Dental Care
By age three, 80% of dogs and 70% of cats have some evidence of periodontal disease. Periodic dental exams help maintain proper oral hygiene and prevent future problems.
We offer complete pet oral health services, including:
- Dental exams
- Routine dental cleaning
- Dental radiographs
- Simple and complex tooth extractions
How Will I Know If My Pet Has Dental Disease?
The first sign is often bad breath. You may also notice redness along the gum line, tartar, calculus or your pet may be eating more slowly or more carefully than he or she used to. Periodontal disease is one of the most common ailments of small animals. This begins when bacteria accumulates at the gum line around the tooth. Unless brushed away daily, these bacteria can cause inflammation, bleeding, and if left untreated, can cause tooth and/or bone loss.
How Do I Prevent Dental Disease?
As part of our annual examination, we will evaluate your pet’s teeth and recommend an oral health care plan. This typically involves daily toothbrushing, dental diets, chews, water additives or sealants.
How Is Dental Disease Treated?
If your pet has evidence of periodontal disease, we will recommend further treatment. To perform a thorough oral examination, dental cleaning and dental radiographs, general anesthesia is required. A dental cleaning involves using a dental scaler and cleaning above and below the gum line, followed by polishing and a fluoride treatment.
Dental radiographs are performed to evaluate for disease below the gum line. We provide all our patients with IV fluids and monitor them closely during the procedure. We will provide pain medication or antibiotics if necessary. Our dental patients can go home the same day as their dental procedure. If during our examination, we find that your pet needs a more complex dental procedure such as a root canal or crown, we may refer you to a veterinary dental specialist.
Make an appointment by calling 401-943-0500 or book online.
