Proper dental care is often overlooked in our pets. Periodontal disease can have devastating consequences, such as tooth loss as well as heart, liver, and kidney disease.
Your pet’s dental health is evaluated and monitored at each annual wellness examination. Any necessary steps or recommendations are discussed and planned. We always recommend daily brushing of teeth with a pet enzymatic toothpaste, but we may recommend special dental treats or water additives as well. With advanced disease it may be recommended that we perform a prophylactic cleaning. On average, it is recommended that a dental prophylaxis be done every 1–3 years depending on each animal’s rate of tartar accumulation and dental disease.
Unlike their human counterparts, even well mannered pets are not able to sit for a thorough cleaning and polishing without general anesthesia. At Susquehanna Trail Animal Hospital we utilize every tool to ensure a safe anesthetic procedure. We perform a preanesthetic blood panel to evaluate organ function, IV catheterization for venous access and IV fluids, as well as electronic and trained professionals to monitor vital signs while under anesthesia. We also have a newly upgraded dental unit as well as digital dental Xrays to fully evaluate for any periodontal disease below the gum line.
If a diseased tooth is found, a tooth extraction may be necessary. The professional trained doctors at Susquehanna Trail Animal Hospital will safely and efficiently remove any affected tooth after discussing the treatment plan with you. We always employ such techniques as local nerve blocks, morphine-like drugs, and oral anti-inflammatory drugs to go home. Extraction of a diseased tooth removes any source of pain and future infection. Your pet will be prescribed a soft diet for 10-14 days but will be feeling better in just a few days! So may clients have told us that their pet is acting like a puppy/kitten again after diseased teeth were extracted. Pets are amazing hiders of pain, so we do our best to be able to communicate what they are not able to do.