Dentistry / Dental Care
Dentistry is a relatively new field in animal health care. In the past many dental issues went undetected and untreated due to inadequate dental education on the part of veterinarians. Dental disease is considered the number one disease entity in mature pets. Potential issues for your pet may include gingivitis, periodontal disease, malocclusions, fractured teeth and oral tumors. As you read, you may see familiar terms that you have encountered in your own dental care experiences that may give you a better understanding of the dental issues your pet can also experience.
Things to Look For
As a responsible pet owner you need to be aware of what to look for in your pet's mouth. Bad breath, red or bleeding gums, tartar build up or loose teeth may all indicate the need for evaluation by your veterinarian. Changes in eating habits (such as not eating or picking up food then dropping it), rubbing the face with their paws or on the carpet may all indicate dental issues for your pet.
Things To Know If your Pet Needs Dentistry!!!
- Dentistry is done under general anesthesia. Pets don't open wide for long.
- Tartar is scaled with high-speed Roto-pro scalers, then teeth are polished to help prevent new tartar accumulation, and then fluoride treated.
- Teeth are checked for looseness and cavities, and then gums are evaluated for infection and deep separations from tooth roots (periodontal pockets).
- Teeth that are loose infected or beyond saving are extracted.
- Gums with periodontal pockets are resected by electrocautery to make normal periodontal depth (gingivectomy).
- Antibiotic therapy and human aftercare with special toothpaste or washes may be recommended.
Because of advanced dental disease and tartar buildup, some procedures may require several hours of meticulous painstaking effort to achieve a comfortable and disease free mouth. We go to these great lengths of care to assure your pets health and well-being and to enable you to help it stay healthier for a long time to come.
Above is an example of a dental before and after.
Why Dental Care
- Dogs and cats don't brush their own teeth.
- 70% of cats and 80% of dogs are showing signs of dental disease
- by age 3.
- Dental disease doesn't affect just the mouth; it also affects the heart, lungs, and kidneys.
- Plaque forms on the teeth within 24 hrs of dental cleaning.
- Tartar which forms on the teeth after plaque accumulates, starts to develop 24-72 hrs of plaque being removed.
- As plaque and tartar accumulate, gingivitis (inflammation of the gums) causes the gums to become red, swollen and bleed more easily
Dental Care and Prevention: Home Care
Dogs & Cats
- Oravet
- Brushing with CET enzymatic toothpaste
- CET enzymatic chews
- DOGS - Beef marrow bones and oxtails(boiled)
- CATS - Turkey necks(boiled)
Veterinary Care: Oral exam/ Physical exam
Puppy or kitten exam
- retained deciduous teeth
- missing or extra teeth
- swellings or oral developments
Adult exams
- retained deciduous teeth
- missing or extra teeth
- developmental abnormalities
- accumulation of plaque and tartar
- periodontal disease
- oral tumors
- body Condition
- heart
- lungs
Testing:
- Blood work
- Urinalysis
- EKG
- Ultrasound
- X-rays