Did you know that tennis balls, rawhide chews, hard plastic toys and human toothpaste are all dangerous to your pet’s teeth? Learn how to know when your pet is in pain and what the safe habits for their teeth are!

Join us as Dr. Sharon Hoffman shares invaluable insights on pet oral health, the importance of dental care for pets, and practical tips for pet owners. Plus, we’ll discuss the fascinating intersection of her work in veterinary dentistry and photography, and her inspiring commitment to giving back to the community.

Tune in to learn from one of the best in the field and discover how you can contribute to your pet's dental health and overall well-being

Sharon highlights the importance of dental care, particularly for strong chewers, and warns against indestructible toys that can damage teeth. She emphasizes the need for pet owners to find alternative activities for their pets.

Sharon also addresses common issues like worn-down teeth from chewing on cages or rocks, recommending protective measures like metal crowns for canines before they break. She advises against using human toothpaste on pets due to fluoride content and promotes pet-specific dental products, including wipes as an alternative for those unwilling to brush.

Alice and Sharon discuss the importance of addressing dental issues early, the effectiveness of dental diets, and the rare but possible need for orthodontics in pets. Sharon explains the process of placing crowns and the use of specialized labs for creating them. She dispels myths about dry food cleaning teeth and emphasizes the importance of regular dental care to prevent periodontal disease.

The conversation covers essential dental hygiene practices for pets, highlighting the dangers of using human toothpaste on animals due to the fluoride content and the importance of making dental care a positive experience for pets. Dr. Hoffman also explains the rare "teeth and knees syndrome" and emphasizes the holistic connection between oral health and overall body health in pets.

Listeners will learn about the challenges of diagnosing dental issues in animals, the potential for finding unexpected conditions under anesthesia, and the necessity of regular dental check-ups. The episode also touches on the incredible work done for non-traditional pets like dolphins and whales, and the unique dental problems they face.

In addition to dental care, Dr. Hoffman and the hosts discuss pain management in pets, the impact of social media misinformation on pet care, and the importance of kindness and understanding in human interactions. Beyond her veterinary work, Dr. Hoffman is also a talented photographer at Coastal Fine Photo and volunteers as a photographer for the Street Dog Coalition in Jacksonville, Florida. Her unique initiative, the Make Me Smile program, donates a portion of the proceeds from her photography sales to provide free equipment and training to shelter vets and techs, ensuring adoptable dogs and cats leave shelters with healthy mouths.

Tune in to learn from one of the best in the field and discover how you can contribute to your pet's dental health and overall well-being.

Veterinary Oral Health Council - VOHC.org

https://afd.avdc.org/what-is-an-anesthesia-free-dental-cleaning/

Her photography website - coastalfinephoto.com

Support our sponsor for this episode Blue Buffalo by visiting bluebuffalo.com. BLUE Natural Veterinary Diet formulas offer the natural alternative in nutritional therapy. At Blue Buffalo, we have an in-house Research & Development (R&D) team with over 300 years’ experience in well-pet and veterinary therapeutic diets, over 600 scientific publications, and over 50 U.S. patents. At Blue Buffalo, we have an in-house Research & Development (R&D) team with over 300 years’ experience in well-pet and veterinary therapeutic diets, over 600 scientific publications, and over 50 U.S. patents.

All footage owned by SLA Video Productions