Companion Animal Welfare

Dog Dental Disease and Pain Welfare

Dental disease is the most common disease in adult dogs and a major but under-recognised source of chronic pain.

Key Facts

An estimated 80% of dogs over three years have some degree of dental disease
Periodontal disease causes bone loss, root exposure and tooth loss with associated chronic pain
Dogs rarely show obvious dental pain signs, making owner recognition difficult
Professional dental cleaning under anaesthesia is the primary treatment for established disease
Regular home dental care from puppyhood dramatically reduces lifetime dental disease burden

Welfare Considerations

Dental disease causes chronic pain affecting quality of life in the majority of adult dogs. The scale of unrecognised dental pain in the companion dog population represents an enormous welfare burden that preventive care and regular professional treatment can substantially reduce.

What You Can Do

Include dental assessment in every routine health check from puppyhood
Establish daily tooth brushing from puppyhood as a routine welfare investment
Schedule professional dental cleaning under anaesthesia when significant dental disease is identified