Dental Care Is Important for Good Pet Health
Pet owners sometimes overlook dental care as part of a healthy pet regimen, but caring for your pet’s teeth both above and below the gum line can dramatically extend your pet’s life. At Altos Veterinary Clinic, we recommend introducing tooth brushing at a young age to your cat or dog, as well as appropriate food and the right kinds of toys. Preventive care is a key to maintaining your pet’s long-term good health.
At all annual check-ups, we thoroughly check your pet’s mouth for the following:
- Correct bite
- Jaw injury
- Abscesses
- Gingivitis
- Fractured teeth
- Damage to enamel
- Tartar and calculus build-up
We recommend a professional cleaning for your pet’s teeth at the first sign of tartar or plaque.
How We Keep Your Pet’s Teeth Clean
Regular dental prophylaxis that includes professional cleaning and polishing helps keep your pet’s teeth and gums healthy. We clean the teeth ultrasonically, a method that removes tartar and calculus both above and below the gum line. We then polish the teeth, leaving no uneven surfaces where bacteria can multiply.
Preventing Future Dental Problems
Because we believe that prevention is always preferable to treating a sick pet, we recommend several ways to avoid future problems with your pet’s teeth. Dental sealants can be applied to teeth to protect the enamel. These sealants can even be used if a tooth is cracked but otherwise stable. This will prevent further damage and perhaps prevent us from having to extract the tooth. We can also perform some periodontal treatments to improve the condition of your pet’s gums.
Remembering to take care of your pet’s teeth at home is also very important. We are happy to show you how to brush your pet’s teeth and can even make other recommendations for special products that can help keep the teeth, gums, and mouth healthier.
Anesthesia & Pain Relief
All dental procedures, from cleanings to extractions, include general anesthesia so that your pet will have less stress and discomfort. Pain medication and a local dental block are given to ensure additional pain relief before, during, and after all procedures. Just as before surgery, we also take pre-anesthetic blood tests before administering anesthesia to ensure that your pet stays safe. Your pet’s vital signs are carefully monitored throughout any treatment, and a skilled veterinary technician stays with your pet throughout the procedure.