It’s not very often you look in your pet’s mouth. Would you know if there is any dental disease there? Smelly breath isn’t something you have to live with and can be a sign of dental disease. Your pet’s teeth need care just the same as yours do. Can you imagine not cleaning your teeth for a day let alone a whole life time? Just imagine what could be happening in your pet’s mouth.
Gum disease can be steadily working its way through your pet’s mouth without you even knowing, not only causing bad breath but can cause painful gums, chronic pain and tooth loss. Almost immediately after an animal eats (the same as humans), bacteria, along with food, saliva, and other particles, begin forming a sticky film called plaque over teeth. Unlike with humans not many pets get their teeth cleaned everyday, hence the build up begins. Plaque build up eventually calcifies and turns into a hard cement like tissue called tartar. This is the discolouration that can be seen on teeth with dental disease. Bacteria in the tartar acts the same in your pet’s mouth as in ours, it causes the immune system to recognize it as foreign. When the body is faced with a foreign element it gathers the white blood cells to attack, which then release enzymes to break down gum tissue and leads to tooth loss. And so the ongoing battle in the mouth begins with no end as your pet’s teeth aren’t getting cleaned.
There are also plenty of studies that show a link between gum disease and heart disease in pets and considering almost 80% of pets have some level of gum disease that’s a worry.
We understand the importance of looking after your pet’s teeth so we are offering a FREE 5 minute dental check with our vets so your pet’s mouth can be examined and an estimate given on any dental work that may be needed.
What’s included in your pet’s dental surgery:-
We like to include pre anaesthetic bloods as this helps us determine if it is safe to go ahead with your pet’s surgery. Dental disease can cause many internal issues that the blood results may be able to indicate.
Fluids during surgery to promote a smoother wake up and help the kidney, liver and cardiovascular functions cope with the anaesthetic better.
Their personal nurse stays with them from induction till they are fully awake and monitors them closely in between.
We use a medical grade dental machine with an ultrasonic scaler, just the same as going to the dentist. The vet checks your pet’s whole mouth including gums and each tooth to see if there are any pockets which could indicate that a tooth needs to be removed. Just as when you are at the dentist we finish all dentals with a scale and polish.
The reason that your pet’s dental may seem more expensive than your own is the time taken, the additional medication for their pre and post pain relief, fluids during the surgery (including the placement of the catheter) and of course their anaesthetic. Unlike with humans it’s not a simple walk in and walk out procedure – if only we could ask them to sit still with their mouths open like humans can.
After your pets dental a dental food is usually recommended along with brushing to help keep your pet’s mouth in tip top shape. We have plenty of options we can discuss with you and information hand outs to help you keep your pet’s teeth sparkling and their breath smelling kissable.
We love looking after your pet’s teeth so if you are concerned book in for a FREE 5 minute dental check. We have been looking after the teeth of cats and dogs from Doyalson, Wyee, Summerland Point, Warnervale, Woongarrah, San Remo, Charmhaven & Blue Haven since August 2000.
