Dental cleanings and surgery. Dental care is very important for your cats and dogs. Unlike us, they do not brush their teeth every day and this often leads to diseased teeth, gums, halitosis (bad breath), and oral pain. Our veterinarians can assess your pet’s dental health and give information on how to best take care of their mouths.Annual dental cleanings after a few years of age are recommended for all cats and dogs. A dental cleaning involves dental scaling, polishing, and full radiographs. All dental procedures are done under full anesthesia.

Commonly, pets may need teeth extracted due to mobility, bone loss, and severity of dental disease. Our veterinarians will speak with you on the phone and discuss any potential extractions and the associated costs. Do not worry, your pet will still be able to eat even if they are missing a few (or even all) of their teeth! Our goal is for your pet to have strong, healthy teeth as long as possible. However, sometimes an extraction is the only option to relieve pain or ensure that periodontal disease does not advance. If not extracted, many times a diseased tooth can compromise the surrounding tissue and neighboring teeth. If caught early, there are more treatment options available for periodontal disease. Pets are sent home with pain medication after having teeth removed.

Our practice requires anesthesia for dental procedures. Because of this, we first perform a full physical exam and run blood tests. Like for our other anesthetic procedures, we monitor the pet receiving a dental with a capnograph, pulse oximetry, blood pressure, ECG, and temperature.

Catching dental problems in the early stages can greatly help your pet in the long run. Contact our practice right away if your pet experiences any of the following: