Sometimes our staff sound like a broken record but we feel that certain things are very important for your pets. One of those issues is dental health. Most people never look inside of their pet’s mouth unless there is an odor or obvious pain but dental disease begins well before these advances symptoms occur. In order to prevent major problems, regular veterinary dental exams are needed.
Our veterinarians in Tampa recommend, at a minimum, yearly examinations. During this visit, one of the many things that the vet does is look at your pet’s mouth. Primarily, they will be looking for gingivitis (early inflammation of the gums) and periodontal disease (severe gum infection with early loss of periodontal ligament attachment). Other things that may be obvious during the exam may be loose teeth, fractured teeth or O.R.L.s in our cat patients. The majority of these problems can be easily prevented with regular dental exams and cleanings.
In order to keep your pet’s mouth healthy, we recommend starting with home care. Regular brushing of your pet’s teeth will slow down the buildup of plaque which will in turn slow down tartar accumulation. If our veterinarian deems it necessary during your pet’s oral exam, an ultrasonic cleaning will be recommended. This is the same cleaning that you undergo at your dentist office. Our protocol includes pre anesthetic blood work, anesthesia, and the ultrasonic scale and polish.
By following the oral care guidelines our veterinarian recommend, we can keep your pet’s mouth healthy which will in turn help them live a longer, healthier life. Contact our clinic for more information about veterinary dental care.
