11/14/04

Our pets are living longer these days due to a commitment by pet owners to provide the best nutrition and veterinary care possible for their four legged family members.  Dental care has increasingly become a very important part of this higher level of care.  I often ask pet owners to "… imagine not brushing your own teeth for 8 or 10 years" to give some perspective on this issue.  Our pets' teeth and gums are subject to the same disease processes as our own.  Normal bacteria in the mouth leave a "film" on teeth called plaque that becomes mineralized to form tarter.  As tarter builds the bacteria increasingly inflame and damage gum tissue causing gingivitis. This makes the gum line look swollen and red. Without treatment true periodontal disease occurs causing gum recession, bone loss, and eventually, the loss of teeth.  Pets with periodontal disease will have very bad breath, brown tarter on the teeth, red, swollen gums, and will be generally less healthy.

A “dental” for your pet includes the same care your own dentist would perform for a routine cleaning, including removal of all tarter, polishing and fluoride treatment. The notable difference is that our veterinary patients must be briefly anesthetized to get the job done well. At DSAH we thoroughly examine each patient before anesthesia and recommend pre-anesthetic blood tests to recognize problems before anesthesia. We use extremely safe isoflurane gas anesthesia and heart and circulatory monitoring during the procedure for every patient. We have the best ultrasound dental cleaner available which reduces anesthetic time and virtually eliminates any damage to the enamel. Dental x-rays can be taken to assess the extent of dental disease and recommend extractions when indicated. Patients receiving routine dentals will go home the same day with fresh breath and a much healthier mouth.

Good dental care can add up to two years to your pet’s life and make them a better companion as well. If you’ve not considered it before ask your veterinarian to discuss this important care for your four legged family members.