Dental disease affects the majority of adult cats and dogs, causing chronic pain that often goes unrecognized because animals cannot communicate oral discomfort verbally.
Dental disease causes chronic pain that many pet owners fail to recognize because animals continue eating and rarely vocalize discomfort. Animals with severe periodontal disease may be in near-constant pain affecting their mood, behavior, and quality of life for years before treatment. The stoic nature of prey animals like cats makes pain recognition particularly challenging. Many animals show behavioral changes after dental treatment that suggest they had been suffering for extended periods before diagnosis.