My Dog Needs A Dental

One of our staff’s pets was well overdue for some dental attention. Abbey is 13 years old and it had been a few years since her last checkup. She had started to develop the common signs of dental disease in the form of bad breath, tartar (dark discolouration along the gumline) and gingivitis (a redness and swelling of gums along the gumline).

Dental disease can cause serious pain and discomfort, reducing appetite and impacting on your pet’s quality of life.

Even in mild cases, disease left untreated allows bacteria to invade the connective tissue under the gumline causing hidden problems such as tooth erosion, root exposure, abscesses and loose teeth. Early intervention helps avoid pain and costly extractions.

Veterinary dental treatment requires a general anaesthesia to allow for a full oral exam and dental x-rays. Problems often occur under the gumline which will only showup on x-rays, so imaging is also essential.

Abbey had her teeth cleaned and polished, with teeth looking pearly white, and now has a fresh pleasant smelling breath.

In future her diet will include a special dental care biscuit and dental treats to improve her oral health before her next visit in a year.

If you notice any of these signs please arrange a checkup and we’ll be happy to discuss the options for you and your pet.