Dental Care

Pet Dental Services

Pets need regular, professional dental care from your veterinarian and daily home care from you to remain healthy. Your veterinarian is the best source to determine how frequently your pet’s teeth should be treated, and which products to use for home cleanings. Ignoring your pet’s dental needs can lead to periodontal disease, loss of teeth, and failure of organs including the heart, liver, and kidneys. The earliest sign of periodontal disease is inflammation (redness or swelling) of the gums. Other indicators include bad breath, yellow/brown substance on teeth, bleeding gums, tooth loss, drooling, and change of chewing or eating habits. Dental plaque bacteria are the primary cause of Periodontal disease. Plaque is the soft material that is on the surface of the teeth. It can be brushed off teeth, but when it hardens into tarter, it requires professional care to remove. This affects about 70% of cats and 80% of dogs by three years of age.

A dental procedure called a prophylaxis or a “prophy” consists of scaling (removing disease causing bacteria) and polishing of the teeth. It is performed under anesthesia by a licensed technician and veterinarian. This is recommended at least once a year. We also recommend having blood work performed prior to this procedure to make sure your pet’s kidneys and liver are working well enough to metabolize the anesthesia.