Pets benefit from dental care, including preventative services. When something does happen that requires pet dental care, you deserve to have a professional available who can provide more than teeth cleanings and extractions. We provide a variety of dental services, including x-rays and jaw fracture repair. Here's what you need to know about our dental services and your pet's oral health care. All dental procedures are performed under general anesthesia. This is safest for your pet, allows thorough cleaning and assessment while protecting the airways. If any dental x-rays and/or extractions are needed, they can be performed at the same time.
Dental Issues Start Small
Dental problems are common in cats and dogs, but we can provide tools to help reduce the chance of dental-related issues. A Comprehensive Oral Health Assessment and Treatment (COHAT) involves cleaning and assessing all of the teeth and oral tissues to see if any further treatment is needed. We use our ultrasonic scaler to clean the teeth above and below the gums.
Signs of a Dental Problem
Dental issues are extremely common. You should schedule your pet for an exam if you notice any of the following signs or symptoms:
- Broken teeth
- Discolored teeth
- Loss of appetite or weight
- Bad breath
- Red, swollen gums
- Pawing at mouth
If your pet has a dental problem, teeth cleaning may not be enough. Your pet may benefit from extractions and more intensive forms of dental care provided by an experienced veterinarian.
Risks of Not Treating Dental Issues
A variety of risks are associated with dental problems left untreated in pets. In addition to pain and trouble eating, your pet could experience a blood infection or damage to the organs if tartar is allowed to grow on your pet's teeth. You can reduce these risks by having regular dental exams.
Dental Treatment Options
We recommend getting your pet's teeth cleaned routinely to avoid needing any extractions, though we do not always know until the cleaning if further treatment is needed. If we are unsure about the health of any teeth, we can perform dental x-rays to see if there is disease present below the gumline warranting extraction. Our doctor will only recommend removing a tooth if it is necessary.