I'm watching TV and there's a commercial for Iams tartar control food
(for dogs).  The ad tells viewers that they can add years to their dog's
life by giving him a food that helps prevent tartar.  OK.  That's fine.
But ... hello! ... you still need to brush your pet's teeth!
 
Tooth brushing is one of the overlooked aspects of grooming and good
health in all pets, not just ferrets.  The animals don't really like it.
It's a pain in the neck to get a toothbrush or tooth-cleaning pad among
those sharp teeth (and, with pets that aren't properly socialized, it can
be a bit dangerous).  People figure that the tartar control treats and
foods will do all the work for them (they won't, though they can help).
With ferrets it's even more difficult because their mouths are so tiny.
But the bottom line is that it needs to be done.
 
Eric and I were talking about this Friday night.  We had just done the
whole grooming routine -- nails, ears, teeth -- and we began to wonder
how many older ferrets become ill and die as a result of poor dental
care.  Bacteria can enter the ferret's bloodstream through the gums,
which recede when there's too much tartar buildup.  The same thing can
happen to humans (even when we brush our teeth twice a day!).  Of course,
the people who are involved with the FML and clubs etc.  are more likely
to be aware of the importance of tooth brushing.  But there are thousands
and thousands of ferrets out there who may not be getting proper dental
care and they could be dying younger as a result of that.* (*No, I don't
have proof of this -- I'm extrapolating from common knowledge about dogs
and cats.) When dog and cat owners are not being bombarded with info on
why brushing their pets' teeth is important, the message gets generalized
to all pets: Tartar control food and treats are enough.  Well, they're
NOT.  Besides, ferrets don't even have a tartar-control food, and even
if they did, you still can't get out of brushing their teeth.
 
It can take a while to get your ferrets used to having their teeth
brushed (or cleaned with tooth cleaning pads), but it is well worth
the effort -- for both of you.  For your ferret because he/she will
be healthier and for you because you may just get to keep the little
bugger around longer.
 
We're currently doing a test-drive with 8-in-1 tooth cleaning pads (for
dogs).  They're *exactly* like Stridex pads, but soaked in pet-safe tooth
cleaning solution.  Trixie loves the taste of them, but the others aren't
very keen on it.  What I like about the pads over pet toothbrushes (which
can be too large) and finger toothbrushes (which can be torn by the
ferret's sharp teeth and swallowed) is that I can manage to get my finger
up on the ferret's gums and stimulate them.  I have small fingers,
though, so others might not find it as easy to do.
 
The other positive aspect of making tooth brushing a regular part of your
ferret's grooming routine is that you will be checking the mouth on a
regular basis.  You'll be able to quickly spot red gums, broken teeth,
mouth sores, bad teeth, and the like, and get your ferret veterinary
attention sooner than if you aren't checking the mouth regularly.  We
all know that a ferret's tiny body can quickly be overwhelmed by an
illness, so the sooner we catch it, the better.
 
It helps to start with a proper tooth cleaning by your vet.  If you're
up for it, you can learn to scale (chip off the tartar) your ferrets'
teeth on your own.  Many shelter operators can show you how to do this
(in exchange for the lesson you could donate some money, needed items,
or time to the shelter).  If you do choose to go this route, you'll need
to polish the ferret's teeth afterwards, because scaling off the tartar
can leave little pockmarks on the teeth where tartar can more readily
buildup.
 
It's never too late to start a proper tooth cleaning regimen.  Your
ferrets might think you're torturing them, but you could be saving their
lives.
 
--Mary & the Fuzzies
 
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Mary R. Shefferman, Editor, Modern Ferret Magazine
Trixie, Koosh, & Gabby, The Modern Ferrets
Read my blog --
http://www.modernferretblog.com/mary
[Posted in FML issue 4110]