I am often asked, "does hard food help to prevent plaque in dogs?" and the answer is actually more complex than you would think. The answer partially depends on your pet's diet plan. Statistically, there is no difference between feeding canned food and non-dental diet-specific...
Hand scaling your pet's teeth, a practice commonly known as "at-home dental care" for pets, can be detrimental to both your pet's oral health and your own well-being. While it may seem like a cost-effective and convenient way to maintain your pet's dental hygiene, there...
Dr. Briggs and I see a lot of cats that have generalized gingivitis, gingivostomatitis, and/or tooth resorption. In each of these cases, the treatment plan is to remove the affected teeth. With the first two disease processes, surgical extraction of all teeth (or sometimes behind...
We live in a society where most of us have some form of health insurance coverage, while fewer have dental and vision coverage. Many employers give you basic health care and then you have to add on the broader coverage. Thankfully, this avoids catastrophic costs...
I played tug of war with my dog for years and years, until I started my dental residency. Then, I learned that tug of war is bad for my dog, specifically their canine teeth. Now, I preach to veterinary practitioners the need to stress avoidance...
Oral tumors compose approximately 5-8% of all tumors in the dog and cat. That's a considerable number and the most difficult aspect of this large percentage is that most people do not spend time looking in their pet's mouth, so these masses grow unnoticed. Understanding Oral...
The world is full of so many myths and misconceptions and Dr. Google has made life even more complex. Give someone a platform with little evidence-based medical training and things can go sideways rather quickly. Unfortunately, many veterinarians are ill trained regarding how to address...
We all work on a 12-month cycle. We see our family vet for a wellness evaluation once yearly. Our pet gets blood work at least annually, and we can't get our dog's heartworm medication refilled unless we have our annual heartworm check. And for the...
A recent study indicated that approximately 20-27% dogs have tooth fractures of some form. Some just nick the enamel (enamel fracture) and are mostly benign, other than causing localized trauma to the lip or tongue as it moves across the tooth. More sinister are tooth...
There are several dog parks in Nashville where you and your furry friend could enjoy some outdoor fun. Keep in mind that the popularity of parks can change over time, so I recommend checking recent reviews or local resources for the most up-to-date information. Here...