Dentistry
Dental disease is common in cats and dogs; in fact it is now known that 80% of animals over the age of 3 have clinically significant dental disease.
Dental
A dental is a day procedure, and is done under general anaesthetic by our experienced vets and nurses. We always take full mouth dental x-rays and thoroughly clean the teeth and gums. If problems are identified with specific teeth, we will then call you, the pet owner, while your pet is under anaesthetic to discuss the treatment options available. Often we will then proceed with extraction of teeth if warranted and after your consent is given. At other times we will stage the procedure and arrange another day to deal with the problem teeth. When your pet goes home, we will review the dental x-rays with you and formulate a plan for ongoing dental care.
Puppies and kittens are administered several vaccines – the primary and then 1 or 2 boosters. Adult dogs and cats then require yearly, or every third year vaccines, depending on their lifestyle and risk profile.
Benefits of a dental procedure
Thoroughly clean (scale and polish) the teeth and below the gum line, to eliminate harmful calculus and bacteria and protect your pet’s oral health
Slow down the gum recession and bone loss caused by periodontal disease, so your pet will keep their teeth for longer
Identify teeth of concern which may be a source of dental pain; these can be extracted if necessary or referred for advanced dental treatment such as a root canal