Our pets need help maintaining their dental health and at Loveland Regional Animal Hospital, we offer veterinary dental services for your dog or cat. Did you know 80% of dogs and 70% of cats exhibit symptoms of dental disease by age three according to the American Veterinary Dental Society? Dental disease is a common infection among pets which can lead to more serious health problems for your companion. Luckily, our experienced team can provide regular dental appointments to keep your pet’s teeth clean and help prevent any serious health issues.
Call Loveland Regional Animal Hospital to schedule your pet’s dental care appointment today!
How to Know Your Pet Needs Dental Care
We recommend having your pet’s teeth professionally cleaned and checked at least once a year. Our pets can’t tell us if they’re feeling any pain or discomfort. In fact, it’s in their nature to hide any pain or illness they may be feeling. Pets will likely continue to eat even when they are in pain. If you notice increased licking, altered or heavy breathing, changes in posture, and sleep habits, these may indicate your pet is experiencing some level of pain or discomfort. In addition, there are a few signs and symptoms that may signal your pet requires dental care. These may include:
Bad breath
Plaque or tartar build up along the gum line
Red or irritated gums
Broken, loose, or missing teeth
Lack of appetite or inability to chew
Excessive chewing or drooling
Swelling and bleeding in or around the mouth
Our Dental Cleaning Protocol
Many oral problems are concealed below the gum line and may require a more comprehensive assessment. Here is what to expect when you bring your pet in for a dental cleaning:
- After a thorough examination and laboratory work, we will place an IV catheter to deliver anesthesia to your pet for our team to perform an accurate evaluation. The IV catheter also allows us to administer fluids and remove toxins from your pet’s bloodstream.
- We will perform a full mouth exam to inspect for bone loss, loose or broken teeth and tumors as well as clean the crown of each tooth with an ultrasonic scaler. We will also implement a root-planing procedure to get rid of any plaque or bacteria beneath the gum line.
Then, we will polish the teeth and apply a fluoride treatment to help prevent future plaque or tartar build up.
What Does the Oral Health Procedure Entail?
- Supragingival Cleaning – Any visible plaque or tartar is cleared to enable our veterinarians to see the surface of each tooth.
- Subgingival Cleaning – We will then clean below the gum line. This is the most important step in the oral health procedure, as any build up below the gum line is what causes periodontal disease. This disease is one of the most common among pets and subgingival cleaning is an essential part of prevention.
- Assessment – Our veterinarians will examine your pet’s entire mouth to make note of any abnormalities such as tongue or lip lesions, deep pockets in the gums around the teeth and loose, broken or discolored teeth.
- Polishing – Removing plaque and calculus may cause the surface of teeth to roughen and enable plaque to build up more easily. Polishing the surface of the teeth will help prevent this build up.
- Sub-Gingival Lavage – Scaling and polishing the teeth may allow debris to build up below the gum line and cause inflammation. To combat this, we will flush your pet’s gums with antibacterial solution.
- Fluoride Treatment – We will apply a fluoride treatment to strengthen enamel, lessen tooth sensitivity, and reduce the formation of Feline Oral Resorptive Lesions.
- Treatments – At this point, we will address any abnormalities detected during the assessment that was previously performed. Our veterinarians will explain any abnormalities and recommend possible treatment options for your pet.
- Prevention – Prevention is the best way to avoid any dental issues for your companion.
