The Silent Danger of Dental Disease in Pets

/0 Comments/in /by

It is a startling reality that up to 80% of dogs and 70% of cats suffer from dental disease by the age of three. Yet dental problems often go unnoticed until they are severe and painful. At Bruma Lake Vet, we regularly see pets affected by advanced oral disease — conditions that don’t just impact the mouth, but can threaten overall health and quality of life.

Meet Nikey, who recently came into our clinic for a dental procedure. Nikey was at the advanced end of Stage 3 dental disease, where professional dental scaling and multiple extractions were required to relieve pain and prevent further complications.

The Danger Zone: Why Dental Care Is Not Optional

When a pet’s teeth rot, the mouth becomes a reservoir for pathogenic bacteria. These bacteria can breach the gum barrier and enter the bloodstream — a condition known as bacteraemia.

This can lead to serious, and sometimes life‑threatening, complications:

  • Heart damage: Bacteria may settle on the heart valves, leading to endocarditis (inflammation of the heart lining) and potentially heart failure.
  • Kidney and liver failure: As these organs filter infected blood, chronic inflammation and micro‑abscesses can develop, resulting in permanent organ damage.
  • Brain and jaw complications: Advanced infections may cause tooth‑root abscesses that erode the jawbone, leading to fractures or even blindness if infection spreads to the eye sockets.

Common Oral Enemies

  • Plaque and tartar: A sticky biofilm of bacteria that hardens into calculus (tartar) within as little as 24 hours if not brushed away.
  • Gingivitis: Painful, red inflammation of the gums. This is the only stage of dental disease that is fully reversible with treatment.
  • Periodontitis: A chronic infection that destroys the bone and ligaments supporting the teeth, leading to irreversible tooth loss.
  • Pyorrhoea: Advanced disease characterised by the presence of pus and loose, “floating” teeth.

Four Proactive Steps to Protect Your Pet

  • Daily brushing: Use a soft‑bristled toothbrush and pet‑specific toothpaste. Human toothpaste may contain toxic ingredients such as xylitol or fluoride. Focus on the outer surfaces of the upper teeth, where plaque accumulates most rapidly.
  • “Lift the lip” weekly: Check for red‑flag signs such as bleeding gums, excessive drooling, bad breath, or reluctance to chew hard food.
  • Professional dental scaling: Schedule a professional dental clean with your vet at least once a year. This procedure requires anaesthesia to allow safe and thorough cleaning below the gumline, where the most dangerous bacteria reside.
  • Veterinary‑approved dental treats: Use products recommended by your vet and include dental care as part of your pet’s routine health plan to help reduce plaque buildup.

Visual Guide to Dental Disease Stages

  • Stage 1: Red, swollen gum line (gingivitis). No bone loss is present; urgent intervention can save the teeth.
  • Stage 2–3: Receding gums and visible yellow‑brown tartar. Permanent damage to supporting structures has begun. Some extractions may be required in Stage 3.
  • Stage 4: Severe decay, exposed tooth roots, and pus. Extraction is often the only way to resolve the intense but often “silent” pain.

If you are concerned about your pet’s teeth or breath, or if it has been more than a year since their last dental check, please contact Bruma Lake Vet. Early intervention can prevent pain, protect vital organs, and significantly improve your pet’s quality of life.

 

Flystrike in Dogs – How to Protect Yours

/0 Comments/in , , /by

Flystrike is a painful condition where flies bite and feed on a dog’s ear tissue. While it can affect any breed, it is most common in larger dogs like German Shepherds. 

A Case Study: Lassie (not her real name)

One extreme case involved “Lassie”, a German Shepherd rescued from a backyard breeder who forced her to produce eight litters in a row. Upon her rescue, she was brought to our clinic and received immediate medical intervention. 

Treatment 

  • Sterilisation to prevent further breeding stress.
  • Exspot Spot-On applied to her back to repel parasites.
  • Shoo-Fly Ointment applied directly to her ears to heal the bites and deter flies. 

Prevention Tips

To protect your dog from flystrike, focus on eliminating fly breeding grounds and using physical barriers: 

  • Hygiene: Pick up faeces daily and remove uneaten food immediately.
  • Control: Use fly traps around the perimeter of your yard.
  • Protection: For dogs prone to bites, apply preventative ointments or sprays regularly during fly season. 

Why Lumps, Bumps and Skin Lesions Should Never Be Ignored

/0 Comments/in , , /by

Lumps, bumps and skin lesions are one of the most common reasons pets are brought to the vet — and for good reason. A large number of tumours in both dogs and cats are associated with the skin. While many of these growths may be harmless, others can be serious or even life-threatening if left untreated.

The most important message for pet owners is simple: early detection gives your pet the best possible chance of successful treatment. Any new, changing, or unusual lump should be examined by your veterinarian.

Why You Can’t Diagnose a Lump by Looking or Feeling It

Unfortunately, neither vets nor doctors can reliably determine what a lump is simply by looking at it or feeling it. In some cases, the cause may be obvious — for example, an abscess resulting from a bite wound. However, in many situations, further investigation is needed to understand what’s happening beneath the surface.

This is why diagnostic testing plays such an important role in deciding the next steps.

Fine Needle Aspirates: A Simple but Powerful Test

One of the most common first diagnostic tools we use is a fine needle aspirate (FNA). This involves taking a very small sample of cells from the lump using a fine needle, placing the material on a slide, staining it, and examining it under a microscope.

This process is called a cytological examination, which allows us to analyse the cells present in the lump. While it doesn’t always provide a definitive diagnosis, an adequate sample often helps us determine whether a lump is:

  • Benign (non-cancerous)
  • Malignant (cancerous)
  • Inflammatory
  • Infectious
  • Or related to another disease process

This information is crucial in guiding further decisions.

Deciding on Surgery and Treatment

Based on the results of the cytology, we can decide:

  • Whether the lump should be removed
  • How urgently it needs to be addressed
  • How much surrounding tissue may need to be removed
  • Whether additional tests or treatments are required

If a lump is suspected to be malignant — or if we’re uncertain about its nature — we often recommend surgical removal or a biopsy.

Histology: Getting a Definitive Diagnosis

When a lump or tissue sample is sent to a laboratory, it undergoes histological examination. A specialist pathologist examines thin, stained sections of the tissue to make an exact diagnosis.

Histology can often tell us:

  • The precise type of tumour
  • Whether the growth is benign or malignant
  • How aggressive it may be
  • Whether the entire lump was likely removed during surgery

Sometimes only a portion of the lump (a biopsy) is sent for analysis first. This allows us to plan the most effective treatment approach while minimising unnecessary surgery or complications.

Checking for Spread (Staging)

If a tumour is confirmed to be malignant, further tests may be recommended to assess whether it has spread. These may include:

  • Chest X-rays
  • Abdominal ultrasound
  • Testing or sampling nearby lymph nodes

This process, known as staging, helps us understand the full picture and decide what additional treatment — if any — is required.

The Bottom Line

Lumps and bumps should never be ignored. Even growths that seem small, painless, or unchanged can hide serious disease.

Early detection and early intervention give your pet the best chance of a positive outcome. If you notice any new lump, bump, or skin lesion — or if an existing one changes in size, shape, or appearance — bring your pet in for an examination as soon as possible.

If you’re ever unsure, it’s always better to check.

Conditioning and Socialising Your Pet: Setting Them Up for a Lifetime of Confidence

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

The experiences your pet has early in life — and throughout adulthood — play a major role in how they cope with the world. Gentle conditioning and appropriate socialisation help pets grow into calmer, more confident companions and make everyday care, grooming, travel, and vet visits far less stressful.

While early exposure is ideal, it’s important to remember: it’s never too late to start. Older pets can also learn to feel more comfortable and confident — it may simply take more patience and time.

What Is Conditioning — and Why Does It Matter?

Conditioning is the process of gradually and positively exposing your pet to experiences they’ll encounter throughout their life. When pets learn that handling, travel, and routine care are safe and predictable, they’re far less likely to develop fear, anxiety, or defensive behaviour.

This is especially important for unavoidable experiences such as veterinary examinations, grooming, nail trims, and car travel.

Getting Your Pet Comfortable with Handling

From a young age, puppies and kittens should become accustomed to gentle, calm handling. 

This includes:

  • Touching and holding feet and toes 
  • Gently examining ears 
  • Lifting lips and looking inside the mouth 
  • Light restraint or short cuddles 

Start with very short sessions and always pair handling with treats, praise, or play. This helps your pet associate touch with positive experiences and makes vet examinations easier and less intimidating as they grow.

Conditioning at Home: Start Small and Build Slowly

Routine care tasks can be overwhelming if introduced too quickly. Gradual exposure is key.

Dental Care

Dental care is best introduced gradually so it doesn’t become a stressful experience.

  • Begin by gently touching around the mouth and muzzle 
  • Progress to lifting the lips for a few seconds at a time 
  • Once your pet is comfortable, introduce a finger brush or toothbrush 

To make the experience more pleasant, you can use pet-safe toothpaste or dental gels, which are specially flavoured to be appealing to dogs and cats. Some pets also tolerate a small amount of coconut oil, which can help with acceptance due to its taste and texture.

For pets that won’t tolerate brushing initially, dental wipes are another useful option and can be a great stepping stone toward full brushing.

Always keep sessions short, calm, and positive, and reward your pet afterwards to build a positive association.

 

Ear Cleaning

  • Start with simple ear handling 
  • Allow your pet to sniff the cleaning solution  
  • Clean small amounts initially and build up gradually 

Nail Trimming

Nail trimming should always be introduced using positive reinforcement. This means rewarding your pet for calm, relaxed behaviour so they learn to associate nail care with something pleasant, rather than something to fear.

  • Handle your pet’s paws regularly so they become comfortable with their feet being touched 
  • Introduce nail clippers or grinders by letting your pet see and sniff them, without using them at first 
  • When trimming, start with one nail at a time and immediately reward your pet with praise, treats, or gentle affection 

Keeping sessions short and ending on a positive note helps build trust and confidence. Over time, positive reinforcement teaches your pet that nail trimming is safe, predictable, and even rewarding.

 

Grooming & Bathing

  • Brush for short sessions before your pet becomes restless 
  • Introduce water slowly and calmly 
  • Keep early baths quick and stress-free 

For dogs, using a LickiMat or a thin layer of dog-safe peanut butter spread on the wall can help keep them calm and occupied during bathing or grooming

 

If your pet becomes anxious, stop and try again another day — forcing the process can create lasting fear

Socialising Beyond the Home

Socialisation is about more than meeting other pets — it’s about helping your pet feel comfortable in different environments and situations.

Car Travel & Vet Visits

Many pets associate car rides with stress because they only travel when something unpleasant is about to happen. To help:

  • Take short, positive car trips that don’t always end at the vet 
  • Reward calm behaviour in the car 
  • For cats, leave the carrier out at home so it becomes a familiar, safe space 
  • Occasionally place treats or bedding inside the carrier without closing the door 

Using a Leash & Basic Obedience

Learning to walk comfortably on a leash builds confidence and control:

  • Start indoors or in quiet areas 
  • Use positive reinforcement for calm walking 
  • Avoid pulling or punishment 
  • Short, consistent sessions work best 

Basic obedience training not only improves behaviour but strengthens the bond between you and your pet.

Socialising With Other Dogs, People & Environments

Expose your pet to:

  • Different people (adults, children, people wearing hats or uniforms) 
  • New surfaces and environments 
  • Everyday sounds like traffic, vacuum cleaners, and household noises 

This helps reduce fear-based behaviour and builds emotional resilience.

A Very Important Safety Note About Vaccinations

While socialisation is essential, it must be done safely.

We recommend waiting at least two weeks after your puppy’s third vaccination before:

  • Visiting dog parks 
  • Walking in high-traffic pet areas 
  • Allowing contact with unfamiliar dogs 

Before this point, puppies are vulnerable to serious diseases such as Parvovirus and Distemper. Early socialisation should be limited to healthy, fully vaccinated dogs you know well and controlled environments.

It’s Never Too Late — Conditioning Older Pets

While puppies and kittens learn quickly, adult and senior pets can absolutely benefit from conditioning and socialisation too.

Tips for Older Pets:

  • Move at your pet’s pace 
  • Keep sessions short and positive 
  • Use high-value treats or favourite toys 
  • Be consistent and patient 
  • Celebrate small wins 

Older pets may take longer to adjust, but gradual, positive exposure can significantly improve their comfort and quality of life.

How We Can Help at Bruma Lake Vet

Our team is always happy to help with:

  • Advice for anxious or fearful pets 
  • Making vet visits as calm and positive as possible 

Early effort — or even late effort — makes a lifetime of difference. A well-conditioned, well-socialised pet is easier to care for, more relaxed, and happier overall.

 

If you’re unsure where to start, or if your pet struggles with fear or anxiety, chat to us — we’re here to help.