses. Routine dental care is a welfare imperative, not an optional cosmetic procedure.