Caption: ‘Ensuring optimal health and welfare for your greyhound is the key to racing success.’ (Photo: Box 1 Photography)
Ensuring optimal health and welfare for your greyhound is the key to racing success.
Poor dental and oral health are one of the key medical issues impacting greyhounds and the greyhound racing industry.
Queensland Racing Integrity Commission veterinarian, Dr Stacey Flynn said poor dental health caused pain and suffering.
“It affects the gum and surrounding tissue including the bones,” she said.
“If not managed appropriately dental disease can lead to infections not only in the mouth but elsewhere in the body and is an underdiagnosed cause of reduced performance.
“Correcting advanced periodontal disease is often costly where simple preventive practices including a regular scale and polish can minimise the impact of dental disease on the well-being of your Greyhound.”
Signs of good Dental Health:
- White teeth with little to no tartar. Particularly the molars.
- Pink gums with no redness or swelling around the tooth.
- No bad Breath.
Early Signs of Dental Disease:
- Tooth discolouration.
- Appearance of mild dental tartar or plaque on teeth.
- Bad breath.
- Mildly red or swollen gums.
Advanced Dental Disease:
- Tooth wear or crown fractures.
- Tartar or plaque build-up.
- Rotten teeth. Teeth can appear black and have large build of tartar.
- Gum redness or receding gums.
- Presence of sores or blood and excessive drooling.
- Reluctance to eat or chew.
- Swelling under the eye.
There are many things that you can do to avoid significant dental issues.
Simple routine care includes providing greyhounds with:
- raw meaty bones to help them clean their teeth naturally
- dental chews
- dry dental kibble (not moistened)
- chew toys
- oral rinses, gels and toothbrushing
To find out more on oral health in greyhounds, speak to your veterinarian.