DENTAL CARE
DENTAL CARE IS IMPORTANT TO YOUR PET’S HEALTH
Dental care is one of the most important and often overlooked aspects of your pet’s health. Having clean teeth is about so much more than just bad breath. The tartar and calculus that build up on your pet’s teeth trap harmful bacteria into your pet’s gums and lead to tooth-root abscesses and infections in other places in the body, such as the heart and kidneys. The tartar and calculus build-up and bacteria also lead to inflammation in the gums, gum recession, and mobility of the teeth, which can be incredibly painful.
SIGNS THAT YOUR PET MAY HAVE A DENTAL DISEASE:
- Bad breath
- Pain or difficulty eating, drinking, or chewing
- Chewing on only one side of the mouth
- Decreased interest in chewing toys, tug of war, or hard kibble
- Swelling of the face
- Nasal discharge
Your pet may exhibit all or none of the above symptoms as it is common for pets to hide oral pain and infection. Sometimes the only way to know your pet has dental disease is to look in their mouth, which is why regular examination by your veterinarian is critical! Your pet’s teeth and mouth will be examined at every wellness visit. Additionally, if you have concerns between wellness visits, you may schedule an oral health exam.
DENTAL PROCEDURES
Prairie Hills Animal Hospital is equipped with a dedicated dental suite for our dental procedures, including:
- Dental Cleanings where your pet’s teeth are scaled with both an ultrasonic cleaner and by hand using instruments to remove tartar and calculus build-up.
- Digital Radiology is included within every dental procedure. Dental disease often occurs below the gum line and can only be seen with radiographs or x-rays. Radiographs allow for painful diseases to be seen, diagnosed, and treated. Radiographs also aid in planning any tooth extractions that may be necessary.
- Extractions: Our veterinarians are trained to perform tooth extractions if a diseased tooth is present*.
- Minor oral surgery including the removal of small masses, minor mandibular fracture repair, foreign body removal, and surgical correction of trauma*.
* If advanced disease or trauma is found beyond the capabilities of our clinic, a referral to a board-certified veterinary dentist will be facilitated.
Want to know what to expect?
Learn more about what a typical visit entails and how to prepare yourself and your pet.
What is included in your pet’s dental package?
- Pre-anesthetic blood work
- IV catheter and IV fluids throughout the procedure and during recovery
- Anesthesia and related medications, including pre-operative pain medication as needed
- Complete oral exam under anesthesia
- Complete dental radiographs, including post-operative radiographs in the event of tooth extractions
- Scaling (cleaning) and polishing of all teeth
- Extractions
*Post-operative pain medications and antibiotics not included.
DENTAL PACKAGES
Dental packages are based upon the amount of dental disease present. Dental exams are required before scheduling a dental procedure. If your pet has not had a wellness exam or an oral health exam in the last six months, please schedule an appointment today to have your pet’s teeth evaluated by one of our veterinarians.
In addition to professional cleanings, it is important to care for your pet’s teeth at home. Regular home care can decrease the progression of dental disease, therefore, decreasing the frequency of needed professional cleanings. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Home care options
- Brushing with a regular toothbrush (infant finger brush may be used) to brush your pet’s teeth. It is important that you only use toothpaste designed for pets. If your pet has never had their teeth brushed, start slowly and positively reward the experience for greater success.
- Dental chews: dental chews sold by your veterinarian are made to combat tartar build-up by mechanically breaking down the build-up on teeth AND using enzymatic action to break down tartar.
- Water additives: because pets are unable to swish and spit out mouth wash like humans, water additives that are safe to swallow may be added to your pet’s drinking water to combat bacteria in the mouth.