Does your pet’s breath stink? Have you noticed the buildup around their teeth? Are they having trouble eating? Maintaining your pet’s
dental care
is just as important as your own. The team at Animal Medical Center of Woodland Park can help to provide cat and dog teeth cleaning along with an array of dental services annually to ensure your pet’s oral health is in tip top shape.
Symptoms of Oral Problems in Pets
There are many different ways to check and see if your pet may be having dental issues, but there are also signs that may not be as visible. This is why veterinarians recommend having your pet’s teeth checked annually. Here are some things to keep an eye (or nose) out for:
Bad breath
Loose, missing, or broken teeth
Discoloration or tartar build up
Excessive chewing or drooling
Reduced appetite or inability to chew
Swelling and bleeding in or around the mouth
Our Pet Dental Care Procedure
All pets are fully sedated for dog and cat teeth cleaning to allow our team to perform the most thorough assessment of your pet’s teeth and mouth. Rest assured, your veterinarian will perform a pre-anesthetic examination and blood work prior to the anesthesia. We will place an IV catheter to deliver anesthesia and fluids throughout the procedure. If necessary, we will provide an injectable dose of antibiotics before we begin the following procedure:
Cleaning Above & Below the Gums
We’ll remove any plaque and tartar buildup on the surfaces of your pet’s teeth as well as below the gumline to help prevent periodontal disease.
Evaluation
Your veterinarian can assess your pet’s teeth and mouth to see if there are any visible issues such as tongue or lip lesions, deep pockets in the gums around the teeth and loose, broken, or discolored teeth.
Full Mouth Dental X-rays
All patients will receive full mouth X-rays to uncover any hidden problems including root abscesses, root fractures, severe bone loss of the jaw and cystic lesions. These images allow our team to assess your pet’s entire mouth and enable us to create a more effective treatment plan, as 50% of your pet’s teeth are below the gum line.
Polishing
Your pet’s teeth will need to be polished to help avoid plaque buildup.
Flushing the Gums
We will gently flush your pet’s gums with an antibacterial solution to help decrease inflammation and reduce the risk of periodontal disease due to any debris stuck beneath the gums.
Fluoride Treatment
A fluoride treatment is also provided to help strengthen the enamel of your companion’s teeth, lessen tooth sensitivity, and decelerate the formation of Feline Oral Resorptive Lesions.
General Treatments
This is the time your veterinarian will provide treatment recommendations for any issues they found during their assessment.
