Ferret Dental Care 101
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Much like humans, ferrets require special care. They rely heavily on their teeth for grasping and moving things, and their teeth may even show us how old they are. Human teeth grow from the root up, but ferret teeth grow from the tip down, allowing adult ferrets to have much larger teeth than kits, or baby ferrets. Kits have what are called "milk teeth" until about 7 to 9 weeks old when their permanent canine teeth begin to come in.
Some ferret parents may not know how important regular dental hygiene is to the strength of their ferret's teeth and immune system. Good dental hygiene will prevent a ferret from acquiring other issues such as periodontal disease, weight loss, lethargy and other infections that may enter their systems through poorly cared for gums.
Although it may seem like a difficult process, with the right tools cleaning your ferret's teeth can be simple. Most veterinarians recommend that a cleaning be done twice each month to keep your ferret's teeth and body healthy. All you need is a feline toothbrush, latex thimble, pet toothpaste which, unlike human dental products, is edible. Human toothpaste will have a negative affect on your ferret's health.
Ferrets won't naturally allow you to put your fingers or a toothbrush in their mouths, so you will have to ease them into the cleaning process. Begin by rubbing your ferret's cheeks and mouth for a few days. Once your ferret becomes more familiar with this interaction you may begin to rub the teeth and gums. As your ferret becomes more familiar with the brushing motion, allow him or her to taste the toothpaste you plan to use. Eventually you should be able to incorporate the toothbrush and successfully begin to clean your ferret's teeth. Make sure to be gentle on your ferret's teeth and gums when brushing.
You will notice the plaque and food buildup will begin to remove from the teeth rather easily. If you are lacking the ability to remove plaque and food from your ferret's teeth, you may want to look into getting dental scaling done by your veterinarian. This should only be done when an intense cleaning is needed.
Ferrets are rambunctious animals and often times may hurt themselves on a hard floor or wall, leaving them with a chipped tooth. This is not normally an issue that needs professional treatment by a veterinarian. Only if the root is exposed or signs of infection occur should you seek medical treatment.
Some ferret parents may not know how important regular dental hygiene is to the strength of their ferret's teeth and immune system. Good dental hygiene will prevent a ferret from acquiring other issues such as periodontal disease, weight loss, lethargy and other infections that may enter their systems through poorly cared for gums.
Although it may seem like a difficult process, with the right tools cleaning your ferret's teeth can be simple. Most veterinarians recommend that a cleaning be done twice each month to keep your ferret's teeth and body healthy. All you need is a feline toothbrush, latex thimble, pet toothpaste which, unlike human dental products, is edible. Human toothpaste will have a negative affect on your ferret's health.
Ferrets won't naturally allow you to put your fingers or a toothbrush in their mouths, so you will have to ease them into the cleaning process. Begin by rubbing your ferret's cheeks and mouth for a few days. Once your ferret becomes more familiar with this interaction you may begin to rub the teeth and gums. As your ferret becomes more familiar with the brushing motion, allow him or her to taste the toothpaste you plan to use. Eventually you should be able to incorporate the toothbrush and successfully begin to clean your ferret's teeth. Make sure to be gentle on your ferret's teeth and gums when brushing.
You will notice the plaque and food buildup will begin to remove from the teeth rather easily. If you are lacking the ability to remove plaque and food from your ferret's teeth, you may want to look into getting dental scaling done by your veterinarian. This should only be done when an intense cleaning is needed.
Ferrets are rambunctious animals and often times may hurt themselves on a hard floor or wall, leaving them with a chipped tooth. This is not normally an issue that needs professional treatment by a veterinarian. Only if the root is exposed or signs of infection occur should you seek medical treatment.