Dental health is essential for your pet’s overall wellness, longevity, and comfort. When left untreated, the bacteria from dental disease can spread an infection throughout the body. In addition, dental disease causes significant pain that your pet cannot communicate, so they suffer in silence. Help your pet beat the odds by making a commitment to regular dental care – both professional and at home.
Routine Pet Dental Exams
During regular health care visits Lake Animal Hospital, veterinarians will provide a dental health assessment. Since there can be no clinical signs of oral pain or disease at home, regular annual examination by a veterinarian is key to identifying dental disease. If a veterinarian sees signs of dental disease, we will recommend a dental cleaning.
Pet Dental Cleanings
Dog and cat dental cleanings require the use of anesthesia to complete a thorough, safe examination and cleaning of the teeth. Blood work and exams are performed to identify any potential anesthetic risks. All patients under anesthesia will be on IV fluid support and warming support. They will also have vital signs monitored by a dedicated veterinary technician throughout the procedure and during post-operative recovery.
The teeth are cleaned by scaling and polishing to remove plaque and tartar. Our veterinarians perform a thorough oral exam and check for signs of disease. Full mouth radiographs (x-rays) allows our veterinarians to evaluate the roots of the teeth and disease located below the gum line.
We will make every effort to save teeth. If oral disease is detected, our veterinary team is experienced in performing various advanced procedures, such as tooth extractions and oral surgery. We will provide multimodal pain management to ensure your pet’s comfort during recovery.
Home Dental Care
There are several steps pet owners can take to safeguard the longevity and comfort of your pet with good home dental care.
- Brushing using a pet-safe toothpaste
- Dental chews and treats
- Oral rinses or wipes
- Prescription dental diets
Does your pet have particularly unpleasant breath, drooling, gum bleeding, facial swelling, pawing at the face, or a reluctance to chew? These are signs that your pet needs a dental exam.
