Dental health is an essential part of your pet’s overall health. Did you know that 80% of dogs and 70% of cats will have some form of dental disease before they turn three?
Your pet’s teeth and gums should be checked at least yearly by your veterinarian. This can help determine if your pet has dental disease.
Here at Pine Street Animal Hospital, one of our veterinarians will perform a detailed oral exam on your pet. Some signs of dental disease that you can look for at home are:
- bad breath
- loose or discolored teeth
- teeth covered in tartar
- excessive drooling
- refusing to eat
- bleeding from the mouth
How We Handle Dental Disease Care at PSAH:
Dental disease does not just affect the mouth. It can have adverse effects on the heart, kidneys, and other major organs. For this reason, we take great care in our dental work, and we are trained to grade dental disease on a scale from I to IV. Sometimes grades III and IV require extractions during a dental scaling and polishing procedure.
Once it has been determined that your pet has dental disease, we can get your pet on our schedule for a dental scale and polish. In this scenario, we keep your pet for the day.
Anesthesia
We run some pre-anesthetic blood work to ensure that there are no underlying health conditions or anything abnormal that may put your pet at greater risk during anesthesia. Once under anesthesia, the veterinarian will perform a more detailed oral exam on your pet and note any abnormalities in their record.
Scaling
The teeth are then scaled using an ultrasonic scaler to remove tartar both above and below the gum line. (Interestingly, most dental disease occurs below the gum line, where it can be hard to see.)
Polishing
Once the teeth have been scaled, they are then polished to help remove tiny scratches on the teeth and to help prevent tartar build up in the future.
Staying on top of your pet’s dental hygiene can add years to your pet’s life. To celebrate National Pet Dental Health Month, we are running a special on dental procedures during the month of February. We are offering 15% off dental cleanings. And, for a little February fun, if you schedule now you will have the opportunity to draw from our prize jar where you could earn an extra goodie!
This is the perfect time to start or continue your pet’s dental regimen. Give us a call at 864-585-0231 to get your pet’s dental work scheduled!