DENTISTRY - (Scaling/Polishing/Extractions) - Regular cleaning is important to maintaining your pet's teeth. We use a modern and safe ultrasound to clean each tooth thoroughly - above and below the gum line. Dental technicians polish teeth to create a smooth, lustrous tooth surface more resistant to plaque buildup.
Important Pet Dental Facts:
- Periodontal disease is the most commonly diagnosed condition in dogs and cats.
- Over 80% of dogs and cats have periodontal disease by three years of age.
- Significant dental problems may not be seen with the naked eye since 60% of the tooth lies below the gum line.
- Preventing periodontal disease is advised and consists of regular dental cleanings at the veterinary office as well as a home dental care program.
- Periodontal disease is common in dogs of smaller breeds because dogs' teeth often are too large for their mouths, forcing the teeth closer together.
- Broken teeth are a common problem for dogs, especially among outdoor dogs. According to veterinary dental experts, aggressive chewing on hard objects is a primary cause of broken teeth in dogs.
- Restorative lesions are the most common tooth disease in domestic cats. Studies show that about 28% of domestic cats develop at least one of these painful lesions during their lifetime.
Once a pet displays any of the warning signs below, serious periodontal disease may be present:
- Tooth loss
- Subdued behavior
- Abnormal drooling
- Dropping food out of the mouth
- Swallowing food whole
- Facial swelling
- Bad breath
- Yellow-brown crust on teeth
- Bleeding gums
- Going to the food bowl, but not eating
- Change of chewing or eating habits
All pets are at risk for developing dental problems. If your pet has any of these signs, serious periodontal disease may be present. It's not be too late to start a preventive program after a professional scale and polishing is done by our veterinarians.
- Pre-Surgical Blood work - It is always a good idea to do blood work before your pet under goes anesthesia, especially if your pet is considered a senior. Blood work will generally consist of a CBC and a chemistry profile. A CBC would check for anemia and infection. The chemistry profile checks organ function (mainly kidneys and liver) and it also checks blood sugar. The blood work may find problems that your veterinarian will not find on a physical exam. It's always good to know as much about the health of your pet before they under go anesthesia.
- Anesthesia - In order to perform the dental cleaning, your pet will need to go under anesthesia. The idea of anesthesia can be scary but with proper blood work done prior to the dental and with licensed technician monitoring your pet, it is actually quiet safe.
- Oral Exam - Once your pet is under anesthesia the doctor has a chance to give a full oral exam. Any loose, broken, or missing teeth are noted in the chart along with any oral tumors or lesions. The gums around the teeth are probed and any pockets are noted.
- Scale and Polish - At this point usually a veterinary technician takes over and scales all the tarter and plaque from the teeth and then polishes the teeth. This is very similar to what humans have done when we have our teeth cleaned.
- Extractions - When the technician has completed the cleaning, the doctor extracts any teeth that are loose or infected. In some cases broken teeth will need to be extracted as well.
- Pain Medications/Antibiotics - The doctor may also send antibiotics home with you if your pet had infected gums and/or extractions. If your pet didn't have any teeth extracted or have gum disease, then antibiotics and pain medications may not be necessary.
We offer dental cleaning appointments on Tuesdays and Thursdays with check-in time between 8:00 - 8:30 a.m. Your pet would go on that same day after 4:00 p.m.
Dental Cleaning Dental Cleaning
Before Dental After Dental