Your Pet's Dental Care

Pet Dental Care Dental Services

Park Pet Hospital veterinarians and staff believe that the centerpiece of good dental care is a complete oral exam followed by a thorough cleaning. If you notice that your pet has oral odor or see dental tartar and reddened gums it's probably time to have us take a look. In many pets, however, it is difficult to fully assess the teeth and gums prior to general anesthesia. A lot of pet owners are reluctant to authorize anesthesia due to concerns about their pet's age and anesthetic risk. Fortunately, with modern anesthetic techniques and attentive monitoring, in most cases the risk of unaddressed dental disease outweighs the safety risks of anesthesia. Pre-anesthetic blood testing may be performed in advance or even the morning of a dental procedure. Testing is generally recommended in all age groups, but especially in our older patients.

Dental cleanings include ultrasonic and hand-scaling followed by polishing and a mouth rinse, the combination of which is designed to remove tartar and plaque and slow its buildup. Subgingival scaling and antibiotic gel packs may be needed for deep periodontal pockets with infection, and occasionally removal of excessive gum tissue may be needed. Should we find any issues, such as evidence of advanced gingivitis, periodontitis, loosening or fractures of teeth, or oral tumors we will discuss this with you and provide treatment options. We ask that you leave a phone number so that, if needed, we may contact you after our assessment. While many pet owners opt for extraction of severely diseased teeth along with antibiotics and pain medications, others want more sophisticated dental care. For more complicated or severe cases, we may refer you to a board certified dental specialist.

Home dental care is very helpful if you have a cooperative pet. Brushing your dog or cat's teeth is beneficial if it can be done a few times a week. Oral rinses and dental chew devices can also be effective, as well as enzyme-treated rawhide chews. The home dental care products that we offer are carefully selected for proven benefits. Please feel free to ask our staff for advice and support.

Your Pet's Dental Care

All of us at Park Pet Hospital are dedicated to informing you about the importance of dental health. You should be able to recognize the typical signs of poor oral health. If you notice any of the following you may want to contact us: