Dental Care
Problems with your pet’s oral health can go unnoticed for a long time because they start subtly and get progressively worse over time. With some conditions, your pet may not even show obvious signs of oral pain or a dental health problem until it becomes severe. Because of this, it’s important to be on the lookout for signs your pet has a dental care need. Regular dental cleanings and checkups at Noe Animal Hospital can help you prevent pain in your pet’s mouth and avoid more complex dental issues down the road. If your pet does have more major dental issues, our caring team of experts can treat them in the most comfortable way possible.
Even when there’s no obvious problem with your pet’s dental health (such as swelling, abscess or difficulty eating), it is strongly recommended that your pet receive a dental cleaning at least once a year. Depending on the breed of your pet and the state of their mouth, a more aggressive cleaning schedule may be required. Animals, just like humans, need good preventive dental care, and a dental exam and cleaning on a regular basis can keep your pet healthier, happier, and free from oral discomfort. Dental cleaning for pets typically involves the use of general anesthesia, and to ensure the best outcome and the safety of your pet, lab work should be performed before any use of anesthesia to determine if any changes must be made to the anesthetic procedure or monitoring process.
Even though it might seem your pet has a healthy, pain-free mouth, we recognize that most veterinary patients when examined show signs and symptoms of some oral disease – often showing up far earlier than you’d expect or would even be able to notice. One of these insidious conditions is periodontal disease (also known as gum disease).
Periodontal disease is a condition that can slowly and progressively destroy the attachment between the teeth and the jawbone, and it can cause pain, difficulty eating, and a general reduction in your pet’s quality of life. This disease begins when a substance known as plaque accumulates on the teeth over time. Once on the teeth, this plaque rapidly calcifies into a substance called tartar, which spreads under the gumline. As it spreads, tartar causes a chain reaction in the tissue, paving the way for bacteria to hide and grow, speeding the process of the destruction of the bond between tooth and jaw. You may not even know if your pet suffers from periodontal disease, because often pets with this condition show no obvious signs of pain.
The good news is, regular preventive care and cleanings can help prevent periodontal disease as well as other oral health problems! At Noe Animal Hospital, we provide a range of veterinary dental services, including:
- Annual dental cleanings
- Dental wellness exams
- Dental X-rays
- Tooth extraction (as needed)
- Pain management during and after your pet’s dental procedure
Schedule your pet’s dental checkup today at Noe Animal Hospital!