pet dental care
Pet Dental Care
Beyond fixing that notorious pet breath, proper dental care is a crucial step in the long-term health of your pet. Exercising proper dental care can prevent common diseases such as cavities, gingivitis, and periodontal disease. Bacteria buildup due to improper dental hygiene can lead to serious complications in major organs such as heart, liver, and kidney disease.
Most veterinarians recommend your pet have their teeth cleaned and examined at least once a year. (Just like humans!) Our annual pet dental care program works to improve the oral hygiene of your furry pal, while also checking for and addressing more serious health issues before it's too late.
Some of the symptoms of poor pet dental care include:
Weight loss. Infected gums and tooth pain can result in a reduced appetite and significant weight loss.
Bad breath due to neglected teeth and gums.
Dirty, stained teeth that could be harbouring bacteria.
Heart, kidney and liver disease which can all arise from untreated dental infections.
Premature death. Bad teeth and gums can actually shorten the life expectancy of your pet.
What all is included in our annual Pet Dental Program?
Pre-Anesthetic Bloodwork
Intravenous Catheterization
General Anesthesia
Polishing of Teeth
Dental Radiographs
Ultrasonic Descaling of Teeth
ECG (Heart Screen)
Laser Treatment on gums to promote healing
Antibiotics (if needed)
Pain Management
| Wellness Dental Cleaning (Tartar and Gingivitis): | $595 |
| Level 1 - Minor Periodonal Disease: | Additional $110 |
| Level 2 - Moderate Periodonal Disease: | Additional $155 |
| Level 3 - Major Periodontal Disease: | Additional $195 |
| Level 4 - Severe Periodontal Disease: | Not to exceed an Additional $855 |
More Info
One of the primary causes of these problems is gum disease which sees bacteria-harbouring plaque and tartar accumulating on your pets' teeth. This can in turn infect the gum tissue, causing pain and potential tooth loss. The bacteria can also enter the blood stream and cause damage to their internal organs, which untreated can lead to organ failure and eventually death.
Cats
Research has shown that dental disease is the primary health concern for cats, with around 70% of felines aged over 3 experiencing some form of dental problem. Between 4 and 6 months of age kittens lose their baby teeth and develop their permanent ones. Once the permanent ones are present your cat should have around 30 teeth.
Some of the symptoms of dental disease in cats include:
Drooling
Bad breath
Decreased appetite
Discolored teeth
Blood in the saliva
Bleeding, red or swollen gums
Weight loss
Receding gums
Broken or missing teeth
Dental prophylaxis, otherwise known as a clean and polish, is the most routine dental treatment performed on cats. It usually takes around 60 minutes and there is no need for your cat to stay with us afterwards. Whilst all dental work requires that your pet has general anesthetic, the risks are minimal and we can perform a pre-anesthetic screening test if requested or required. Once your cat is under sedation we will perform an oral examination before commencing with cleaning and polishing. If any radiographs or extractions are required then we will do them at this time.
It is vitally important for you to carry on your cat's dental care at home. There are a variety of brushing kits available that usually include a finger brush, small pet toothbrush and special toothpaste. Never use human toothpaste on your pets' teeth. Make brushing your cats' teeth an integral part of their daily routine to ensure that you are providing the best preventative care to dental disease possible.
Dogs
Doggy dental care is also extremely important. Most adult dogs will have 42 teeth by the time they are 7 or 8 months old but many show signs of gum disease by the time they are 4 years old due to a lack of proper cleaning.
Symptoms of poor dental or oral health can include:
Excessive drooling
Inflamed or red gums
Loose teeth
Cysts under the tongue
Tumours in the gum
Particularly bad breath
As with cats, brushing your dogs' teeth as a part of their regular daily routine can help prevent the onset of oral decay. There are plenty of canine brushing kits available, or alternatively you could use gauze wrapped around your fingers. Again, make sure you purchase special pet toothpaste as human toothpaste can make them very sick.
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