Comprehensive Oral Health Assessment and Treatment
Imagine what your mouth would feel like if you never brushed your teeth or went to the dentist. For many dogs and cats, this is a painful reality. We recommend annual dental cleanings to keep your pets teeth clean and healthy, just like we do ours! We take dental radio-graphs (X-rays) every time to insure the best treatment for your furry pals teeth!
Common signs of dental disease include:
- Yellow or brown buildup (tartar) on the teeth
- Red, swollen, or bleeding gums
- Bad breath
- Excessive drooling
- Changes in eating or chewing habits
- Pawing at the face
- Loose teeth
- Depression
Even if your dog or cat doesn’t have these symptoms, we recommend that you have a veterinarian evaluate your pet’s dental health at least once a year. Bacteria and food debris accumulate around the teeth will lead to deterioration of the soft tissue and bone surrounding the teeth. This decay can result in irreversible periodontal disease, tooth loss, and possibly expensive oral surgery.
Dental disease can also affect other organs in the body: Bacteria in the mouth can get into the bloodstream and cause serious infections in the kidneys, liver, lungs, and heart.
If these problems aren’t caught and treated quickly enough, they can result in death.
Our process!
Your pet will arrive at Hope at 8am having not been fed after 8pm the night before. They will be undergoing anesthesia for the dental procedure.
They aren’t happy about missing breakfast, but will be so happy when we make their smile shine. We’ll preform a complete physical examination and obtain samples to run test that will alert us to any health concerns prior to the procedure.
Once the test results show everything is A-OK for the procedure its time to anesthetize. Your pet can sleep now while we do all the work. First we take radiographs (x-rays) and preform a close examination of the teeth and mouth. Then they have their teeth thoroughly cleaned and polished. Dr. Sherrock will recommend and preform any needed extractions upon approval.
They recover from anesthesia while a veterinary nurse monitors their progress and keeps them comfortable until their owner arrives. Before they go, the nurse reviews care instructions with them to ensure they do well at home.