Dentistry Services
"Tennis balls… squeaky toys… I've had everything in my mouth but a toothbrush!"
Your dog's teeth need checkups, too—ask your veterinarian.
Dental hygiene is an important part of your pet's health and can often be the cause of serious illness. Dental problems, if left untreated, can often lead to larger systemic problems in your pet due to oral bacteria entering the blood stream and damaging the kidneys, heart and liver.
Pets have dental disease just like you do. Many of these problems can be avoided by bringing your pet to your veterinarian for regular dental check-ups and dental cleanings. Bad breath and / or reddened gums are usually signs of dental problems.
Some signs of dental problems include:
- Bad breath - one of the first signs of dental disease.
- A yellowish-brown crust of plaque on the teeth near the gum line.
- Red and swollen gums.
- Drooling
- Bleeding gums
- Pain or bleeding when your pet eats or when the mouth or gums are touched.
- Decreased appetite or difficulty eating.
- Loose or missing teeth.
- Cats failure to groom
Veterinary dentistry is quite different from the equivalent process in people. For most of us, caring for our teeth and gums has been part of our daily routine for as long as we can remember. Consequently, a person's visit to the dentist is relatively brief and does not require sedation. In contrast, veterinary dentistry is considerably more involved, time-consuming and complex. Cleaning a pet's teeth requires general anesthesia, and consequently a day's hospitalization. The skills of several people, from veterinarians to veterinary technicians and animal attendants, are required for each procedure.
After the physical exam and pre-dental workup, your pet is given an anesthesia for a safe and painless sleep during the dental cleaning. The first part of dental cleaning requires the removal of tartar and plaque from all the teeth. This is done with a hand scaler and an ultrasonic (mechanical) scaler.
Next, a periodontal probe checks for pockets under the gumline where periodontal disease and bad breath starts. At this point, the doctor is able to give your pet a thorough oral examination looking for loose, broken or missing teeth as well as oral tumors or lesions. We often do not know if or how many extractions are necessary until your pet is anesthetized and the teeth cleaned, exposing defects in the teeth.
Your pet's teeth are polished, creating a smooth surface. The gums are washed with an anti-bacterial solution to help delay tartar build-up both under the gumline and on the crown of the tooth.
Finally, the doctor also administers a fluoride treatment to strengthen your pet's teeth, to desensitize exposed roots, and to reduce the chances of infection.
What You Can Do to Prevent Dental Disease in Your Pet
Start puppies and kittens on a routine of brushing their teeth. This keeps pets feeling comfortable, and prevents tartar, infected gums, and the need for extractions.
- Have yearly examinations for your younger pet and twice yearly examinations for pets over age 6.
- Maintain a good, healthy diet for your pet
- Select safe treats that can help with dental care
- Select toys that can bend in the hand (nylabones are not recommended)
- Monitor your pet while he or she is chewing on toys
Our doctors and nurses are here to answer your questions and help you in any way to make dental care better and more effective for your pet.