Pet Dental Care
Veterinary Dental Care
You brush your teeth twice a day and visit the dentist at least once a year—but does your pet have the same sort of dental care regimen? Clean teeth and a healthy mouth are extremely important for your pet. Plaque and tartar build-up on your pet's teeth can lead to serious health problems and this makes dental care a must for your pet.
McKillip Animal Hospital is pleased to offer our clients and their pets a complete array of veterinary dental care services. We provide comprehensive dental cleanings, tooth extractions and other pet dental procedures.
Periodontal Disease – Signs To Watch For
As plaque builds up on your pet's teeth, it hardens into tartar and damages the teeth and gums. This results in the disease known as gingivitis. Signs of gingivitis include bad breath and reddened gums. If left untreated, gingivitis can cause periodontal disease, a serious infection that can damage the teeth and gums and lead to health problems elsewhere in your pet's body. If your pet is exhibiting any of the following symptoms, he or she may have periodontal disease:
- Discomfort while chewing
- Difficulty swallowing
- Pawing at the mouth
- Inflamed or bleeding gums
- Bad breath
Your Pet's Dental Cleaning
Veterinary dental cleanings are very different for pets than they are for you. Because anesthesia is required to keep your pet still and comfortable during a cleaning, your pet undergoes a complete physical examination prior to the cleaning in order to detect any complications that may occur from the use of anesthesia.
During a cleaning, the skilled veterinary technicians at McKillip Animal Hospital use a hand scaler to remove tartar and plaque from your pet's teeth. Next, a periodontal probe is used to check under the gumline for signs of periodontal disease. An ultrasonic scaler is used to clean the teeth above the gumline, and a curette is used to clean and smooth the teeth below the gumline. Finally, your pet's teeth are polished and his or her gums are washed with an anti-bacterial solution to prevent future tartar build-up.
Pet Dental Care At Home
Keeping your pet's teeth clean is a year-round process. Our staff members can show you how to brush your pet's teeth at home. This helps delay the build-up of plaque and tartar and is a great way for you to bond with your pet.
