Making sure that your pet receives regular dental care is the best way to avoid complications from dental disease and add years to the life of your pet. For this reason, Northshore Animal Hospital veterinarians encourage pet owners to begin regular dental exams and cleanings when your pets are young.

Dental cleanings require anesthesia; to ensure your pet’s safety, we require a presurgical blood screening to detect any abnormalities or potential problems before administering anesthesia. During our cleaning process, we use safe ultrasonic scaling to clean each tooth above and below the gum line. During our examination, we look for signs of disease such as fractured teeth, worn areas of enamel due to chewing, retained baby teeth, plaque, tartar, inflammation of the gums (gingivitis), abnormal growths or masses, tooth discoloration, infected teeth, and so forth. If we find any teeth that need to be removed or any gingival conditions that need to be repaired, we can take care of it at that time. We also offer pain medication for your pet to ensure a pain free recovery.

Routine checkups and cleanings from your veterinarian are key factors in keeping your pet healthy. Brushing your pet’s teeth in between cleanings and supplying them with oral hygiene chews are additional preventive measures.

If you notice your pets illustrating the following symptoms, they may be suffering from dental disease and should be evaluated:

• Abnormal chewing, drooling, or dropping food from the mouth
• Bad breath
• Bleeding from the mouth
• Broken or loose teeth
• Gum recession and/or gum swelling
• Pain in or around the mouth
• Pawing at the face or mouth
• Reduced appetite or refusal to eat
• Swelling of the face
• Teeth that are discolored or covered in tartar
• Weight loss

Northshore Animal Hospital always has our patients’ best interest at heart. Call today to schedule a dental appointment for your pet.