Pet Teeth Cleaning
Dental care is one of the most essential components of your pet's preventive care plan. With a healthy mouth, your pet is able to eat, play, and live their life to the fullest. Unfortunately, nearly 80% of pets over the age of three have periodontal disease and require treatments. Yet, this disease is entirely preventable. Routine pet teeth cleaning by the team at Melrose Animal Clinic coupled with consistent at-home care by you means your pet will experience a clean, healthy mouth their whole lives.
The Importance of At-Home Care
A consistent at-home dental care regimen helps you to keep your pet's mouth healthy and reduce the number of times they require professional cleanings. Brushing your cat's or dog's teeth is the single most effective way to reduce plaque and tartar, but there are other options, too. These include:
- Water additives
- Dental treats
- Dental diets
- Finger brushes
- Wipes
- Sprays
- And more
Want to learn more about at-home dental care?
Check out our dental care videos in our video library!
You can play an active role in your pet's dental health care.
Schedule a dental appointment today.
Signs of Periodontal Disease
Even with consistent at-home care, periodontal disease can still develop. In the early stages, it’s easy to treat with routine professional cleaning, but as it progresses, it requires more intensive care. Without treatment, bacteria from your pet’s mouth can even enter their bloodstream and cause disease in the heart, liver, and kidneys.
Signs of disease include:
- Bad breath
- Tartar buildup
- Gingivitis (red, swollen gums)
- Receding gums
- Bleeding gums
- Difficulty eating
- Disinterest in chew toys
- Loose or broken teeth
Advanced Dental Care
Our team of veterinarians have all completed advanced training in animal dentistry. We are highly experienced and can address many different dental conditions. Yet, our dental services focus primarily on preventive dental care. We perform a Comprehensive Oral Health Assessment and Treatment (COHAT), commonly known as a pet teeth cleaning.
COHAT involves the following:
- Removal of all plaque and tartar from the tooth surfaces as well as deposits under the gum line
- A thorough evaluation of every tooth to determine the need for repair or extraction*
- Digital dental X-rays to identify disease hidden below the gum line
- Polishing the surface of the teeth to prevent new plaque and tartar from forming
- Charting your pet’s teeth so we can monitor any future changes
*If we do determine that your pet requires extractions, we’ll notify you immediately before we proceed.
Safety from Start to Finish
Throughout any procedure, your pet’s safety is paramount. Since COHAT requires general anesthesia, we apply the same AAHA-approved safety protocols for your pet that we use for surgeries. These include pre-anesthetic blood work and exam, an IV catheter supplying warmed fluids, extensive monitoring with equipment and a trained veterinary technician.
