Dental health is an important aspect of a pet’s overall wellness, longevity, and comfort. Ingleside Animal Hospital partners with clients to ensure a lifetime of good pet oral health.
Pet Dental Care At Routine Exams
During regular health care visits, our veterinarians will provide a dental assessment for your cat or dog. Since there can be no clinical signs of oral pain or disease, regular examination by a veterinarian is key.
In-Hospital Care
If we spot signs of gingivitis, plaque and tartar buildup, or other problems during routine exams, we will recommend a through dental cleaning. Pet dental cleanings are performed under anesthesia, as recommended by the American Veterinary Dental College and required by the American Animal Hospital Association.
As with other anesthetic procedures at Ingleside Animal Hospital, blood work is required and performed to confirm the pet is healthy and to identify any potential risk that will need to be monitored. All patients under anesthesia are on IV fluid support and are carefully observed throughout the procedure and during post-operative recovery.
During the dental cleaning, we will also take dental X-rays to evaluate if there is disease that cannot be detected by a visual inspection. Sometimes, extractions are performed. For teeth with decay, we also offer restorative dental work. Antibiotics and pain medication will be prescribed as necessary. We will go over post-dental at-home care with you.
Why is dental care important for pets?
It's really important that you keep your dogs' and cats' teeth clean. Dental disease is quite common in veterinary medicine. It's estimated that 75% of pets that walk through the door of a vet hospital have dental disease.
What do you recommend for at-home dental care for pets?
We recommend at-home dental care, and the best thing to do would be to brush. Brushing is not easy and needs to be done at least four times a week or more using a pet-friendly toothpaste. This is toothpaste made for cats and dogs. You can brush the teeth with a finger brush or use a soft-bristled children's pediatric toothbrush, which you can purchase at a local drugstore.
What if brushing my pet's teeth isn't possible?
If brushing is not going to happen because your cat or dog won't let you do that, the next best thing would be an appropriate dental chew. Dental chews should be soft and shouldn't be too hard, so do not use antlers, horns, or hard marrow bones. I'm not even a fan of Nylabones. Any of those hard chews will crack the crowns and the enamel on the teeth, leading to more dental issues.
What types of dental chews do you recommend for my dog or cat?
We do recommend flat rawhides, bully sticks, pig's ears, rope bones, KONG toys, Greenies, and those types of commercial treats.
Are there other dental care options for my pet?
There are also water and food additives that you can use as well, but at the end of the day, we're just going to achieve about a 30 to 40% reduction in tartar buildup over time. Eventually, all cats and dogs need their teeth cleaned!
Some cats and dogs are more prone to dental disease, but there are a number of steps you can take at home to prevent it and improve oral health.
- Daily brushing using a pet-safe toothpaste to minimize plaque/tartar buildup
- Dental treats, such as Greenies or CET Chews
- Dental chew toys, designed to remove plaque
- Oral rinses to protect against bacterial growth
- Dental diets
Left untreated, bacteria from dental disease can travel through the bloodstream and affect organ function. Safeguard the longevity and comfort of your pet with good preventive and veterinary dental care.
Sometimes pet dental disease does present symptoms. If you notice particularly unpleasant breath, gum swelling or bleeding, or a reluctance to chew, please contact us for a dental exam.