Pet medication may be required if owners do not take proper care of their animal’s teeth, an expert has said.
Paula Boyden, veterinary director at the Dogs Trust, explained that plaque builds up on dogs' and cats' teeth just as it does in humans.
She said: "Dogs rarely get cavities in their teeth but they do often get a build up of scale and this can result in gum disease, infection and eventually the loss of teeth. Scale can't be removed by brushing so a general anaesthetics is necessary in order to allow a vet to remove it."
Ms Boyden added that after the cavity is removed, owners can prevent it from happening again through regular brushing. She said prevention is a better method than treatment "in the first place".
Dogs trust was founded in 1891. It was formally the National Canine Defence League and is now the largest dog welfare charity in the UK.
