Oral Care

Imagine how your teeth would look if you did not brush them daily! Plaque mineralizes and hardens in 24-48 hours; this leads to periodontal (gum) disease! As the disease progresses more teeth and bone become affected... and lost! Eventually the heart, liver and kidneys can become affected due to the spread of bacteria!

Most pets do not show any signs of periodontal disease until significant damage is present because the pain slowly increases over time and any sign of a problem can make an animal a target if they were living in the wild - it is instinctual to hide the discomfort!

Signs of Dental disease can include:
                                                Persistent Bad Breadth
                                                Drooling
                                                Sensitivity around the mouth
                                                Bleeding, inflammed and receeding gums
                                                Tartar - creamy brown, hard material
                                                Loose or missing teeth
                                                Difficulty eating or chewing
                                                Loss of appetite

85% of all dogs and cats have some dental disease. Often it is a painful problem that is only found with a dental probe. Please remember that dental disease isn't just affecting the mouth! It affects the liver, kidneys, heart & overall health and happiness of your pet. 

If there are any signs of dental disease in your pet, a complete dental cleaning is needed while your pet is under full anesthesia. Without anesthesia, the teeth and gums can not be fully assessed. We will use an ultra-sonic scaler and hand tools to clean, then polish you pets teeth. We will assess any problems  - and even call you during the procedure to give you an update of what we find, what your pet's teeth need and what any additional costs will be! We have recently updated all of our dental equipement - including digital dental X-Rays! The X-rays are needed to assess possible or probable disease conditions under the gums.

For most patinet, pre-anesthetic blood work is recommended to help assess organ function and overall health. The results help us choose the best medications for your pet. This blood work also serves as an excellent baseline for later comparison. We can do pre-anesthetic blood work in our hospital on the day your pet has a dental procedure scheduled

Anesthesia has always been a great concern for most people. Anesthesia has improved greatly over that last 5-10 years affecting both the comfort and safety for your pet. Please discuss anesthesia and your concerns with our technicians and veterinarians. All of our dental patients have IV catheters and IV fluids running during their procedures. Pulse-oximetery and EKGs are used to monitor them while they are under anesthesia.

Please discuss any questions or concerns that you have with our staff. Good dental care is extremely important in maintaining the health and a good quality of life for your pet. Minor problems now will develop into significant problems later.

Look in your pet's mouth today!  Schedule an appointment for us to look!