Dental CareYour pet may be showing signs of needing dental care. These signs can include: bad breath, red gums, excessive salivation, lack of energy and pain when eating. Even without signs, we strongly recommend dental care for your pet. It's a preventative healthcare measure, which contributes to your pet's long happy life.
These pictures illustrate the various progressive stages of gingivitis (gum disease). Regular dental care prevents your pet from developing gingivitis. However, if your pet is showing signs of gum disease it is important that you book a dental examination today so that we can determine the best course of action. Pet dental care is a bit more involved than typical dental cleanings for humans. This is what we do during dental cleanings to ensure the best care for your pet: What's involved in a Dental Exam? During the exam we look for; developmental abnormalities, cavities, fractures, abscessed teeth after accumulation of plaque and tartar , periodontal disease and oral tumors. Pre-anesthetic blood screen: We make sure your pet is healthy before administering anesthetic. Although complications resulting from modern anesthetic are rare, we need to be sure your pet is in good health. The blood test can also inform us of any effect to the organs that previous poor dental hygiene has caused. Pre- and During the Dental Procedures All pets are maintained on IV fluids during dentals to help keep their blood pressure normal. The patient’s vitals are monitored throughout the procedure. Scaling and polishing: The teeth are scaled to remove the plaque and tartar from the teeth especially below the gumline as it is what you cannot see that does the most harm to your pet. Then the teeth are polished to remove any microabrasions where bacteria could accumulate. Extractions Teeth are extracted due to various reasons. Just like people, pets, especially cats, can get cavities that require extraction to relieve pain and discomfort. For the same reason, fractured and abscessed teeth are removed. Any dental extractions will be done only with consent from the owners. What can you do? You are responsible for regular brushing and use of dental care products. We stock a variety of pet dental care products. It is important to use pet products and not products developed for human use. We would gladly discuss how to introduce brushing to your pet. Maintain regular visits to your veterinarian for dental exams and get in a regular cycle of dental cleanings. It's important that you call us today to discuss when we should book a dental exam for your pet. |