Dental Care
Periodontal Disease
Periodontal disease is the number one disease affecting pets today. Unfortunately, most pet owners do not realize the importance of dental health and daily brushing. When left untreated, periodontal disease can affect the kidneys, liver and heart and teeth are lost.
Plaque (food debris and bacteria) accumulates on the surface of the teeth and the gums become red and inflamed. As the gums recede, not only is the tooth damaged but also the supporting ligaments and the jawbone itself. Deep pockets of infection may form called abscesses that cause pus, bleeding and pain for our pets. In the case of toy breeds the lower jawbone can even fracture due to the destruction of the bone.
Professional Dental Cleaning
If your veterinarian recommends that your pet have a dental cleaning, it is a same day procedure performed under general anesthesia.
Special instruments and ultrasonic scalers are used to remove calculus, or tartar, from the teeth above the gums. An instrument called a curette is used to clean any deposits below the gumline. Each tooth is examined for disease or abnormality and the gums are probed for periodontal pockets. If needed, radiographs are used to determine severity of disease and bone loss. Please remember that we will be unable to tell if any teeth will be extracted until your pet is under anesthesia. If surgical extraction is necessary, the gums will be closed with absorbable sutures and pain medication will be given by injection post operatively.
After all of the calculus is removed the teeth are polished to smooth the surfaces and a fluoride treatment is applied. Once the fluoride is rinsed, an application of a plaque prevention gel is applied called Oravet.
All pets who receive a dental cleaning are sent home with oral antibiotics and Oravet gel for a weekly application for maintenance. If there were any extractions we will also provide an oral pain medication.
Prevention
Daily brushing is the key to preventing serious periodontal disease. At home dental care should begin early in life and be continued throughout life. Your veterinarian will examine your pet's mouth at each visit and discuss with you any disease or abnormalities. This is yet another reason why wellness exams are so important to the health and well being of your pet. Our technicians are also always available to review brushing techniques, dental treats, chews and diets.
A new vaccine is available to dogs that aids in preventing periodontal disease. We recommend starting the vaccine during puppyhood or after a professional dental cleaning. The initial vaccination is a series of two shots given three weeks apart and then will be boosted annually.