DENTISTRY
Our pet's need dental care too! According to the American Veterinary Dental Society, more than 80% of dogs and 70% of cats have dental disease by the age of 3 years old.
We're here to help you prevent and treat dental disease in your pet.
PREVENTATIVE DENTISTRY
What you do at home makes a difference! Daily gentle toothbrushing with a pet specific toothpaste, dental chews, and dental diets approved by the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) can slow the progression of periodontal disease. Once periodontal disease has already been established, a Complete Oral Health Assessment and Treatment (COHAT) is needed. Early stages of periodontal disease can be reversed with a COHAT.
DENTAL PROBLEMS
Do you see plaque or tartar on your pet's teeth, or redness at the gumline? This is a sign of periodontal disease, the most common dental disease in dogs and cats. It is a bacterial infection that causes inflammation, pain, and eventually leads to destruction of bone and loss of teeth. Other common problems that we see include fractured teeth (we're looking at you deer antlers!), persistent baby teeth, resorptive lesions and stomatitis in cats, and malocclusion and spurs in guinea pigs and rabbits.
TREATS, TOYS
& FOOD
Due to the risk of tooth fracture, it is recommended to avoid hard bones, deer antlers, and marrow bones. Tooth fractures can be painful and cause infection. Instead, there are many great treats, chews, and daily diets that have been accepted by the VOHC for slowing down accumulation of plaque or tartar.
Learn more: https://vohc.org/
​
TREATMENT
A Compelete Oral Health Assessment and Treatment (COHAT) is the mainstay of treatment for the majority of dental problems that we see. This involes obtaining a complete set of dental radiographs to assess the health of each root and tooth. Did you know that 2/3 of the tooth is hidden under the gumline in dogs and cats? All teeth are scaled and polished to remove plaque and tartar both above and below the gumline. If any teeth are diseased, it may be advised that the tooth is removed so your pet's mouth can be healthy and comfortable.
