The Importance of Good Dental Hygiene to Your Pet  

Did you know that oral and dental disease are among the most common disorders in pet animals?  These conditions do not just affect the mouth, however.  Bacteria from plaque and tartar can eventually cross into the bloodstream, potentially infecting internal organs such as the heart, liver, and kidneys.  Signs that your dog or cat may have dental disease include bad breath, having difficulty chewing, decreased appetite, and bleeding, swollen, or red gums. 

To help you provide the best care for your pet, we offer assessment and treatment of your dog or cat's oral health at a reasonable cost.  For more information, please click here.

The Dental Prophy

The only effective treatment for advanced oral disease is the dental prophy, which is performed with the same instruments used by human dentists.  An ultrasonic scaler is used to remove plaque and tartar from the teeth, followed by a dental polisher to remove any abrasions, and finally, an oral rinse with a chlorhexidine 0.2% solution.   In cases of periodontal disease where the gingiva has separated from the tooth structures, an antibiotic called Doxirobe gel can be injected into the pockets to kill harmful bacteria and prevent tooth loss.  While our goal is tooth preservation, fractured, painful, loose, or badly diseased teeth may be extracted at the veterinarian’s discretion.  

Anesthesia

The only way to perform a thorough dental cleaning on pets is to put them under general anesthesia.  Pre-anesthetic blood testing is strongly recommended, especially in senior pets.  A heart monitor is utilized throughout the procedure, and vital signs and oxygenation are monitored by a veterinary technician.  The pet is anesthetized only long enough for the dental procedures to be performed and given pain medications and antibiotics.  All pets have an intravenous catheter placed and fluids given throughout the procedure.  The catheter allows for instant venous access for emergency drugs and the IV fluids help to maintain blood pressure, hydration, and circulation.

Prevention

The good news is that dental disease is preventable.  To prevent future tartar build-up, we perform the Oravet plaque prevention treatment, which is applied immediately following the dental prophy.  Daily brushing with a specialized pet toothpaste (do not use human toothpaste!) and toothbrush is the best way to promote good dental health.  Oral rinses and gels are also available for pets wary of the toothbrush.  Feeding tartar control diets such as T/D and encouraging the use of chewtoys, Greenies, Nylabones, Dental Kongs and Pedigree Dentabones are also beneficial. 

For more information on home dental care for your pet and to view a video on how to brush your pet's teeth, click here. 

The pictures say it all:  the teeth of a 10 year old terrier mix before (above) and after (below) a dental prophy.