February is Pet Dental Month and I’ve been asked many times why Harley’s Hope Foundation doesn’t offer assistance with dental care. It all comes down to numbers.  According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), pets over the age of 3 years most likely have some form of periodontal disease. Given the vast number of companion animals in our country, and the low number of pet parents who provide annual dental cleanings and evaluations, the number of pets in need of dental care is just too great for any safety net charity to handle.

Early on, HHF did accept dental cases, but it got to the point where a large percentage of applications coming in were for dental, not life-saving care. We saw small dogs and cats having upwards of 15 teeth or more pulled due to disease – disease that could have been prevented through routine cleanings and evaluations. We simply didn’t have the money to continue pulling teeth, especially when our intent is to provide life-saving care in order to keep pets alive and in their homes.

We understand that dental care can be considered by some to be expensive due to the anesthesia involved. And, if your pet is older and hasn’t undergone a blood panel in some time, your veterinarian will want to add a pre-surgical blood test to the estimate to ensure they are healthy enough to be put under. But, just as with humans, dental care is routine care that is vital to maintaining overall health. Periodontal disease, if left untreated, can result in infections that spread to other parts of the body, including the cardiovascular system. So, yes, we sympathize with animals suffering from dental disease, but we also know that, in most cases, it could have been prevented.

So, if you are a pet parent who has been told by your veterinarian that your animal “should” have a cleaning, please pay attention to that advice. In the long run, it is far less expensive to provide an annual cleaning or one every 18 months, than to let the problem fester to the point where you are facing a major medical situation and bill. And, if your pet does have an accident resulting in broken teeth or an oral condition not related to lack of routine care, HHF will still consider offering assistance as our resources allow.