Teeth & Gums (Dental Service)

Symptoms

• Red or swollen gums, bad breath, a yellow-brown crust near the gum line.
• Discomfort when the mouth or gums are touched.
• Loose teeth and a possible decrease in appetite or weight loss due to difficulty chewing.
• Periodontal disease may lead to systemic infections and possibly damage the heart, liver and kidneys.

Our veterinary staff are available to carry out a free dental check on your pets’ teeth. Your pets teeth will be graded depending on how severe the tartar build up is, whether or not there is inflammation of the gums and whether extractions may be necessary.

Dogs and cats can be admitted from 7:30 on the morning of the dental. They are usually ready to go home from 2:30 – 6:00 pm the same day.

Oral Health Check and Treatment

• Free dental health check.
• Pre-anesthetic physical examination.
• Dental x-rays if necessary
• General anesthesia – Unlike humans, animals need to undergo general anesthesia each time they get work done.
• Anesthetic vital sign monitoring including blood pressure, respiratory, temperature, pulse oximeter, capnography.
•  IV catheter and fluid therapy if necessary or requested.
• Dental cleaning which includes ultrasonic and hand scaling below and above the gum line, polishing, fluoride treatment and complete dental charting.
• Simple and surgical extractions, if necessary. If dental disease is severe, extractions may be necessary after which an antibiotic injection is given.
• Pre- and post- surgery pain medication.
• Follow-up examination if necessary.

Dental Radiographs

X-rays – Dental radiographs are one of the most important diagnostic tools available. They allow identifying problems with the crowns and roots of the teeth, as well as the jaw bones, nasal cavity and soft tissues of the mouth.

Our advanced radiography equipment includes digital intraoral veterinary dental x-rays which provide superior quality for examination of individual teeth or sections of the jaws.

After the dental procedure

Depending on the extent of dental disease and surgery, it is possible that your pet may be sensitive around his/her mouth and may experience difficulty chewing. Canned food or moistened dry food is recommended.
Blood tinged saliva may be observed after extractions and dental surgery. Your pet may appear drowsy for the next 24 hours as anesthesia may wear off slowly.

We will prepare a take-home dental care plan for your pet.

Possible dental home care includes:

•  Brushing the dog’s teeth.
•  Dental exercisers and chew treats.
•  Feeding dry food at mealtime that is especially designed for dental health and reduces plaque and helps control oral bacteria.