DENTAL CARE FOR PETS
Pets can live longer, healthier lives if their oral health care is managed and maintained throughout their lives. Talk to us about developing a dental care plan for your pet friend.
Dental care for your dog and cat begins at the puppy and kitten life stage. As soon as you bring your puppy or kitten to Pet Vet Family Pet Care Center, our veterinarians will give them a dental exam to evaluate the deciduous (baby) teeth, missing or extra teeth, swellings, and oral development.
As your pet ages, we will look for developmental anomalies, the accumulation of plaque and tartar, periodontal disease and oral tumors.
When we see dental plaque or when your pet is experiencing mouth pain or other signs of dental disease, we will recommend a professional dental exam and cleaning. These professional exams need to be performed under anesthesia in order to provide a complete and thorough examination, full-mouth dental x-rays, as well as dental cleanings.
At Pet Vet Family Pet Care Center, our professional dental care includes:
- Pre-anesthetic exam: Whenever anesthesia is needed, special considerations are taken to help ensure the safety of your pet. We will thoroughly examine your pet to make sure he or she is healthy enough to undergo anesthesia. Depending on your pet’s age and general physical condition, we may also run blood, urine, electrocardiograph, and x-ray tests to check for any abnormal conditions in the major organs and body functions. Though there is some risk associated with any medical procedure, modern anesthesia is usually safe, even for older pets.
- Anesthesia monitoring: During anesthesia, one of our specially trained technicians will monitor and record your pet’s vital signs (such as body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure and respiration, as well as other important factors) to ensure the safety of your pet while undergoing anesthesia.
- Dental radiographs: Radiographs (x-rays) of the teeth are needed to completely evaluate your pet’s oral health below the gum line. X-rays aid us greatly in detecting abnormalities that cannot be detected with visual examination alone. In some cases, x-rays can confirm the need for extraction of teeth that are loose or badly infected.
- Scaling & Polishing: We use similar instruments as human dentists to remove plaque and calculus from your pet’s teeth. To smooth out any scratches in the tooth enamel, polishing with a special paste and an enamel sealant so that the build-up of plaque is greatly reduced. This procedure can help strengthen and desensitize teeth, as well as decrease future dental pain and inflammation.
- Home Care: We recommend all pet owners brush their pet’s teeth regularly. We are here to help you in any way we can to maintain your pet’s healthy mouth by coaching you with the right combination of products for you and your pet friend. Let us know if you have any questions about brushing your pet’s teeth.
Some of the signs of dental disease in companion animals include, but are not limited to:
- Bad breath
- Excessive drooling
- Dropping food
- Sudden disinterest in chew toys
- Loss of appetite
- Swollen or painful face
- Pawing at the mouth
- Yellow, broken, loose or missing teeth
- Gums that are red, swollen or bleeding
If your pet is exhibiting any of these things, it’s time to schedule an exam.
